Why Your Help is Needed

Bolivia is comprised of four main ethnic groups: Quechua (30%), Aymara (25%), mestizo (25%), and white (13%) but there are a number of other smaller indigenous groups as well. Bolivia is the poorest country in South America and it is estimated that 64% of the population lives below the poverty level, many being rural or indigenous populations. Many Bolivians, including the indigenous Quechua and Aymara people, are eager to improve their economic situation through learning and hard work but they have little or no resources.

The Bolivia 2002 World Bank Country Study states that 25 percent of Bolivian children under the age of 3 have suffered malnutrition, and the overall malnutrition rate of the poorest households is about 40 percent. UNICEF tells us that the rural population growth rate is around 3.62 percent, which is another indication of added pressure on already economically distressed rural and indigenous families. Those families with a large number of children are less likely to be able to provide adequate food, clothing, and education. Very often, instead of being sent to school, children are sent to work in the streets selling candy or other goods to supplement the family income.

Based on 2001 data gathered from UNICEF citations, 25% of the population aged 15 or older is illiterate. And of those in the literate portion of the population many are at a very low level of literacy, some barely able to read or write, or interpret tests or instructions. Various sources say the unemployment rate in Bolivia is anywhere from eight to 10 percent. And with an underemployed workforce of around 4 million this adds up to a lot of people who are struggling to get by: nearly half the population, with no way to improve their situation.