In 1968, Hermann Gmeiner decided to take over the "Gota de Leche" orphanage in Cochabamba and turn it into an SOS Children's Village. Widely spread structural poverty and the aftermaths of natural disasters, like the "El Niño" floodings in 2008, now make the work of SOS Children's Villages in Bolivia indispensable.
El Alto was once a suburb of La Paz, but today it is one of Bolivia’s fastest growing cities. Located at an altitude of around 4,000 meters above sea level it has a population of over 900,000, the majority of them indigenous Aymara. Two thirds of the population arrived here after 1985 when changing economic policies resulted in a trend towards mass urbanisation.
In October 2003, El Alto was at the heart of the uprising that eventually ousted then president Lozada and made way for the new socialist government of Evo Morales. Life has improved in Bolivia since then, especially for the previously marginalised and excluded indigenous population. But the struggle is by no means over.
El Alto is Bolivia’s youngest city in demographic terms, with 77 per cent of the population below the age of 24. It is also one of the country’s poorest cities with the highest number of people living in poverty, lacking basic facilities such as sanitation or running water. Because El Alto is a migrant town, it lacks planning and infrastructure. Waste is a big problem and poses a health hazard. Traffic and pollution are out of control, crime rates are high and brothels are common.
Most people here do not have formal work; they sell merchandise or homemade food in the streets. Consequently, they lack security and a regular income, which makes ensuring sufficient food for their family impossible at times. Often, children are expected to contribute to the family income by working, e.g. shining shoes or selling sweets on the streets.
A childhood spent in such poverty can seriously hinder the physical, mental and cognitive development of a child. Young parents and single mothers in particular, need support so that their children can break the cycle of poverty and look forward to a healthy and secure future.
