In the mountain villages of Bolivia, girls often face a future without education, which means they will never enjoy full independence. In these remote areas, scarce economic options mean that parents often have to make the difficult decision of prioritising the education of their sons.
In an effort to reduce the educational gender gap in these areas, we have teamed up with the charity Caritas South Tyrol. From the 24th of November to the 25th of December 10% of all sales made through our online shop will be donated to their “ABC: Learning for a better future” project which provides education to young girls in remote villages in the Bolivian mountains.
Why this problem exists in Bolivia
The Bolivian government's education system provides primary schools in the main indigenous communities, but middle schools and high schools are exclusively in the provincial capitals. This means there is a lack of education facilities in rural areas, leaving younger generations of farmer’s families without adequate education and increasing illiteracy rates and school dropout rates in the countryside. With the arrival of the coronavirus, schools and educational institutions also slipped to the bottom of the government's priority list, further widening the rural-urban gap.
Melina's journey
Melina remembers her first day at boarding school very well. She was eight years old at the time and already felt homesick on the journey to Pocona. But she wanted to continue her studies, and there were no other schools close to home. At first she was amazed by everything in the boarding school: the running water, the light that could simply be switched on, the smooth floors, the white walls and all the things she'd never experienced at home. Now Melina is one of the 'seniors' in the boarding school. She was due to graduate from high school last year, but with school closures and interruptions, it was not possible. But she will make up for it this year and is already looking to the future: at boarding school in Pocona she learned a lot besides school - including how to use a computer, which will help her find a good job.
