Bolivia
CRS works to provide tanks to catch rain water in particularly dry areas such as this village where Rosalia lives. Photo by Susan Romanski/CRS
Stretching from the Andes Mountains to tropical Amazonia, Bolivia is a very diverse country. Although it has a large indigenous population, native peoples historically have lacked access to basic services and have been excluded from the political system.
Significant social and economic transformation began in Bolivia in 2006, and many changes designed to guarantee justice and equality for all were enshrined in the new Constitution, which took effect in 2009. Nevertheless, it is still difficult for the government to meet the entire population's needs for health care and education, especially in rural areas.
Although Bolivia has benefited from high international oil and mineral prices over the past decade, the economy has grown by an average of only 4 percent annually.
Stats
| Population: | 10,118,683 (July 2011 est.) |
| Size: | 424,162 sq. mi.; slightly less than three times the size of Montana |
| People Served: | 16,323 (2011 est.) |
History
Since 1955, Catholic Relief Services has worked with our partners in the Catholic Church to improve the quality of life of poor Bolivians. Whether providing housing, water and sanitation systems, health services, agriculture assistance, microcredit, or emergency response, our work in Bolivia strives to strengthen the capacity of the communities we serve to take control of their own development and achieve long-term change.
We work with partner institutions that respond to the country's social and political challenges. Through the years, CRS Bolivia has helped to improve the quality of life of thousands of Bolivians, shifting the focus from delivery of humanitarian assistance to an integral approach to development that strives to achieve long-term sustainability.
Partners
Diocese of El Alto Social Ministry and Caritas Office - El Alto: This office draws on the Gospel and Catholic social teaching to build Christian values and contribute to the integral human development of the poor and disenfranchised in the Diocese of El Alto. Its goal is to build a just society characterized by solidarity.
The office has five programs: 1) Training and education; 2) Life, justice and peace; 3) Development; 4) Promotion of women; and 5) Emergencies and humanitarian aid.
The water and sanitation projects are part of the Development Program, which emphasizes local participation. The projects contribute to the country's development plans and Bolivia's Millennium Development Goals.
