2020

UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP-VOLUNTEERING PROJECT:

Since 2016, Adelante Bolivia has been looking to expand its beneficiary communities, providing not only support in computer training but also "Scholarship-Volunteer" opportunities for university or higher technical level students. The scholarship lasts for one semester with a monthly amount allocated for academic expenses and an additional amount for transportation expenses that will be used in their role as volunteer instructors. The scholarship is launched through an open call that allows students who need economic support to continue their studies to apply on an equal opportunity basis. At the same time, they must be motivated and committed to supporting other less privileged groups in which they serve as volunteer computer class instructors, giving them the experience of teaching and, in some cases, their first teaching practices.

The call will establish deadlines for the submission of the requirements indicated therein. Therefore, the applicant must meet the requirements established by the Foundation and promptly provide a sealed envelope with the information received.

San Martin de Porres Support Center for People with Disabilities “CAPEDIS”

Since the 2018 management, a cooperation agreement was established with CAPEDIS due to the organization's needs and lack of personnel. Considering that the residents of CAPEDIS have severe and multiple disabilities, the support of the physiotherapist was extended daily during the 2019 management in the afternoon shift. In 2019, although the agreement was supposed to end in November, it was extended until December due to the civic strike that Bolivia experienced for 21 days due to political reasons. The situation was very risky to travel in, and there was no transportation that could provide security for the physiotherapist to move around.

By way of explanation, the institution houses 10 people with disabilities and no family members, ranging in age from 10 to 50 years old. The institution operates with the support of Japanese organizations, and in the second half of 2018, a new director joined, as Shoko, the founder and former director, due to health and age reasons, began to step back and take care of the ecological farm they have. Currently, the funding has decreased, so the budget has been reduced, and they still do not have a budget to pay a physiotherapist. Given the severe disability, if they do not receive attention, the damage to the beneficiaries would be greater and irreversible.

Puntiti Therapeutic Community - Josefa Recio Day Center:

In the 2020 management, in January, the physiotherapist provided physiotherapy care within Puntiti. During the holiday season, the interns do not attend due to the university break, and the number of patients exceeds the capacity of the permanent physiotherapist at the Center. The physiotherapist supported the therapies for the young children and assisted with their feeding.

The Therapeutic Community Puntiti is a non-profit organization belonging to the Hospital Sisters and has a mission to provide support to people with disabilities through a shelter for orphans with multiple and severe disabilities. This shelter is one of the largest and oldest in Cochabamba, with 20 years of history.

Among its population, there are 80 people aged between 10 and 40 years old, who are divided by age for the bedrooms and dining areas. During the school months (February to November), they receive physiotherapy interns since they have only one contracted professional physiotherapist. Therefore, Adelante Bolivia is supporting during December and January to minimize this deficiency through the professional in physiotherapy. 5 children were attended to.

In the 2020 management, the "Josefa Recio Day Center" was inaugurated, which provides education to children external to the center but who also have disabilities. They are part of low-income families that need stimulation, education, and therapies. Lic. Ericka covers the space as the only physiotherapist. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face and educational activities were suspended by government provisions. Therefore, the care for the rest of the management was carried out by sending videos of the exercises and digital material as a guide for parents, attending to 13 patients remotely.