By Lydia Hill | Project Leader
Greetings, and Happy New Year!
We are pleased to share with you the updates from the last few months in Bolivia.
Tahuantinsuyo
The Monday to Friday program at the Tahuantinsuyo Community Centre is now shut for summer break. Before closing, the children and their families celebrated with a big holiday fiesta! There was food, presents, speeches, and music and dance demonstrations from the children. A wonderful way to end the year!
You may recall that last Spring the Tahuantinsuyo Community Centre received a generous donation of musical instruments from a Foundation in Germany. Last Fall, thanks to your generous support, the Aymara Music and Cultural Dance Program started up at the Centre with the hiring of a dedicated teacher to teach the children how to use the instruments! Here’s a glimpse of the program’s impact:
- Children aged 4 to 6 engaged in musical expression, learning about musical instruments, rhythm, hand-ear coordination, and crafting instruments from recycled materials.
- Those aged 7 to 12 honed their skills in reading music, understanding rhythm, enhancing auditory perception, and mastering traditional Andean wind instruments.
- Adolescents aged 13 to 18 delved deeper into musical notes, fostering creativity, and even composing their own music. Some tackled important themes like violence against women and environmental care through their musical compositions
- Children ages 6 to 18 immersed themselves in the rich tapestry of Aymara culture, learning captivating Indigenous dances.
Looking ahead to 2024, we're excited to continue this vital music and dance program, preserving the Aymara traditions cherished by the children at the Centre. Your unwavering support remains the cornerstone of this transformative program, enriching the lives of these young learners. Thank you for making it all possible!
Villa Ingenio
The Villa Ingenio Saturday afternoon program ended the year with a wonderful Christmas celebration that included gifts for the children and delicious snacks. Thanks to a benefit show coordinated by Bolivian comedian Frank Torrez, child entertainers were also hired for the celebration, making the day extra fun and special!
As you may remember from our last newsletter, in September 2023 a new program launched at Villa Ingenio on Tuesday mornings. Ten children with severe learning difficulties came to the Centre for tutoring in math and languages, which are challenging subjects. Lunch was also served, with much anticipation by the children.
The Tuesday school support program made a significant impact as the staff continued to work diligently to address learning challenges faced by the children. We are pleased to report that all 10 children were able to successfully pass their school year thanks to this extra support. While we're grateful for the progress made on Tuesdays, these young learners require sustained support, and we look forward to the day we can expand this program to full time, like at Tahuantinsuyo. In the meantime, the Tuesday morning program will continue in 2024.
The Saturday morning program will also continue in 2024, as this program has become a source of joy and creativity for these children, fueled by a nutritious hot lunch made possible by Help Bolivia donors. Thank you for bringing joy to the lives of these children!
Exciting News Coming Up!
Next month a group of HBF Directors, volunteers, and donors are traveling to Bolivia. Everyone pays their own way, and all are volunteering their time. Many days of creative fun with the kids are planned, as well as a field trip with the kids and their families. We will also be ‘cutting the ribbon’ on 2 new exciting partnerships/projects for children and youth in El Alto and La Paz! Follow us on social media for more info, or if you haven’t yet, subscribe to our monthly newsletter on the home page of our website.
How You Can Help in 2024
In order to grow our programs, particularly for Villa Ingenio, we require reliable and stable funding. Monthly donations provide that stability and help us with financial planning. Consider signing up as a monthly donor through our GlobalGiving page (American and UK donors received tax credit) or through our CanadaHelps page on our website (Canadian donors receive a tax receipt). Every grain of sand helps fill the jar!
One-time donations are also most welcome! We appreciate your support to improve the lives and futures for these children. You are an important part of their success, and for that we are very grateful.
THANK YOU! MUCHAS GRACIAS!!!
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can recieve an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
