Bolivia

1
What country is this?
Bolivia
2
Where is Bolivia?
Which countries border it? What continent is it
in? What is the climate like? What language do
they speak? What size is the population? What
currency do they use?
3
Which countries border it? Peru, Brazil,
Argentina, Paraguay, Chile What continent is it
in? South America What is the climate like? Ave.
Summer temperature 22c Its quite rainy in
Summer Ave. Winter temperature 15c Its very
bright and sunny in Winter What language do they
speak? Spanish, Quechua and Aymara What size is
the population? 9 million less than London What
currency do they use? Bolivianos about 15bs to 1
4

• Bolivia has a huge natural gas field, the
  second largest in the continent (after
  Venezuela).
• We use natural gas to produce electricity in
  most countries. It is the cleanest fossil fuel,
  so its use is increasingly popular.

5
It also has more than 70 of the worlds iron and
magnesium.There are rich agricultural resources.
It should be economically stable.
6

• But it is the
• poorest country in South America. 66 of the
  population live
• in poverty
• (90 in cities). 800,000 children and
  adolescents work
• (21 of the working population).

7

• Bolivia has been getting poorer since the
  Eighties. There are several likely reasons for
  the economic situation there has been
  governmental corruption, economic crises in
  neighbouring countries

a crackdown on Bolivian cocaine production and
Western authorities have been allowed to exploit
Bolivian resources (in the 90s the government
sold 50 of each public entreprise).
8
Llallagua

• Llallagua is in the Highlands in the South-West
  of Bolivia. It is home to 30,000 people.
• 70 of those people live below the poverty line.
  
• 46 of the population have no access to
  electricity and 78 have no sanitary facilities.
  
• Life expectancy is around 48 years old.
• 40 of people work in mining, despite how
  dangerous and unpleasant it is.
• Many children have to work to support their
  families. Some work in the mines, many sell
  things in the street or shine shoes.
• Llallagua is a traditional and religious area.

9
Santa Cruz

• Santa Cruz is Bolivias most industrialised
  region and people have the highest average wages
  in the country. Many people move here from other
  parts of the country. It has become a modern,
  International city. Despite the benefits of
  economic growth, there are downsides, like
  pollution, drug addiction and crime.
• Santa Cruz is a city of contrasts. Many young
  people still have to work. It is common to work
  in the market, pushing around heavy wheelbarrows,
  which damages their backs and hands. They often
  sleep in the market, covering themselves with
  cardboard to keep warm and to hide their
  belongings. Window washers have to dodge the
  dangerous, aggressive traffic.

10
As a result of the tough economic conditions,
many children and teenagers have to work. They
often work as fruit and vegetable sellers, shoe
shiners, waiters, farm hands and car washers.

• Some also have to perform the worst jobs of
  mining, sugar cane farming and sexual
  exploitation. The children and adolescents work
  for as many as 18 hours a day in order to help
  their families eat.

11

• Leoncio 14 My friend Rafael shines shoes. He
  wants to earn lots of money. But he is a good
  kid, and so are all the kids in the park, because
  we work hard and to bring home money for food and
  to buy our things.

12

• Through close cooperation with local
  organisations, Save the Children is trying to
  help Bolivians to improve their situation.
• What has been done so far?
• By getting to know the young workers and talking
  to them, organisations called NATs teach them how
  to defend their rights.

13

• The NATs build their self-esteem through
  individual and group counselling sessions. They
  encourage children to protect themselves.
• They give their members a jacket to identify them
  as protected by the association.
• It is vital that this is a collective movement,
  so that bosses change their practices, rather
  than sack the courageous workers who stand up for
  themselves and replace them with exploitable
  ones.

14
NATS will only allow children to join if they
study as well as work. This way they ensure that
young pupils dont miss out on their education,
which could bring them out of their difficult
situation in the future. Members are also
permanently excluded if they get in a fight.

• Unfortunately there are not enough NATS to
  protect all the children and the workers have to
  pay in order to join the groups.