Bolivia

I did not think I was going to make any international contacts.  I sent over 15 emails, most of them came back to me saying it couldn't be sent.  I was giving up and preparing myself to listen to the podcasts.  But late this week I received not one but two responses.  They were both from Bolivia.  My first contact is Juan Carlos Borda.  He works in the early childhood area of UNICEF/ Bolivia like a social communicator, making advocacy and communication activities.  I got the most information from him because he responded on Wednesday and I was able to ask some questions.  Bolivia is among the five poorest countries in South America, with high maternal and infant mortality rates.  Two-thirds of the population live in poverty.  In 2005 Bolivia changed political administration and now have an indian president (Evo morales Ayma). Many changes have occurred, including laws that seek to provide greater benefits to the poorest in the country. One of the most important changes was the State Constitution. One of this changes is the educational law "Avelino Siñani - Elizardo Pérez" who insert in his content those articles:
"Article 11. Structure Subsystem Regular Education
Regular Education Subsystem includes:
a) Community Family Early Childhood Education
b) Community Primary Vocational Education
c) Productive Community Secondary Education
Article 12. Community Family Early Childhood Education
Is the fundamental basis for the formation of the child and the child is recognized and
strengthens the family and the community as the first social and learning.
Five-year, comprises two stages:
1. Community Family Early Childhood Education-school
Responsibility is shared between family, community and state-oriented
to recover, strengthen and promote the cultural identity of the environment and child, the
family support in prevention and health promotion and good nutrition to
psychomotor development, socio-emotional, spiritual and cognitive development. Three years
duration.
2. Community Family Early Childhood Education schooling
Develop the skills and cognitive skills, language, psychomotor, social-emotional,
spiritual and artistic attitudes favor of autonomy,
cooperation and decision making in the construction process of his thought,
to initiate systematic learning processes to the next level. Two years
duration."
Unicef, from the first childhood area is working for viable this law through same actions:
1. construction of the curriculum for early childhood.
2. Making advocacy with Mayors and Governors to include the issue of first childhood in their local politics.
3. Make a mass media communication about First Childhood with the objective to increase de knowledge of the subject.
4. Produce educative material for the educational technics
5. Help to the Ministry of education to build a public policy about first childhood.
6. Coordinate with other Agencies, NGOs and ministries activities looking the integrated child development.
7. Implementation of a measurement of first child development.

My second contact is Olga Alarcon. She just responded on Friday so all I have from her is information about what she does. She works in the Ministry of Education. She is charge of beginning education in Familial Communities that cover ages 0 to 6 years of age, the first primary ages 0-3 are non enrolled school age children, 4-5 years are enrolled school age children. She also mentions the new educational law. I hope to get more information from Olga before our next assignment. I would like to learn more about what she does.

As for new insights for me, my eyes are wide open now. I have always heard of poverty but never took the time to understand what it is and what it means. To see all these people around the world living so poorly makes my heart ache. I didn't have a hard childhood so not having was never something I had to deal with. I could not imagine having to live like other countries.