April 12th, is Bolivia’s National Day of the Child, a day dedicated to celebrating their children and to bringing awareness to the situation and needs of the children. National Day of the Child has been celebrated in Bolivia since 1955, after the drafting of a joint Universal Declaration on the Rights of Children by the Organization of American States and the United Nations Children’s Fund to establish the rights of children and how those rights should be protected.

Bolivia is one of the poorest and least developed countries in Latin America, with about 60% living below the poverty line. An estimated 800,000 children work to support their families due to economic hardships, with some children beginning to work even at the early age of 5 years old. There are over 100 million street children in the world and over 2500 in Bolivia alone.

National Day of the Child reminds us that these children are still children. We, here at Kaya Children, would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your support in helping us renew a sense of childhood in these children and to help provide them for a better tomorrow!

Through the funds raised through the Global Giving project, we've been able to continue the important work in Bolivia. Two key highlights over the past few months:

1. Four Kaya graduates have begun their post secondary education. Two are in college prep courses, one is awaiting the results of his entrance exams, and one has begun chef classes.

2. The new building has been updated, inaugurated and is in use. Ground floor is offices and first floor is classrooms. Staff has done basic updates/repairs. They had an open house on April 12th and presented some service projects to local churches to have local churches help with the remaining updates.

Pictures:

• Bolivian National Day of the Child (JPG)