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Organization	Fundacion Helping Hands-La Paz (Bolivia)
Region	Bolivia
Website	Website
Facebook	Facebook
Twitter	N/A
ProjectLeader	Linda Zarate

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The Helping Hands Project provides support for marginalized and disadvantaged youth, especially girls at-risk and in extreme need, in the department of La Paz, Bolivia. With help from the Project they can access a high school education and post-secondary training. By providing school materials, school fees, transportation, uniforms and lunches, as well as counseling, the Project enables our girls to finish a secondary education and go on to post-secondary training.

Challenge

Although the Bolivian state provides the venue and teachers, poor families find it impossible to provide the materials, books and uniforms required by the schools, leaving poor children open to discrimination within the educational system. For post-secondary training, the situation is even more difficult for girls as boys will be favored to receive any few resources the family may have. Girls who drop out of school are at risk for early pregnancy, alcohol abuse, trafficking or homelessness.

Long-Term Impact

The Project will educate girls and young women empowering them to be economically independent and able to provide for their families' health and well-being. As mothers, educated girls raise healthier, better educated children and have the capacity to contribute with their skills to their local community. To break the cycle of poverty our girls must be given equal opportunities for health care and education.