Bolivia

Good Shepherd Mission in Bolivia

Since 1997 the Good Shepherd Sisters have run the following centers in Bolivia: Sayaru Warmi (Stand Up, Women) in Oruro and Sucre, Sartasim Warmi in El Alto, and Epua Kunatai in Santa Cruz. Through legal, social and psychological assistance, the Sisters help women and children who have been victimized by domestic violence. The mission in Bolivia is especially directed towards women to help them experience a sense of belonging and to grow toward their full potential as individuals.

Country Background

Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in Latin America, with almost 40% of the population living in extreme poverty (World Bank 2006). In Bolivia, 10% of the population has over 40% of the country’s wealth and it has a Gini coefficient of about 0.6. It is one of the worst countries in South America for the unequal distribution of wealth.  

Bolivia has one of the highest malnutrition rates in the region, with a 23% prevalence rate for children under five years (World Bank, 2007) Therefore, more attention must be directed towards health and education services, particularly in rural areas.  

Bolivia faced considerable political instability between 2000 and 2005. It experienced 5 different presidents; politically, Bolivia laboured under many social and indigenous movements, which finally led to the 2006 election of Evo Morales of the Movement Towards Socialism,(MTS). He was the first indigenous president to lead the country. Morales’ administration pledged to commit to fight poverty and exclusion. His administration proposed to reallocate political power through a constitutional reform.