There is Hope, There is Future, One Child at a Time.

Bolivia

RICE went to Santa Cruz, Bolivia in April 2008 and held a five day medical and leadership conference.

The picture below is of the medical team in Bolivia. We watched many wonderful things happen during these five days among the Bolivian people. There was food to feed the hungry, and medicine supplies for the sick, and mentoring and leadership classes for those who were hungry to learn.

Bolivia Highlights (Source: CIA Factbook):

  • Bolivia is located in Central South America, southwest of Brazil and is slightly less than three times the size of Montana.
  • The population of Bolivia is 9,775,246
  • The infant mortality rate is 44.66 deaths/1,000 births
  • People in Bolivia living with HIV/AIDS: 8,100
  • HIV/AIDS deaths per year: about five hundred
  • Major infectious diseases in Bolivia include:
    • Bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever
    • Dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever
    • Leptospirosis
  • Bolivia is the world's third largest producer of cocaine, estimated at 120 metric tons in 2007.
  • Large segments of the population lack access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. The flooding of early 2007 has only exacerbated this problem.
  • 615 thousand children in Bolivia under the age of 13 go to bed hungry every night, as 60% of Bolivian children are chronically malnourished.

Bolivia Highlights

Bolivia Highlights Bolivia Medical Team: Top left, Ernesto Sanchez, Al Goldsworthy