Bolivia

Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in South America.  Following decades of military coups and short-lived governments, Bolivia has been under civilian rule since the 1980s, a time of deep economic recession.

Austerity measures brought in to control rampant inflation and restore foreign confidence widened the already huge wealth gap, leading to social unrest. US-backed coca eradication schemes incensed many of Bolivia's poorest farmers, for whom coca is often the only source of income.

The country has large reserves of natural gas. Tensions over the exploitation and the export of the resource have caused social unrest - indigenous groups are opposed to relinquishing control of the reserves, which they see as Bolivia's sole remaining natural resource.

Ayuda en Acción in Bolivia
ActionAid UK supports the work of our Spanish sister organisation, Ayuda en Acción, in Bolivia.

Ayuda en Acción works with communities across the country, focusing on education and literacy, community organisation, farming, forestry, healthcare and income generation schemes.

Often working in remote areas of extreme poverty, we work with local organisations, government and community representatives to ensure that communities define their problems and find their own ways of improving the quality of their lives.

With training from Ayuda en Acción, peasant coffee farmers’ organisations in the highland area of Caranavi have increased their exports by 33 per cent.

In another remote mountainous region, Coroico, we have reduced high maternal and infant mortality rates by training women in primary and ante-natal care as well as breastfeeding, and have helped young community leaders tackle gender and generational issues.

photo : ©Nadia González/ Ayuda en Acción