We're building a new day centre in Ushpa Ushpa

The construction is now under way for this project in Cochabamba. This is one of our two big projects for 2009; the other being the new orphanage in Potosi.

In Ushpa Ushpa the old buildings are now down, and work is in progress on the new ones. Two floors this time, and more than twice the area. These photos are from July 24, and according to plan, the new building will be in place during September.

The budget for this project is 39.000 USD. So far, the Bolivia Family has contributed USD 20.000, so we're closing in...but still need your help!

800 child sponsors!

We are passing a milestone today, with 800 personal child sponsors in our family. The lucky one - apart from the sponsor, of course! - was the little guy with the funny name: Fidel Castro in Cochabamba (he has a last name to, which we don't disclose in the blog).

Our next goal: 829! A strange number, perhaps, but as of today we have 29 children in need of a "padrino" or "madrina". So we will still keep nagging anyone and everyone to join. Always.

But 800! Wheeey! :-)

Video report from Evangelina Booth

The Salvation Army in the UK made a video report in 2008 from one of orphanages, more specifically the girls' home Evangelina Booth. I was just made aware that it is on YouTube. You can find it here: Part 1 and Part 2.

For us who know the place it is a great revisit with the girls, la majora Vargas and the previous big boss himself, Mr Franklin Abasto. For others it will be a good introduction to the work that the Salvation Army carries out in Bolivia, with financing from the Bolivia Family. It strikes me that we should have reports like these from the other 20 centers as well... :-)

Our Orphanage Evangelina Booth

This is where it all began. Evangelina Booth was the first orphanage in the Bolivia family. In 1981, they had been waiting for months for their support from another Norwegian organization. It never came. Instead, one day this rather rough looking cowboy from Norway knocked on the door. Help had arrived. Under the gritty surface, the cowboy had a heart of gold.

Today, we have 40 sponsored girls here (only one sponsor missing). In addition, sponsors are helping us with the wages for additional help. And, as you will see from some rather pale complexions below, we often have volunteer helpers working here.

These photos were taken during our trip in the fall of 2008. True to tradition, after visiting the orphanage we filled two buses and headed up to the Taquiña park in the hills overlooking Cochabamba. The girls performed dances and various numbers, we all played in the park, and of course there were multiple servings of ice and lemonade. The girls all seemed to have a nice day. We, on the other hand, had a terrific time.



(Click for larger photos)

Thank you for the Christmas presents

One of my favorite things to do: Lying down on my office sofa (great piece of furniture) and looking through the hundreds of "thank you"-letters that are now beginning to trickle in from our orphanages and day care centers to the children's sponsors.

Most of all, I enjoy the photos, with their great variety in style and content. Children big and small, smiling or frowning at the photographer pestering them when they'd rather just enjoy their new belongings. Here we can only present a tiny selection of the hundreds we receive, but I hope you'll enjoy them too.





(Click for larger images)

This, dear sponsors and others, is work more fulfilling than any other. What a privilege!

Best regards
Frode Fanebust

Photo: Carmen

(Click for a larger version)

Not her name at all, I think. Just the name of a lovely song that I came to think of when I saw this photo among the thousands I took on our last round trip of Bolivia. And so the name stuck in my mind.

Best regards
Frode

Our new orphanage in Potosi

This is our largest project for 2009. As close to heaven as you can get, more than 4.000 meters above sea level, in the highest city in the world, that is where we will provide a new home for 48 children. Here is the sketch from the architect (click for a bigger image):

The work is now in progress. Our volunteer Marita helped instigate the project and laid down the first stone in the foundation, followed by the Fanebust brothers...


The budget is 100.000 dollars. After many kind donations - including a very unexpected Christmas gift of 15.000 dollars from one of our sponsors! - we have currently come half the way towards this amount. If we do our job, the builders will do their, and this new orphanage will be ready this fall. Imagine that!

As is our normal practice, the Bolivia Family will provide the financing for building the orphanage as well as the sponsors for running expenses, while the Salvation Army will staff it and be responsible for the daily operation.

If you would like to help us help the orphans of Potosi, please make a donation.

Christmas celebration for poor children

Here are some photos from the Christmas celebration for more than 350 poor children in Tiquipaya, outside Cochabamba. Money for presents, cookies and milk were provided by sponsors of the Bolivia Family, including Round Table Sandnes.

Click for larger photos:

Photo: Young girl, Isla del Sol

Cute, isn't she? Typical little "cholita", in her traditional clothes. Click for a larger version of this photo - and on our main site, you'll find it in color.

Creative contributions

It is Christmas time, and a lot of our sponsors are sending us contributions for which we are very thankful. However, at this time, we wanted to point out some of the more creative ways these contributions are being collected.

One involves the young gentlemen at Round Table in Sandnes. For those not in the know, Round Table is a large international association of men between the ages of 20 and 40, somewhat like (and quite different from) Rotary, Lions etc. With the adage "adopt, adapt, improve" this club has done exactly that with their former Christmas bingo. Now a Casino Royale with rulette and poker play - black suit and tie, of course - not only was all bets finally given to The Bolivia Family, but the club also matched this amount from their own kitty.

And here is another one: The company EB Marine has over numerous years had a practise of the company matching the bar tab at their Christmas party and giving this to The Bolivia Family! How is that for raising the bar..? :-)

There is also Sjøboden Pub in Mandal, where the tip is collected on behalf of our Bolivian children. Throughout the year, this adds up enough to run a kindergarten in La Paz, the Refugio del Amor!