Voix Libres, created by Marianne Sébastien in 1993, is an NGO based in Geneva that works with marginalized families in Bolivia.
Voix Libres believes that therapeutic programs are crucial in building up awareness and confidence. To those living in mines, rubbish dumps, prisons, streets, it provides comprehensive programs of education, health, food self-sufficiency, legal aid, interest-free micro-credits and social businesses. Women and girls are initiators and active participants, which ensures the projects' sustainability. The emphasis is on developing skills and vocations rather than concentrating on fighting against problems.
Project:
The project aims to provide school materials kits to children in the most isolated areas of Potosi, Cochabamba and the Bolivian Andes.
Background and sustainability
The school material kit project integrates itself entirely with the campaign to prevent and eradicate child labor, which has been the mission of Voix Libres for seventeen years. It complements their other support programs perfectly (education, training programs, health, social businesses, micro-credits), which enables them to guarantee:
The sustainability and inclusiveness of the project
- The involvement of the beneficiary communities
- A transparent monitoring facilitated by the experience of our administrative and social teams in these areas
The sustainability of the project is guaranteed by the co-financing of 50% of the school material by the parents. In some extreme cases and after a social follow-up with the families, this participation can be either reduced or completely dropped.
Objectives
Supply the most marginalized children with school materials to:
- Attain the goal of education for everyone
- Enable access to school for the most marginalized children. (In Bolivia, each child has to have its school materials. For the poorest families, often quite large, the expense is unattainable. Without the school material, the children abandon school or are too ashamed to show up even for the first day of classes.
- Prevent child labor and exploitation (mines and garbage dumps)
15 CHF = One year’s worth of school material for one child in Bolivia
Location
In Bolivia: in the department of Potosi (children from the mines of Cerro Rico and the most isolated country sides); department of Cochabamba (children of the garbage dumps and the slums) and in the Bolivian Andes between 2'700m and 4'700m of altitude.
Specific needs expressed to Giving Women
The Project Circle’s goal is to support the education of at least 150 Bolivian children by paying for their school supplies.
Content of the school kit for 15 CHF:
- 4 Notebooks (Notebook Voix Libres, 3 notebooks of 60, 120 and 200 pages)
- 100 checked pages
- 1 small pocket folder
- 3 pens (red, black and blue)
- 2 black pencils
- 1 pencil sharpener
- 1 eraser
- 1 large pack of color pencils
- 1 large folder
- 100 white pages (for drawing and manual work)
- 1 ruler of 30 cm
- 1 backpack
A 100% of your donation finances the school material project in Bolivia. The operating costs are covered by sponsorship and membership contributions.
How can Giving Women members help?
Giving Women members can help with their generosity by sponsoring the school kits for these children and by doing so providing them with a better future.
Donations can be made directly through the Voix Libres website at: http://www.voixlibres.org/shop1/139-don-pour-du-materiel-scolaire-giving-women.html