Bolivian Street Children Project

An Unforgettable Summer

Along with our other activities this summer, Shannon and I helped one group of seven boys to make a movie—about anything they wanted. They chose to tell the story of a group of street kids who become soccer pros, win the money to pay for a friend’s operation, and finally decide to leave the streets and live in a home together.

Making this movie wasn’t easy for the boys. Working as a team and concentrating on a long-term project were challenges in themselves. Writing a script about street children brought back unpleasant memories and strong emotions. Some of the boys had to overcome their initial fears in order to act in front of the camera, or even to participate in the project at all. In our sessions together, they worked hard, took risks, and invested an incredible amount of themselves in this movie. At our good-bye dinner last week, we had a “film festival” to show the final result (a few photos from it are below). It was great to see how excited and proud the boys were—a couple of them even cried during the screening. (I have to admit, so did I.)

The movie ends with a short message: “We can all change our lives.” What I’ve found most amazing about working with the Bolivian Street Children Project this summer is that I see proof of this statement everywhere I look. Every one of the boys we met in the homes has changed his life for the better, against staggering odds. I have such high hopes for these kids. Considering what they’ve already achieved, I know they’re capable of reaching any goal they set for themselves.

Thank you so much for following our blog during the past months! Your interest and support have meant a lot to all of us.

Rehearsing a Hospital Scene

Soccer Champions and their Winnings

"Hospital" Bed

It´s easy to forget...

Given their condition now, it can be easy to forget that the boys we work with lived on the streets all by themselves. Some have been in the home for a few years, while others for only a couple of months. I can forget myself, because these boys are so full of enthusiasm for life and maintain a vibrant sense of numor. But every once in a while, there are reminders.

We took the boys to a camp in the jungle for a few days to celebrate the closing of our time together. The weather is warm during the day, but gets cold at night. One night, I was walking with one of the boys, and I mentioned that I felt cold. He responded that he was used to the cold, because when he slept on the streets, he only had a t-shirt. Keep in mind, in La Paz it gets down in the 20´s at night. This comment was a poignant reminder that not only do these children live without their families due to abandonment, death, abuse, etc., but they lived for extended periods of time on the rough and cold streets all by themselves as small children.

These are the same boys that refuse to let me help with a not-so-safe job that they have been given because I might hurt myself. The same boys that try to give me their possessions (marbles, cardboard Pog playing pieces, plastic necklaces) when I pay them a compliment. The same boys that serve me my food when we stay to share a meal with them. Because they are loving, protective, resilient, and amazing people.

Thank you to all who contributed to our project. Please know that you contributed to one of the most worthwhile projects with which I have had the privilege of working. Kristen S.

Just a friendly reminder...

"It is prohibited to use this area as a bathroom.

The person who is surprised

will be under arrest for 48 hours."

-As seen on a street wall in Coroico

(Kristen S.)

Class, house party with the boys, and weekend trip

Culture Class

My team does a culture class at one of the group homes. This class includes exposure to diverse cultures from around the world, as well as exploring self-identity. For one of these classes, we cooked a variety of international cuisine to share with the boys. Fine, I did more of the talentless "grunt work" while others did the complicated part, but that´s not the point! With our one pot and one pan, we made fried rice, curry, pigs in a blanket, crepes, etc. It was a great success, and the boys enjoyed guessing where each dish was from.

Road to Coroico

I took a weekend trip to Coroico, which is in the tropical Yungas of Bolivia. I went by bike, which is a 100km ride down what has been statistically determined to be the world´s most dangerous road (oops, did I leave that part out, Mom and Dad?). That´s right, I actually saw a bus at the bottom of one of the cliffs. It was a beautiful yet challenging ride. Four hours down narrow, rocky roads with sharp precipices a few feet from your tire. Trucks generally honked when they were coming around curves in the road, which was helpful. Too bad I don´t have a photo of me flying over my handlebars when my bike hit a hole. I took some photos of the massive bruise on my leg from where the bike then landed on me, but you really don´t want to see those. All in all, a great trip, but I´m content to do it once!

House paaaaarty!

We invited the boys over to our apartment to share what were perhaps the largest pizzas ever seen by a human being. Seriously, they were the size of a wagon wheel. However, there apparently was not enough for Kermit, who can be seen eating my face in the photo. We had a great time, and my mom will be very proud that we finished ALL of the pizza!

Reciting verses from the Bible

Reciting verses from the Bible, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

Having fun

IMG_4440, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

Futbol in the home

Futbol in the home, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

The boys play soccer anywhere, anytime that they can!

Still playing...

IMG_4394, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

Kristen´s Update

The boys we work with in the homes are amazing and talented kids. They love reading, adore soccer, and many are amazing artists. These boys continue to impress me with their sense of humor and zest for life in spite of the many challenges they have faced so early on.

When they were given the responsibility of stripping the wood off of their school desks for varnishing, they were given pieces of broken glass to do the job. I was helping one of the younger boys, and offered to assist. His response: "And what if you cut yourself?"
He kept working without passing over the glass shard.

This has been an amazing experience. I can´t believe we only have 2 more weeks left. I will miss these boys immensely when we leave!

Lago Titicaca

IMG_3979, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

The following photos show our group trip from La Paz to Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun) in Lago Titicaca by way of the lakeside town, Copacabana. Copacabana is not the famous tropical locale you may be thinking of (the one from the song is actually in Brazil). Bolivia's Copacabana does have a beach but it is lakeside and due to its setting in the high plateau of the Andes, the weather is quite brisk.

Walking down the street in Copacabana

IMG_3976, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

Cathedral at Copacabana

IMG_3970, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

Boat to the island

IMG_3983, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

The trip from La Paz to Lake Titicaca takes about 3.5 hours by big, stinky bus. We arrived in the little lakeside town of Copacabana and spent the night in a pretty nice hostel, with running water and hot-ish showers for 15 bolivianos (about $2). The next morning we got up to catch the early boat to Isla del Sol, the main island in the middle of the lake that was once home to a pre-Columbian civilization and now is full of little fishing and farming villages and has no cars but lots of tourists and bratty kids who demand money or sweets. We took this boat to get to the island with all the other tourists.

Tight squeeze

IMG_3990, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

Soaking up the sun despite the cold

Soaking up the sun despite the cold, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

We sat on the top deck of the boat for the 2 hour trip from Copacabana to Isla del Sol.

Little boy outside window

Little boy outside window, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

Katia and an amazing view

Katia and an amazing view, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

We docked in Isla del Sol and climbed the 375 steps of the Inca Staircase and then walked up the local trail to a hostel. We were hooked on it when we walked in and saw this view from the hallway. In the end, it turned out not to have running water, of course, not heat and some of our beds had no blankets. The owners deserted the place to attend a local wedding and we ended up having to push beds together and cuddle to survive the freezing temperatures that night.

My little friend Juana and her alpaca, Rosita

IMG_4034, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

The girls at Isla del Sol

The girls at Isla del Sol, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

The Harvard group at Isla del Sol with our friend Abby, a grad student working in La Paz for the summer. From left to right, Katia (project coordinator for our summer program), Katherine, Kristen, Denise, Abby and Christa. Shannon took the photo - so not pictured.

I spy... a llama!

IMG_4041, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

Pig 'n a Boat

Pig 'n Boat, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

Rose, lake, mountains

IMG_4167, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

Katherine and Katia mid-hike

IMG_4118, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

Finally off our feet at the other end of the island

Finally off our feet at the other end of the island, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

We walked from the south end of the island where our hostel was to a little fishing village on the north end of the island. It is a mountainous island and we lost the trail for much of the trip so it took almost all day. We were glad to finally sit, relax and wait for a lunch of local, Lake Titicaca fried trout and some more of Bolivia's ever-present potatoes.

Pushing the baby in the wheelbarrow

Pushing the baby in the wheelbarrow, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

So, we watched from a distance as these little kids put a couple of babies in the wheelbarrow and pushed it up and down the little jetty here for about 20 minutes. Then, we watched in horror as they accidentally ran the wheelbarrow into the telephone pole and dumped the wheelbarrow over, dropping the babies. We were on our feet and ready to run and dive in the lake when we realized that he'd fallen on the jetty, not in the water. All the adults watched calmly as the bigger kids picked him up and soothed his cries. The little guy was fine but our hearts were racing. I guess we Americans are a little jumpy about child safety!

Swinging

Swinging, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

Three Girls Playing

Three Girls Playing, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

Three little girls from the fishing village on the north end of the island playing at the water's edge.

Sailboat

Sailboat, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

Sunrise over Lago Titicaca

IMG_4189, originally uploaded by shannonshaper.

The sun rising from the porch of our hostel. We were so grateful to see (and feel) the sun after a long, frigid night.

Joint Birthday Party

I was lucky enough to have a birthday two days before one of the boys, so everyone threw us a grand fiesta. We wore silly hats, ate chicken and mashed potatoes (at our request), were served delish fruit and chocolate cakes (with an added surprise) and had a piñata. After dancing for the first hour and playing games, we ate, did the piñata, had a confetti fight, opened presents,and listened as the boys gave speaches. It was one of the best parties I've ever been to--maybe because it was especially celebrating me! No it was truly the most fun, and I felt so lucky to have such a fabulous new group of friends.

The Life of the Party!

One of the boys displayed a new side of himself, dancing around and putting on quite a show for us.

Entertaining us.

Some of the boys showing us traditional dances. We all took turns dancing for each other; us girls doing some salsa and clogging and the boys doing Bolivian dances.

Preparing for the inevitable.

I had been warned that it was tradition to push the birthday gal or boy's face into the cake, moments after they made their wish and blew out the candles. I got myself ready for whatever was awaiting me. Look how excited the boys are!

Sucker!

Apparently the birthday boy knew what was coming, so he was able to pull his head back just in time. I was not so quick and ended up with cake all over my face and head. Despite the mess I'd become, I was actually happy the boys had given me a proper initiation to a Bolivian birthday.

Setting up the Bolivian style piñata.

Rather than batting away at the paper maché creations I'm used to seeing in Central American, Bolivian piñatas are just made of cardboard and have strings hanging underneath, which you pull until the suprise inside falls out.

Scavenging for the loot!

Yo-yos, candy, chocolates, marbles, confetti and flour.