Population: 9,000,000
Area: 425,000 sq. mi.
Ethnic groups: Quechua 30% , mestizo (mixed European and Native American ancestry ) 30%, Aymara25% ,White 15%. Approximately 62% of the total population is indeginous, of which there are
approximately three-dozen groups.
Life expectancy: Men 69 yrs., Women 74 yrs.
Through a series of wars, Bolivia lost its coast to Chile, the oil bearing Chaco region to Paraguay and rubber agricultural areas to Brazil.
Bolivia is an extremely beautiful country with varied landscapes and rich, authentic cultures.
Once a part of the ancient Incan empire, Bolivia is famous for its mineral and gas deposits. In spite of plentiful natural resources, nearly 95% of rural Bolivians live in extreme poverty. Income of rural families varies between approximately $100 to $300 annually. Well over half the population has no geograpic access to medical care, but even in the cities, much of the population cannot afford medical or dental care.
In the rural areas, Infant mortality is high; 300 per 1000 children perish by their first birthday. 650 per 100,000 live births will end in the death of the mother.
The need for dental care is huge. Smile Power concentrates on caring for children but has treated especially needy adults also. It is not uncommon for a rural Bolivian to never see a dentist during their lifetime.
For further information on Bolivia, the State Department web site has good information to help you start your search.
| This woman makes her living by salvaging what she can from incoming gargage trucks at the dump. She will re-sell anything useful that she finds. It is very dirty and dangerous work. The photo on the left shows her at work. (A special grant supplied protective overalls, boots, apron and respirator for these women to wear at work.) The photo on the right shows her dressed in her best clothing for the very first dental appointment of her life. She graciously allowed us to take photos. It is a Quechuan belief that photos steal part of your spirit. When asked if she wanted copies of these photos she said "yes", so we made sure that she got them. They may be the only ones she has ever had taken. |
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