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Bolivia   Why children in Bolivia need your helpWhile rich in natural resources, Bolivia remains one of South America's poorest countries.
One-third of Bolivian children suffer from some form of stunting as a consequence of malnutrition. A larger proportion of the population lack access to clean drinking water, which leaves children susceptible to dangerous waterborne diseases. Mortality, poverty and illiteracy rates continue to remain high in rural, indigenous communities. Country factsLandlocked Bolivia is the highest country in South America, and has a large indigenous population which makes up almost two-thirds of the population. Bolivia is named after independence fighter Simon Bolivar, gaining independence from Spanish rule in 1825. Since then, the country has experienced a turbulent existence through a series of nearly 200 coups and countercoups. Democratic rule has been in place continuously since 1982, but Bolivia's leaders have faced issues concerning extreme poverty, social unrest and illegal drug production.
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There is a huge gap between the rich and the poor, with
the majority of the country's wealth being held by a small
percentage of the population with Spanish ancestry. Most of those
living below the poverty line are indigenous Bolivians who
survive as subsistence farmers and labourers.
