In the Bolivian highlands is Vitichi, a small village where farming is the community’s only source of production. Traditionally, when a girl is born to a Quechua family, the expectation is that she will learn to farm. For most girls, going to school is not an option.
Maria Quispe is 14 years old. She says, ‘One of the reasons my parents do not want me to go to school is because they think I will migrate to the city after finish my studies.’
Pastor Gabriel from Tearfund partner Cristo Salvador Church says, ‘Once a young girl is educated, she goes to the city, marries, and never comes back – that is why most parents do not like to send their daughters to school.’
In an effort to stop this migration, Tearfund worked together with Cristo Salvador Church to implement a Church and Community Mobilisation Project (CCMP). Training was then given to help generate income for families, and create new jobs for young people. Thanks to an agreement reached with the local authorities, this training is now available in every school.
