Dear Friends,

We're delighted to share with you the information and stories you will find here about the hard-working, dedicated, inspiring young people BQEF serves. A few salient points to keep in mind as you read the students' stories:

• Bolivia is one of the three poorest countries in Latin America, ahead of only Haiti and, sometimes, Nicaraugua. Unemployment was 11.7% in 2003, the latest year for which figures are available. Underemployment is chronic. Many of our scholars' families are led by single parents, due to spousal death or abandonment. Family incomes range from $0 to $200 a month.
  
  
• Bolivia has the highest proportion of an indigenous population within all of Latin America. It was illegal until 1952 for AmerIndian Bolivians to be educated, thus the first Quaker schools were clandestine. All Bolivian Friends are AmerIndian.
  
  
• Bolivia has a violent, tumultuous history: it has had roughly 194 changes of government in 179 years as a republic. Friends' testimonies and Friends' schools models are especially needed here.

We hope you enjoy getting to know more about these young people, as we have, and that you are moved to support them in their education. If you think your meeting might be interested in sponsoring one of the BQEF scholars, please visit our sponsorship guidelines page.