A testimony from Gianluca Scannapieco, Project Manager from "Casa de los Niños" in Cochabamba, Bolivia

Bolivia is currently suffering a political and health crisis that affects all social classes. It is obvious that the weakest are always the ones who suffer the most.

The health problem caused by Covid-19 has turned into political propaganda in view of the presidential elections scheduled for September 6, 2020. The various economic bonuses (of 500 Bs = 65 €) and some discounts in the payment of basic services (electricity, water, gas) have been unproductive, leaving the lower social classes (politically close to the political party of Evo Morales, still in exile in Argentina) in obvious economic and social difficulties.

The current transitional government has experienced cases of corruption and proves its inability to keep the country under a stable and effective policy. The city of Cochabamba has also suffered the loss of its mayor (still legally represented), also due to corruption. In the southern part of the city, there are currently demonstrations and blockades that prevent the passage of garbage trucks: the whole city of Cochabamba is full of rubbish in the streets.

Hospitals have never been equipped to deal with the Covid-19 crisis: the number of infected people continues to rise (we have exceeded 30,000 infected people), some patients die in the street or at home, there are mass graves in cemeteries and some health structures have closed due to lack of staff. Since June 29, 2020, we have again entered a very rigid quarantine that only allows the purchase of food on July 6 and 7. We are forced to close all institutions and suspend activities. There is no possibility to move in the streets.

The foundation "Asociación Casa de los Niños" is everyday involved in this "invisible war": we continue to bring children and people with serious illnesses from their homes to hospitals, even from very remote villages, every day. Every week, we travel hundreds of kilometres to deliver food and medicine to the southern part of Cochabamba and to villages in Andean communities. They call us to retrieve the bodies of the deceased (unfortunately many children with cancer and leukemia) from their rooms and to make arrangements for their burial or cremation.

Since March 12th we have had to suspend the activities of the community kitchen, the educational unit and the integral development zone that works with disabled children. The educators tried, at the risk of their lives, to carry out pedagogical activities when the quarantines were more flexible. At present, however, this is impossible for us, since our community does not have much access to the internet (I don't know how many photocopies of homework I have had to print these months to give to the students, house by house). Fortunately, we are supported by the community through our organization: families who do not have enough to eat ask for help from the community, which permanently manages a food deposit thanks to the contributions of other families and the donations that arrive.

There are people in our community with symptoms of the Covid-19 virus. In our school, especially in the dining room, we receive the sick and isolate them from the community.

We must resist for a few more months and pray that the damage caused by this critical event will not be irrecoverable.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you very much for the support received from your institution. In the hope that you are all well, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your constant concern for the children, young people and adults of the "Asociación Casa de los Niños".

Take care and see you soon!

Gianluca Scannapieco