Volunteering in Pampa Aceituno

I have been volunteering with Biblioworks for just over a month now. I am working in one of Biblioworks` few school libraries, located in the community of Pampa Aceituno, which is about a half hour drive outside of Sucre. It has been a fascinating experience. Everything, from taking care of the library, helping teachers tutor students who need one-on-one attention, teaching a weekly English class, to simply getting there (usually in the back of a camioneta), has been a great experience for me.

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Educational festival in Tarabuco

Kids turnout for reading activities

As the Bolivian school year comes to a close, all of our libraries are working hard to assist children and high-school students with their homework in preparation for their final exams. An important activity for the end of the school year, in every town, is an educational festival to spotlight the hard work the children have done all year.

BiblioWorks and the library in Tarabuco were recently asked to prepare activities for the educational festival to be held in the main plaza. The BiblioWorks staff and volunteers prepared lots of materials, books and games for the children who would participate in the festival.READ MORE

Clothes for children

The children were very excited to receive the new clothes!

While BiblioWorks is dedicated to literacy and libraries, the communities where we are working are some of the poorest in Bolivia and the people have lots of material needs. A few months ago, we saw, in two of the communities where we are currently working, Pampa Aceituno and Morado K’asa, that the children had very few clothes. In a few extreme cases there were children without shoes.READ MORE

Chess club in Presto

Chess!!

In our Presto library which has been opened since 2006, a group of teenagers has created a craze for playing chess.  The original chess club was started earlier this year with the help of a teacher, who played chess every afternoon in the library with a small group of high-school students.READ MORE

My First Week At BiblioWorks!

Hi everyone!

If you’re reading this you’re probably thinking about volunteering at BiblioWorks, and to you I say, DO IT!* After a going through security screenings in four different countries I arrived to beautiful** Sucre last Saturday. After only a week of working here I’m totally convinced that I made the right decision to be the BiblioWorks Volunteer Coordinator for a year. By the way, my name is Zannah, like Hannah, but with a Z. 🙂READ MORE

New Volunteers at BiblioWorks

Erin worked with a women’s group in Tarabuco offering literacy classes to them

During the month of September we were with very few volunteers here at BiblioWorks in Sucre, Bolivia. That was strange because 2012 has been the year of the volunteer for BiblioWorks. We have had over 20 volunteers since January who have all contributed positively to the growth of the organization and created new and exciting activities in each of our libraries.READ MORE

Meet Ruben from Yamparáez

Ruben in the Yamparáez library

Ruben Ortiz is a ten year old who lives in Yamparáez, where BiblioWorks opened the town’s first public library in 2007. He is energetic, always laughing and attends the library every afternoon. Ruben is part of the Yamparáez library’s reading club, which is comprised of about 20 children. They meet every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2:30-4:30 p.m. to do activities focused on improving reading skills. They also play games, take English classes from volunteers, learn computer skills, draw and many other activities that motivate them to improve their education.READ MORE

Women’s literacy in BiblioWorks’ libraries

Doña Prima filling out her writing worksheet

In 2012 we have embarked on an exciting program in two of our libraries, Morado K’asa and Tarabuco. In these two communities, we have been working with women’s groups in the libraries. The women in these towns are predominantly indigenous Quechua-speakers and are often not able to read and write with fluidity.READ MORE

Artists in Tomina

Aldana with her drawing of Rebecca

In our Tomina library a group of twenty children are enjoying becoming budding artists. Thanks to a former volunteer contact in the UK, we are organizing an exchange between children who are part of the new reading group in Tomina and fourteen artists from the UK. We have sent the participating children’s photos to the artists, and likewise, the artists have sent their photos to Bolivia.

The idea is that the artists will draw the children with professional materials and then hold an exhibition in London to try and raise money for the Tomina library! Here in Bolivia, the children are drawing the artists and we will also hold a simultaneous exhibition, with copies of the artists’ portrayals of the children, here in the city of Sucre.READ MORE

Teachers in Sopachuy improve library services

Teachers doing group work to improve literacy

Last week, we held a small workshop with teachers and library committee members in our Sopachuy library. We have always had great support from the teachers in Sopachuy and this is one of the aspects that have always made it one of our best libraries.READ MORE

Introducing a New Volunteer

“Hola” from BiblioWorks´ newest volunteer!  My name is John I´ve been with BiblioWorks for two weeks.  I have been traveling through South America and am so happy to have found BiblioWorks.  Bolivia is an incredible place to take a little break from the constant bus rides and tourist crowds; and the leisurely pace of Sucre is right up my alley.READ MORE

Allen Singleton
Featured Library: Padilla
To be inaugurated in June 2016
BiblioWorks’ 13th library
4 hours from Sucre
Learn More...