Educating the Streets

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Transformational capacity building for working children and youth, in order to increase life choices and achieve their goals, through multi-sectoral partnerships, using the power of performing arts.

Standings & Awards

20 out of 190 in Central & South America
53 out of 778 in Education
66 out of 574 in Pilot
85 out of 992 in Charitable
239 out of 4003 Overall

3

VOTES

Prolavie

Increased capabilities of working children, community revitalization, youth engagement and social capital.

In Bolivia 40,4% of the population consumes less than the daily required nutritional substances, according to the National Statistics Institute of Bolivia. In Cochabamba this rate is of 39% and there is a particular subgroup, the working children, who live deprived from social opportunities. Despite the motivation and hard work of these children – which they are very proud of – they cannot beat the system. Very few get out of it, and many struggle to at minimum work with dignity. Though endless efforts and resources have been spent over the years to address such poverty issues, today we are no closer to solving any of them. The problem of poverty is multidimensional and requires systemic shifts at various levels. While macro-level interventions and strategies in the traditional way continue to be important; in terms of investing in areas as those identified by the millennium development goals; two important catalyzers of change are not as valued, and therefore not strengthened, as they should be: citizen engagement and local talent.

With Educating the Streets – Building Society we seek to break the barriers that prevent the development of their full potential, while shifting current social dynamics to strengthen our communities’ social capital. We believe the greatest engine for change is Youth.

ES-BS includes training performing arts, education and multi-sector collaboration in a integrative capacity building and entrepreneurial program that facilitates a work-study balance for working children, with increased capabilities and improved opportunities; while fostering engagement of the broader community throughout. Children, who are protagonists at all times and co-developers, receive support and tutoring for education, technical training and exchange experiences with local and international volunteers. They will participate in marketable activities, the revenues of which will be returned to children in an innovative and empowering manner.

The ultimate outcome? A transformed society, in which all individuals can fully exercise their rights, participate and contribute as citizens, build their capabilities and have equal access to social, health, environment and economic opportunities.

FIVE PROJECT QUESTIONS Required (60 - 90 minutes)

1. What is your innovation?

ES-BS is a unique social integration program. Through capacity building and empowerment it facilitates a work-study balance for working children, leading to increased capacity and improved opportunities, it integrates a creative funding model that secures financial stability for these children and their families; while fostering engagement of the broader community – youth and organizations across multiple sectors; thus transforming current system dynamics for multi-stakeholder impact.

2. Who gains the most?

Working children gain: increased capabilities, improved opportunities, increased choice, economic stability, improved quality of life. Society gains: social capital and - long-term economic transformation. Volunteers gain: cultural and philanthropic experience, technical skill exchange, language exchange. Private sector collaborators gain: genuine shared value creation implementation opportunity. Operational partners gain: participation in a high social impact program that furthers their mission

3. Who pays?

We pay for planning and with time, our social enterprise will self-sustain itself. Our operating partners provide support financially and in kind. Our donors, motivated by the cause, provide financial support. Social Impact Investors will pay at later stages, they will get financial and social impact returns.

4. What is your success?

Working children, with increased capacities and capabilities, access higher education and as young adults access better work opportunities. Youth around the country/world actively engage for social change. We ultimately envision a country without poverty and with strengthened social capital, in which all individuals can fully exercise their rights, participate and contribute as citizens, build their capabilities and have equal access to social, health, environment and economic opportunities.

5. How will you do it?

Ensure beneficiaries participate in developing program.Establish viable working-studying option for children. Build a strong advisory committee. Secure public and private and community sector, national and international, partnerships. Implement sustainable enterprise model. Establish beneficiary mentoring program. Build Organizational Capacity. Implement solid evaluation system. Support partners working on different policy levels. Document our learning, of success and challenge