Blog

Founder of START dedicates each kilometer to the kids of CLUB YUNTA

This weekend, Salva will travel to the Monterey Bay in California to run his first half-marathon after a three year hiatus. He’s decided to run 21.1K during his birthday week and take the opportunity to promote the program and raise funds for the children of Champa Rancho in Bolivia.

November 7, 2023

“A few days ago, I went to the theater to watch Eugenio Derbez’s movie RADICAL (which I highly recommend), and it touched my heart. It’s a powerful movie that can evoke sadness, but it also helped me reflect and confirm the importance of the work and effort we’ve been doing at START. It’s the season of Thanksgiving, and we have so much to be grateful for! START is celebrating ten years; our CLUB YUNTA program is one year old thanks to all the active MEJORES AMIGOS, and we’re launching a new sponsorship program focused on local businesses to expand our impact.”

This week, we’re launching a fundraising campaign to expand our efforts and reach more kids or provide them with an even better experience. These kids need us, and today is your opportunity to help! In START, our slogan is “Start small. Impact big.” With just $6 a month, you have the power to make a difference in the life of one of our children.

REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE A KID, AND ALL YOU DID WAS PLAY?

Statistics related to the situation of children in underdeveloped areas of Cochabamba continue to be alarming:

1 in 4 children lives in poverty: In Cochabamba, 25% of children face the harsh reality of poverty, with family incomes averaging around $240 for a family of four. These numbers emphasize the urgent need to address economic inequality and work on sustainable solutions to improve the living conditions of these families.
1 in 6 children under the age of five suffers from chronic malnutrition: Malnutrition is a serious issue affecting the youngest children in Cochabamba. An alarming 16% of children under five are affected by chronic malnutrition, which can have long-term effects on their health and development. This underscores the importance of nutrition and healthcare programs to ensure healthy growth and development. In our CLUB YUNTA activities, we ensure that each child receives a complete and nutritious meal, including food, juice, and fruit.
1 in 8 children lacks access to tap water: In a world where access to clean water is a fundamental human right, it’s concerning that 1 in 8 children in Cochabamba doesn’t have access to clean tap water. This poses significant challenges in terms of health and hygiene and highlights the need for investments in basic infrastructure. This month, thanks to the help of our BEST FRIENDS, we’ve been able to install a new water tank that will reactivate our “Duchas para todos” (Showers for all) program, where we offer a clean water bath to each of our children during our visits.
1 in 4 children lacks access to adequate sanitation facilities: Lack of access to proper sanitation facilities is a problem affecting the daily lives of a quarter of the children in Cochabamba. This is not just a matter of convenience but a critical issue for public health and the dignity of these families.

These statistics underscore the importance of addressing the needs of children in Cochabamba and working together to create a better and more equitable future for all. At CLUB YUNTA, one of our monthly activities is to provide workshops on the importance of water, hygiene, and sanitation to the kids and their families.

This Sunday, November 12th, in a heartwarming display of generosity and social commitment, our founder is scheduled to run the race to launch our new fundraising campaign for CLUB YUNTA to sustain the work that START has been organizing with the support of all its volunteers.

Our entire community of starters will come together to spread the word and raise a significant amount to benefit the kids of CLUB YUNTA. Even if you can’t support us financially, we invite you to share this campaign; more people must know about this community’s challenges.

We are incredibly grateful to have been welcomed by the Champa Rancho community with open arms and to have formed a strong bond with them that has lasted for so many years.

Press

UNIVERSIDAD SIGLO 21

Thanks to the transparency and clarity in their administrative management, Storillud publishes the story of the El Agua Es Oro entrepreneurship in the Argentine magazine "Señales del Futuro" from Universidad Siglo 21.

WH20: JOURNAL OF GENDERS & WATER

Natalia Mendoza Abujder writes a column in the WH2O newspaper highlighting the mission of El Agua Es Oro: A solution for underdeveloped neighborhoods in the city of Cochabamba, Bolivia.

GENTE INCREÍBLE PODCAST

In an interview with Paulina Rossell, our founder Camila Olmedo Mendez shares ways to build resilience when facing situations unrelated to our reality and the actions of the El Agua Es Oro project.