Words of the German Ambassador, Stefan Duppel, in La Paz, Bolivia on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of Fundación Pueblo:

“30 years is a long way for a private social development institution in a country that does not stop changing its face. In these three decades, we have witnessed sometimes profound changes in the social, political and cultural environment of our beloved Bolivia. Fundación Pueblo has not remained untouched by these changes and has evolved from a small self-help initiative in the Yungas of La Paz to an institution recognised nationally and internationally for its contributions to access to primary and secondary education, as well as technical and civic education, for the benefit of the country’s most vulnerable groups, especially women and girls in rural areas.

Thousands of voices have accompanied us on this journey, voices as diverse as Bolivia itself, from the host mother in Chaco Tarijeño to the general secretary of the agricultural union in the Yungas of La Paz to the migrant woman in El Alto. Their voices have met through Fundación Pueblo with those of friends in other continents, sometimes organised in solidarity units, sometimes as individuals with the desire simply to share.

The 30 voices we have been able to gather on the occasion of Fundación Pueblo’s 30th anniversary are not representative of the thousands who have participated and continue to participate in one way or another in this social commitment, in one place or another in the world. But they are an example of the diversity and solidarity among people who share the belief in our common responsibility for a better world.

We thank all those who have participated in this section, as well as each and every individual who continues to give and receive at the same time to pave the way for the fourth decade of Fundación Pueblo.”

David Castellón Betancur, Managing Director, and Günther Schulz Heiss, Chairman of the Executive Board