About Us

Niños con Valor is first and foremost a family made up of the incredible children in our care, the Bolivian staff who are providing them with family, and all of those individuals, churches and organizations committed to bringing our children the justice and love they deserve.

Our Mission & Vision

Our vision is to create new cycles of hope for neglected children of Bolivia.

The children in our care were born into situations of abuse, neglect or discrimination, and more often than not – their parents come from similar backgrounds. We aim to work with our children, and where possible with their families, to ensure that these cycles are broken and that future generations will experience greater hope and opportunity. 

Mission & Purpose

Our mission is to see hope, healing and dignity flourish in Bolivian children, values that they will multiply into society through the establishment of self-sustaining and scalable models of care.

We strongly believe in the power of the ripple effect, and that by making significant, quality-driven investment in a small group of children, that these children will be the agents for a much broader change in the future.

 

Our Team

Our Programs

Our Kids

Our Beliefs & Values

 

Niños con Valor works from the foundational belief that every child is a unique creation of God with innate value, having rights and deserving respect. While we desire to help as many children as we can in the most effective way possible, we also believe in the power of the ripple effect, believing that improving the life of even just one child can begin an infinite succession of positive changes in the future. In addition to the basic belief of the intrinsic worth of all human beings, we incorporate the following precepts in all of our endeavors:

Respect

We partner with both governmental and non-governmental organizations to advocate for change, education, and services for those without a voice to plead their cause. We are specifically working to combat the discrimination that is so prevalent against those living with HIV/AIDS.

Integration

We believe that the best place for a child is in a healthy safe family. Whenever possible we work with birth families to restore the family unit, and will work with adoption agencies to find adoptive families when appropriate. There is also much discrimination against children living in orphanages, children’s homes or on the streets, often being treated as if they were at fault and deserved to be in their current situations. This is even more pronounced when these children also live with the stigma surrounding having HIV/AIDS. We are working to change the perceptions people have about people living with HIV/AIDS through education and relationship building, also through job creation programs for HIV-positive single mothers to show they can be contributing members of society

Provision

While it is important to ensure that each child’s basic physical needs are met, we also recognize the importance of meeting their emotional and spiritual needs. These children come to us with histories of abuses of all kinds- physical, emotional, and sexual. While often times their bodies bear the physical scars of these abuses, we see the evidences of their scarred spirits and psyches as well, and want to provide healing for the scars seen and unseen.

Potential

  In addition to traditional education, we also feel it important to provide opportunities for these children to explore and grow their gifts and talents. Whether it be music, arts, sports, or something entirely unique, we work with other organizations and institutions to enable these children to reach their full potential.

Love

The most important thing that the vast majority of our children lack is the knowledge that someone loves them unconditionally. In all that we do, we do as a response to God’s love for us and the desire to demonstrate that love to others, that they too might, not only know, but feel that they are loved for who they are.

Education

We ensure that all the children under our care have access to appropriate education and vocational training. We are also planning to open a daycare and kindergarten for children living with HIV/AIDS, as many times they are refused acceptance to other centers. We also want to provide these children a safe, clean, healthy environment where they will have the best opportunity to learn and grow.

“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.”

– Elie Wiesel

Who We Are

 

Our Team

 

It takes a diverse group of folks to ensure that we are able to respond to each child’s needs in the most complete way possible. The team of women and men who are based in Bolivia are included below, and you can meet our US  board members by clicking on the button to the right.

In Bolivia

Tyson Malo

Tyson Malo

International Director

Pamela Castro

Pamela Castro

Director of Operations

Viviana Vela

Viviana Vela

Director of Administration

Mauricio Camacho

Mauricio Camacho

Director of Development

Claudia Gamboa

Claudia Gamboa

Psychologist (girls)

Carlos Rosa

Carlos Rosa

Psychologist (boys)

Lilian Sansuste

Lilian Sansuste

Social Worker (children)

Marcela Thorrez

Marcela Thorrez

Social Worker (families)

Norma Perez

Norma Perez

Youth Guide (CAC)

Adela Aro

Adela Aro

Youth Guide (CAC)

Milenka Guilarte

Milenka Guilarte

Physiotherapist

Deysi Veizaga Montes

Deysi Veizaga Montes

Youth Guide (SDE)

Mari Colque

Mari Colque

Caregiver

Maritza Tirado

Maritza Tirado

Caregiver

Silvia Eraña Bravo

Silvia Eraña Bravo

Caregiver

Vicky Chura

Vicky Chura

Caregiver

Anabel Alegre

Anabel Alegre

Caregiver

Raquel Checo

Raquel Checo

Caregiver

Yessica Salazar

Yessica Salazar

Caregiver

Liliam Ochoa

Liliam Ochoa

Caregiver

Rossmery Ramírez

Rossmery Ramírez

Caregiver

Jhanneth Carias

Jhanneth Carias

Caregiver

Carolina Rake

Carolina Rake

Nutrition, Volunteer Coordinator

F.A.Q.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much of my support goes to admin costs?

We are a small organization, and nearly everyone involved in making things happen outside of our Bolivian staff who work directly with our kids in Bolivia are volunteers. In our 2019 budget, only 3% of our expenses are directed towards administrative cost. An additional 4% is invested in fundraising expenses.

Do the children in your care have families?

We are very much pro-family, and only receive cases of children who cannot safely remain with relatives. In situations where there is the possibility of future family reunification, we work closely with relatives to help them meet court requirements for reintegration.

Can I visit?

We love to receive visits! If you are interested in traveling to Bolivia, seeing our programs in action and meeting our children in person, please send us an email and we are happy to work with you to arrange safe travel and help you make the most of the experience (Bolivia is gorgeous, and there is so much to see while you are here!)

Aren’t orphanages bad?

It is important to understand the context of the situation in which kids are growing up in to adequately respond to this question. The fact is, Bolivia’s economy is growing. However, public investment in child and family social services is minimal, and the safest option for children who don’t have stable family environments is in residential care. There simply isn’t sufficient oversight for fostercare type programs to function with guarantees of each child’s safety.

What about institutionalization?

Niños con Valor invests more in each child than any other organization in Bolivia. This is because each child is unique and requires individualized care. Without this type of investment, the risk is definitely a valid concern.

Where do your kids come from?

We accept children who have been orphaned, abandoned or rescued from high risk situations. Over 50% of our children are also living with special medical, development or mental health needs.

Keep In Touch

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