View from my window at BancoFie
Just outside of my office at BancoFie is a poster that caught my eye on my first day of work as a Vittana Fellow. It says:“La Paz no es un obyecto encontrado por casualidad. Es el producto de la igualidad entre los hombres.” – -“Peace is not an object found by chance. It is the result of equality between men.”
I can’t help but read it nearly every time I come to work, as a reminder of what Vittana and BancoFie are all about and the reason I’m here in La Paz. Access to credit for young people is a small but vital step towards improving equality and peace around the world. I have always thought access to quality education is among the most profound inequalities, as education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty, to meaningful wages, to improving quality of life and uplifting individuals and communities alike. It cannot be an option only for the privileged, the wealthy or geographically advantaged – a quality education must be accessible for us all. Thanks to the collaboration of Vittana with partners like BancoFie, more and more young people are grasping an opportunity to further their education and brighten their future! I’m proud to be partnering with an organization with such a focus on improving lives and offering hope to their fellow citizens.
Passing Plaza San Pedro on the way to work.
On my first day I made the 20 minute uphill trek to the BancoFie headquarters in San Pedro and although still out of breath from altitude sickness, I settled right in to a discussion on the current success of the student loan program and the desire to expand the program outside of the city. There was a specific interest in reaching more rural areas where there are even less opportunities for higher education. I got a strong sense of social responsibility from my colleagues at BancoFie and I was happy to hear that they were thinking “outside the box” – or in this case outside of the city centers.
I took a good look at the BancoFie manual and was instantly drawn to their slogans “Un banco para la mayoría” and “ Llegamos donde nos necesitan” – “A bank for all” and “We go where we are needed”. I can relate to this as a social worker interested in addressing marginalized populations – those most ignored and left behind in society. So I figure that is why I’m here: to reach those for whom Vittana and access to educational loans is most desperately needed, where others might not venture, where a true difference can be made. So here I am, taking a path less traveled, just like Vittana and BancoFie; “donde me necesitan”.
Outside of BancoFie Headquarters
A Little Bit of History
BancoFie is a bank with a very interesting history that only proves further that big things start small. Starting with five inspired and motivated women over twenty-five years ago, a small NGO was created in La Paz that eventually became the largest microfinance institution in Bolivia. What’s even better is that BancoFie has held steadfast to their mission and focus of dedicating their work to those who otherwise have no other avenue to access credit. Dedicated to reaching the most marginalized populations, slowly but surely they went “From one computer to the biggest microfinance bank in Bolivia”.
Settling In
Lake Titicaca from Cobacabana
Of course my first week in Bolivia hasn’t been all work and no play. It has included some adjustment to the altitude and culture, some exploring at Lake Titicaca and taking in the hustle and bustle of La Paz. Although navigating around the intense traffic is quite scary (even for a New Yorker!), I’ve managed to encounter great people, charming cafes, beautiful plazas and parks and even a yoga studio!
I am truly enjoying this extremely diverse city in many ways; a place where the temperature and climate changes both by the minute and by the zone of the city you happen to be in. A popular local saying is “Las cuatro estaciones en un solo día” — All of the seasons in one day. In just my first week here, I believe it! La Paz is definitely a place with much to discover and will keep you on your toes. Of course the view of snow capped mountains peeking through high rises above scattered homes climbing the hillside; well that isn’t too bad either. Check it out!
La Paz Skyline
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