The 6th August is a very important day in the Bolivian calendar – the 189th Independence Day. After centuries of Spanish rule, the Republic of Bolivia was formed by Simon Bolivar on August 6th, 1825, and this day continues to be an important celebration. It is a national holiday in Bolivia and marches, military parades, street dances and carnivals happen across every city. Santa Cruz is no exception – schools and places of work have been preparing for this day for a long time.
The Alalay children are also very involved in the celebrations, and many have been chosen to represent their classes at school. They will dress up in traditional costumes from each region and parade or dance to parents, friends and classmates. This photo shows one of our oldest girls (she was previously supported by Alalay and now lives with her family after successful reintegration) and her classmates, dressed in a variety of traditional regional costumes, ready for the Independence Day celebrations.
Find out more about the day here.
