| Country Bolivia
City San Ignacio de Velasco
Host Institution Bolivian Catholic University
Note: This project starts in February 2008 Project Description
The EL Fellow will offer English Language courses to students in a rural area in eastern Bolivia to enhance mutual understanding and improve professional and academic opportunities. The EL Fellow will live and teach at the rural campus of the Unidad Academica Campesina (UAC) of the Bolivian Catholic University in San Ignacio de Velasco. This year’s program will reach indigenous students in eastern Bolivia in order to expand the U.S. Embassy’s presence in other parts of the country. Currently, the university does not offer any English courses so the EL Fellow will teach beginning level English. The emphasis will be on basic communication skills, English for tourism, English for business and introduction to American culture. EL Fellow’s impact will be significant since s/he will be the only English teacher in the region. The students are from poor rural communities and have limited access to information about the United States. The EL Fellow will live in San Ignacio de Velasco, a town located about eight hours from the city of Santa Cruz.
Project Objectives
To develop an English program for indigenous students at the rural academic campus of the Bolivian Catholic University in San Ignacio de Velasco. Currently, indigenous students in rural areas have no access to English language courses. Another goal is to increase the number of indigenous students who speak English so that they can take advantage of Fulbright and other exchange programs in the US. San Ignacio de Velasco is located in the region of the Chiquitano indigenous culture. We have reached this area many times with music programs, as the Chiquitanos are known for their musical ability and lovely wood carving. We would like to expand our outreach efforts and support tourism development in the region by introducing English into these communities. The university is working on improving their infrastructure, including computer labs and an internet connection. Thus, English knowledge will greatly benefit these students by allowing them wider access to information on the internet in English. Finally, the Binational Center in Santa Cruz would support the program in order to make it sustainable after the EL Fellow has left Bolivia.
About the Host Institution The Unidad Academica Campesina of San Ignacio de Velasco was founded in 1995. It currently offers five programs: Education, Agriculture, Tourism, Ecology and Computer Science. It also offers short term programs on health, nutrition and hotel management. The university currently has 320 students and they expect to triple this number in 2007 by offering distance learning programs. The university essentially benefits students from the region of the Chiquitano indigenous culture located in eastern Bolivia. The area of the Chiquitanos is well known for its colonial mission churches, its music and arts and crafts. It has great potential for developing tourism projects, which would enhance economic opportunities for its people. These indigenous towns in the Chiquitano region are mostly poor and have little or no support from the government. |
