Building bridges to combat inequality

The Andean Development Corporation (CAF) and the Private Bolivian University (UPB) signed an agreement to execute the "Building Bridges" project which will receive technical assistance from the Social Capital Initiative of Michigan State University.

The agreement was signed by CAF Executive President Enrique García and UPB Rector Manuel Olave.

García stressed the importance of the project saying that it was focused on reducing high levels of social exclusion, creating incentives for social participation in solving problems, reducing educational inequality, and expanding the scope of social networks, considered indispensable for sustainable development.

The project will be initially executed in Bolivia and Venezuela and extended to other Andean countries in a later phase. In Bolivia, the UPB will work in Colcapirhua Municipality, Cochabamba, which is where the university is based.

The idea behind the project is that Andean universities reach out to poor communities and contribute to citizen participation by promoting confidence, associativity and solidarity, forming a network that strengthens social leadership and the economic, social and educational potential of the people in the selected localities.

Latin America is one of the regions with the highest levels of inequality and poverty. The region also has high rates of educational exclusion since poverty forces many children and young people to dropout of school to work for their subsistence. In addition to poverty, other factors affect the quality of life are lack of confidence in interpersonal relations and an apathetic attitude to political activity.

The relationship between poverty and exclusion is not linear but is rather a complex situation that has many causes. The project introduces the concept of social capital as a response to poverty in Latin America, and to two of its most outstanding causes-consequences: the exclusion of the main actors in development, that is the communities in situation of poverty; and educational exclusion which is one of the most significant causes and reproducers of poverty. Deficiencies in education result in badly paid jobs which limit future opportunities.

The "Building Bridges" project will be an educating experience at community level, especially in relation to developing activities with young people who show potential for entering higher education as a means of overcoming exclusion and equality.