The Team
Jennifer Imrie- The Founder
I began my journey to Cochabamba, Bolivia in the summer of 2010. I was seventeen years old, and had never travelled by myself. Many people ask the question “Why did you choose to come to Bolivia?” at first I did not know. One day I closed my eyes and pointed in the dead center of South America. That night I told my father that I wanted to volunteer there. I like to say it was a random choice on the map. Now I have been there for two summers in a row, and when people ask me “Why did you choose to come to Bolivia?” I say because it was my destiny. I arrived in Bolivia with no knowledge of the culture, or beliefs. All I knew is that they spoke Spanish. I did not know that the country was unstable or half the population was in poverty. I also did not know that the next two months were drastically going to change my life. I had the pleasure of working with an organization called Projects- Abroad. Projects had set me up with a placement at a local orphanage for special needs children. I had literally no idea what I was getting myself into. After the first day in the orphanage I felt heartbroken, disbelief, sadness and uncertainty. How was I going to make a difference at this orphanage? I am only seventeen. Heartbroken and sad I returned back to Canada unable to express what I had seen. I felt this “pull” to return back to Cochabamba to help. In the summer of 2011 I returned to Cochabamba to work at Maria Cristina. Luckily, I teamed up with three other volunteers that were seeking change. However; because of the lack of funds at the orphanage, this was hard to accomplish.
After returning to Canada in August, I felt a even stronger connection. I felt that I had no choice. I had to go back again and do something. Not just anything, something that would last. Everyone wonders why I return to Cochabamba, they ask; “why can’t you stay at home, work for the rest of the year and make money?”
the truth is .. I cannot explain the attachment I have to Maria Cristina, and I cannot explain why Cochabamba feels like my home. However; I know that I cannot abandon these children who need me, and my question is “Can you?”
I began my journey to Cochabamba, Bolivia in the summer of 2010. I was seventeen years old, and had never travelled by myself. Many people ask the question “Why did you choose to come to Bolivia?” at first I did not know. One day I closed my eyes and pointed in the dead center of South America. That night I told my father that I wanted to volunteer there. I like to say it was a random choice on the map. Now I have been there for two summers in a row, and when people ask me “Why did you choose to come to Bolivia?” I say because it was my destiny. I arrived in Bolivia with no knowledge of the culture, or beliefs. All I knew is that they spoke Spanish. I did not know that the country was unstable or half the population was in poverty. I also did not know that the next two months were drastically going to change my life. I had the pleasure of working with an organization called Projects- Abroad. Projects had set me up with a placement at a local orphanage for special needs children. I had literally no idea what I was getting myself into. After the first day in the orphanage I felt heartbroken, disbelief, sadness and uncertainty. How was I going to make a difference at this orphanage? I am only seventeen. Heartbroken and sad I returned back to Canada unable to express what I had seen. I felt this “pull” to return back to Cochabamba to help. In the summer of 2011 I returned to Cochabamba to work at Maria Cristina. Luckily, I teamed up with three other volunteers that were seeking change. However; because of the lack of funds at the orphanage, this was hard to accomplish.
After returning to Canada in August, I felt a even stronger connection. I felt that I had no choice. I had to go back again and do something. Not just anything, something that would last. Everyone wonders why I return to Cochabamba, they ask; “why can’t you stay at home, work for the rest of the year and make money?”
the truth is .. I cannot explain the attachment I have to Maria Cristina, and I cannot explain why Cochabamba feels like my home. However; I know that I cannot abandon these children who need me, and my question is “Can you?”
Olivia Bray- Co-Founder
I have always had a connection to Bolivia throughout my entire life, and that connection was in my blood. My grandmother moved to the United States from La Paz Bolivia in 1956. My mother was born soon after and growing up in the 1960’s with darker skin was less than ideal at times. She would tell me stories about how her and her brother would hide from the sun so their skin wouldn’t get so dark and stand out. They soon learned how to embrace their culture and their roots growing up in a warm, loving and hardworking Latin American family, no a warm loving Bolivian Family. My grandmother left family in La Paz and my grandfather (who I never had the honor of meeting) had family in Cochabamba. I traveled to Bolivia with my Mother, Aunt and Grandmother when I was 2 and returned when I was seven. They say at 7 years old you don’t have a lot of memories but I do from that trip. I remember the warmth of my family, the babies and children at the markets and on the streets, and having this over whelming feeling of love. I was not able to return for many years but Bolivia always remained a part of who I was.
This summer after completing four years of college at Illinois State University, in Human Development and Family Resources, I had to fulfill an internship to complete my degree. My parents suggested I take this opportunity to travel abroad and we found an amazing organization entitled Projects Abroad, which allowed me not only to complete the requirements for my internship but to also get in touch with my family and roots by traveling to Bolivia once again. I was placed at Maria Christina where I met an amazing group of children and adults who were labeled as “disabled” but I soon found that they actually helped me see a life that was greater than I imagined. They have the capability beyond what is imaginable and I had the opportunity to see this growth first hand when I worked one on one with a few of them helping them with their speech and language. One woman in particular was labeled as “mute” but actually did not have the opportunities to reach her full potential. After about a month and a half of working with her one on one with flash cards and combining my broken Spanish with her drive for learning she was able to achieve a higher vocabulary than I think many thought was possible. She was able to label and verbally name about 20 body parts, such as lips (labios), feet (pies), hand (mano) etc., as well as about 15 other common words. She also gained an amount of confidence I never saw her have before and actually felt more comfortable trying to verbally communicate. While this was a huge accomplishment I felt that we had only hit the tip of the ice burg with these individuals and that with the help of funding and the right resources we could really help the children and adults of Maria Christina reach their full potential and give them the quality of life they deserve.
While traveling to Bolivia I knew I would have an amazing experience and get in touch with my family and roots and have a trip I would never forget but the actual experience went above and beyond what I ever imagined. Not only did I find myself but I also found my future career and passion in working with adults and children with disabilities that I continue to do here in the Illinois. I also found an amazing group of volunteers that I now have the privilege to call my close friends that also share the passion, and love for these children of Maria Christina. Together we are trying to move forward in helping these individuals that have touched our hearts and that we are unable to let go of. While I don’t have the ability to be in Bolivia right now I want to do everything I can to keep my ties there and continue to raise awareness for this cause.
This organization helps me to fund raise and raise awareness for a great cause without actually being there and it gives you the same amazing opportunity to be a part of something great.
Special thanks to the founder Jenn Imrie who has made this all possible.
KEEP POSTED FOR MORE STORIES COMING SOON FROM THE REST OF THE TEAM!
This summer after completing four years of college at Illinois State University, in Human Development and Family Resources, I had to fulfill an internship to complete my degree. My parents suggested I take this opportunity to travel abroad and we found an amazing organization entitled Projects Abroad, which allowed me not only to complete the requirements for my internship but to also get in touch with my family and roots by traveling to Bolivia once again. I was placed at Maria Christina where I met an amazing group of children and adults who were labeled as “disabled” but I soon found that they actually helped me see a life that was greater than I imagined. They have the capability beyond what is imaginable and I had the opportunity to see this growth first hand when I worked one on one with a few of them helping them with their speech and language. One woman in particular was labeled as “mute” but actually did not have the opportunities to reach her full potential. After about a month and a half of working with her one on one with flash cards and combining my broken Spanish with her drive for learning she was able to achieve a higher vocabulary than I think many thought was possible. She was able to label and verbally name about 20 body parts, such as lips (labios), feet (pies), hand (mano) etc., as well as about 15 other common words. She also gained an amount of confidence I never saw her have before and actually felt more comfortable trying to verbally communicate. While this was a huge accomplishment I felt that we had only hit the tip of the ice burg with these individuals and that with the help of funding and the right resources we could really help the children and adults of Maria Christina reach their full potential and give them the quality of life they deserve.
While traveling to Bolivia I knew I would have an amazing experience and get in touch with my family and roots and have a trip I would never forget but the actual experience went above and beyond what I ever imagined. Not only did I find myself but I also found my future career and passion in working with adults and children with disabilities that I continue to do here in the Illinois. I also found an amazing group of volunteers that I now have the privilege to call my close friends that also share the passion, and love for these children of Maria Christina. Together we are trying to move forward in helping these individuals that have touched our hearts and that we are unable to let go of. While I don’t have the ability to be in Bolivia right now I want to do everything I can to keep my ties there and continue to raise awareness for this cause.
This organization helps me to fund raise and raise awareness for a great cause without actually being there and it gives you the same amazing opportunity to be a part of something great.
Special thanks to the founder Jenn Imrie who has made this all possible.
KEEP POSTED FOR MORE STORIES COMING SOON FROM THE REST OF THE TEAM!