In 1991 a tradesman called Rainer Scholtz went to La Paz in Bolivia. Under the motto of the Bible quotation, “Be doers and not just listeners” he, his wife and a few friends founded the “Soforthilfe La Paz” in May 1992. The “Soforthilfe La Paz” was registered as a society and officially recognized as beneficial to the community.

Having formed a society, the “Soforthilfe La Paz” set up a service of missionary aid on the streets, which was organized and financially supported by Bolivian Christians. Initially the main tasks consisted of supplying meals on the streets, Church services and evangelical help. Later these tasks were expanded to street social work, pastoral work and medical treatment in out-patient department, bible lessons and regular meals. A team of native Christians, financed from Germany and led by Angelica Rua, Walter Garron and Vladimir Mendoza made these services possible in the initial years. 1997 the whole administration was taken over by Germany. Financial help comes from donations from members of various Churches, free Churches and Christian communities, which emphasise the interdenominational structure of the “Soforthilfe La Paz”. Gradually the numbers of patrons increased as information spread in pastoral groups and congregations.

The Change

In 1996 it became clear that the increase of work and fulfilment of our aims in La Paz could only be guaranteed if coordinated locally by one official person. This person was the 29-year-old Anouschka Putschky, a nurse and graduate of a two year theology seminar. She was sent to Bolivia in April 1997. Her tasks included the organisation and coordination of the “Soforthilfe La Paz”, contacting local congregations and missions and forming a network of help for the homeless children. The work awaiting her was extensive. She had to enrol latin–american colleagues, improve the medical care, carry out the meal service and find new resources for further help.

Together with a sociologist, Anouschka Putschky developed a concept for the comprehensive aid programme, which was officially recognized by the Bolivian authorities in 1998 and became the foundation of the future “Soforthilfe La Paz”. This concept, which has since been further developed, contains the four following main parts.

• Making contact with children living on the street
• Maintenance of a reception centre with medical out – patient department
• Rehabilitation of children in a home run by the “Soforthilfe La Paz”
• Reinstatement in the family or integration into a foster family

Anouschka, whose surname changed to Putschky de Soza at Easter 1998 worked together with her Chilean husband Juan Soza on various focal points in the city. Together with colleagues they visited children who were locked in prisons or awaiting medical treatment in hospitals. They carried out the mission of the “Soforthilfe La Paz” and instigated the most needed medical treatment and organised the feeding of many homeless children and adults living in the streets on the of the city.

A Home for the Rehabilitation of Children

In August 1998 “Soforthilfe La Paz” bought a 11,000 sq. meter plot of land, on which a home for the rehabilitation of homeless children is to be built. But this is still a thing of the future. Although building plans have been made since 2000 and costs have been calculated, there are still several hurdles to be overcome. The main hurdles are accessibility of the plot, the finances and the need for personnel.

In November 1999 “Soforthilfe La Paz” sent Mr. and Mrs. Franco and Ilona Flasbart from Hannover (Germany) to La Paz for two years. Mr. Franco is master builder and was sent to supervise the planning of the rehabilitation centre. It soon became obvious, though, that building projects in Bolivia involve a lot more patience than in Germany. When it became clear that the intended time for building such a project ould never be held, Mr. Franc Flasbart quitted his job at the “Soforthilfe La Paz”.

Contact Centre

The main object of the “Soforthilfe La Paz” at the present is to look after the children of the streets of the city. The work done at the contact centre in the middle of the city, which opened in 1999, was greatly extended in 2001. This centre in the city is a place where any kind of homeless children can meet up. These children have the opportunity to get a meal here, to have a shower, to be cheered up or be given advice, and to get medical treatment or just play.