THE PURPOSE OF THE MOBILE SCHOOL

The mobile school is designed to bring education closer to children and young people who are not reached by traditional systems. Instead of expecting them to come to a fixed place, it moves to where they are, creating accessible learning opportunities in streets, parks, and community spaces.

Through its mobile structure and interactive educational panels, it supports learning through play, dialogue, and participation. This makes it easier for educators to connect with children, build trust, and create meaningful learning moments in environments that are familiar to them.

At the same time, the mobile school provides structure to outreach work. It helps educators prepare, guide, and follow up on activities in a more intentional way, strengthening both the quality and consistency of their interventions.

OUR PARTNER

Fundación Alalay is a Bolivian organisation founded in 1993, dedicated to supporting children, adolescents, and families in situations of vulnerability and street involvement. Over the years, it has developed a comprehensive model focused on protection, prevention, and street outreach, with a strong emphasis on children’s rights and long-term development.

Today, the organisation supports around 10,000 children each year across its programmes in La Paz, El Alto, and Santa Cruz. Its Street Programme plays a central role in reaching children directly in their environments, offering educational, psychosocial, and reintegration support.

With an experienced and committed team, Fundación Alalay has built strong relationships within communities, creating a solid foundation for the implementation of the mobile school.

THE TARGET GROUP

The mobile school in Santa Cruz is used to reach children, adolescents, and young people living in vulnerable conditions, including those in street situations or at high risk. Many of them spend a significant part of their time in public spaces, where they work, socialise, or seek opportunities to meet their basic needs.

The programme also engages families and community members, recognising the importance of building supportive environments around the children. In areas such as Villa Paraíso and the Parque Urbano, the presence of the mobile school creates a space where children, youth, and adults can come together and participate in shared activities.

This approach allows educators to work with diverse groups and respond flexibly to different needs within the same environment.

HOW THE MOBILE SCHOOL WILL BE USED

During the implementation training, three field interventions were organised in different locations across Santa Cruz. In each setting, the mobile school was set up in public spaces where children and young people already gather, creating an open and inviting learning environment.

At the Cancha María Auxiliadora, the first session attracted a large and diverse group of participants, including children, adolescents, and families. The mobile school was received with enthusiasm, and participants engaged actively in activities for around two hours.

In Villa Paraíso, approximately 50 children participated in a second session organised near a community space, where educators applied games and activities prepared during the training.

A third session took place in a nearby public square, where around 35 participants joined the activities. What started with hesitation quickly turned into active participation, demonstrating how the mobile school can create engagement in new environments.

Across all sessions, educators showed increasing confidence in using the materials and adapting activities to the context, combining structured learning with creativity and play.

LOOKING AHEAD

The implementation of the mobile school in Santa Cruz marks an important step in strengthening Fundación Alalay’s street outreach work. The strong engagement of the team and the positive response from participants provide a solid basis for continued development.

In the coming months, the focus will be on structuring the use of the mobile school, ensuring regular interventions, and strengthening the educational approach behind each session. Continued use of tools such as StreetSmart Impact and Play will support planning, evaluation, and long-term impact.

With its experience, community presence, and motivated team, Fundación Alalay is well positioned to integrate the mobile school into its daily work and expand its reach. This initiative opens new opportunities to create meaningful learning experiences for children and young people in vulnerable situations.

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