What is Tia?
Tia International Aid is a small, not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation with no religious or political affiliation, which fosters and respects diversity within our team. We are based in Adelaide and all of our work is conducted entirely by volunteers. Founded in February 2009, we aim to improve the futures of disadvantaged children through a variety of projects.
Why Bolivia?
Bolivia is one of the poorest and least developed countries in South America, with approximately 65% of the population under the poverty line, 40% in extreme poverty. It also has the highest proportion of indigenous people in its population. Children, adolescents and women are the groups most affected by poverty. Tia is working to provide education, better health, and more opportunities in the workforce for these indigenous children.
Who started Tia?
Tessa Henwood-Mitchell, a young UniSA Social Work and International Studies student, worked as a volunteer through Projects Abroad at the orphanage Ciudadela Sedeges in Cochabamba, Bolivia for 4 months in 2008. This was part of the Hawke Ambassador Program offered to UniSA International Studies double degree students. She became convinced when she left that more could be done to help these children, and decided to initiate an organisation to raise funds.
What’s in a Name?
Tia (pronounced ‘tee-ah’) is the Spanish word for ‘Auntie’, which is what all the children at the orphanage Tessa worked at called her. It has special significance for this reason. Like an auntie, Tia is aiming to support children in a caring and nurturing way, with their best interests at heart.
What are TIA’s aims?
The organisation is working with two different centres in Cochabamba, Bolivia, working in partnership with Projects Abroad and their teams in Bolivia and Australia. Firstly providing the money and means to improve living conditions at the orphanage Ciudadela Sedeges, and improve the health and wellbeing of the kids there whilst aiming to provide more opportunities and offer a better future for them, and secondly on supporting programs at Manuela Gandarillas, a rehabilitation centre for blind children, the majority of whom are also orphaned. In the future, the Tia team have the idea to expand into other orphanages and care centres around Bolivia, and eventually around the world (mainly in South America and Africa, and possibly also in Indigenous communities within Australia). However for the moment, our concentration remains on the children in Cochabamba, Bolivia.
Our mission is to:
- 1. Provide community education, training, support, and services for financially, physically, mentally and socially disadvantaged children in the international community.
- 2. Promote and encourage the international community to take an interest and be aware of the particular disadvantages of the community and the individuals to which the proceeds of Tia will be donated.
- 3. Raise all the funds necessary to finance our programs.
We endeavour to provide the training and support necessary to make sustainable and lasting change to the lives of these children.
All money raised goes directly towards our projects. Tia International Aid is a small charity and entirely run by volunteers - there are only extremely minimal administration costs! (less than 5%)
Helping disadvantaged children reach their full potential