Beautiful and Strong Women

I recently was told of the WMF policy with children and posting pictures. Basically, I am not supposed to do it, so I am letting you know if anyone is confused why the pictures of the kids have been removed from the blog. I am sorry because I know everyone loved to see them, but I also want to protect these kids from any harm that could come from this.

Otherwise, I would like to tell you about the women of El Alto. I personally, strongly believe they are the strongest women in the entire world. In El ALto, they are mostly indigenous women dressed in traditional clothing. They are called cholitas and wear long beautiful skirts, flat, plastic shoes, a shawl of some sort, and a top hat. Whatever they need to carry, groceries from the market, their babies (most often), or even their GAS TANK to their stove goes on their back. They are the workers in this society. I rarely ever see a man doing the labor work here. The women are often digging outside with their children on their backs. Some men do work, but I am just continually impressed and even sad for these women who DO care so much to put food on the table for their children that they will go to any length to do so. The other day, we had a bag of potatoes, peas, and beans that came to my hip that I could only lift a foot off the ground, and Sipriana put it on her back and walked for half a mile. I will never be able to forget the strength she has in her and is willing to do for her children!