Diego's story

Oruro, Bolivia

Diego was only 12 years old when he left his home in Oruro to look for a job on the streets. His parents cast him out under the belief that boys should start working when they're young, to learn to look after themselves. Still only a child, Diego left the family home and the city that he knew and started to look for a job in order to survive. He began working and living on the streets, selling pasties to earn just enough to keep himself alive. It was when he was in this desperate situation that a street teacher from a Toybox project found Diego. 

Diego was invited along to the Cristo Resucitado’s (Risen Christ) project where he was given psychological support to overcome the neglect he had experienced, as well as food, health care and time to play.

Sadly, the draws of street living attracted Diego back to his former life. He got involved with a bad crowd, using all his earnings to buy alcohol.

However, the team at Cristo Resucitado did not give up on Diego. They found him on the streets and worked with him personally, motivating him to break out of street life. This was hard for Diego, as it was all he knew. He didn’t care about his own life, his future or his well-being and so could not see the advantage of life away from the streets. His memory of his life before the streets stayed with him; “My family doesn’t care about me so I don’t care about me. On the streets I have friends.”

Eventually, the street team managed to get through to Diego and he accepted their help. Diego has turned his life around. He is a cheerful, confident young man who is responsible with his school work and makes positive decisions for himself. He says,“Thanks to God and to the teachers. They told me I could do something with my life. Now I have a dream for my future and I am going to work hard to accomplish it.”