A Healthier School for Jhonatan

Something as basic as a clean, working bathroom has had a remarkable impact on this school and community. School attendance is up; illnesses are down; and learning is easier.

Every day at school, Jhonatan faced a quiet decision no 10-year-old should have to make: use the broken, unsanitary bathrooms—or wait until he got home.

Most days, he waited. The lines were long, the doors hung loosely from their hinges, and the smell made it hard to breathe. It was uncomfortable, sometimes painful, but less embarrassing than using a restroom with no privacy. For Jhonatan and his classmates, this was part of daily life in their rural Bolivian village.

That reality began to change when Advance Community and its local partners launched a project to build new bathrooms in rural schools across the region, including Jhonatan’s. The goal was simple but powerful, to give children a safe, dignified place to meet their most basic needs so they could focus on learning instead of worrying.

When the new bathrooms were finished, Jhonatan was one of the first to step inside. He smiled as he looked around the bright, clean space and told his teacher he was happy to come to school knowing he didn’t have to be scared or uncomfortable anymore. Now, he could focus on learning instead of worrying about getting sick or being embarrassed.

From the beginning, the whole community was involved. Parents volunteered to carry materials, teachers helped organize workdays, and students watched with excitement as the new structures took shape.

For many families, it was the first time they saw an investment in their village that directly improved their children’s daily lives. For the community, this project was more than construction; it was a symbol of pride, progress, and hope. A sign that someone cared.

Jhonathon’s story shows how small changes can move communities forward. When dignity is restored, confidence grows, and futures open wide. When you give, you set transformational change in motion… helping more children learn, dream, and thrive.