On the occasion of the 13th anniversary of the founding of the ‘Qalauma’ Youth Social Reintegration Centre, Ambassador Fabio Messineo visited the penitentiary located on the Andean plateau, two hours from La Paz. In it, some 500 young people are imprisoned, following a course of study and/or work aimed at facilitating their re-entry into society. The centre was founded in 2011 on the idea of Riccardo Giavarini, an Italian volunteer who has dedicated himself to the rehabilitation of young people in Bolivia for many years, as supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with funds from the Italian development cooperation.
Currently, the Italian NGOs ‘ProgettoMondo’, from Verona, and ‘CVCS’, from Gorizia, operate in Qalauma. In coordination with the Penitentiary Directorate, they train the young inmates in various sectors — carpentry, mechanics, pastry-making, bakery. They also assist them in studying and in doing recreational activities, such as music making and folkloric dancing.
The Ambassador also inaugurated the premises where the centre’s library is located and donated some copies in Spanish of the book ‘Mille Meraviglie — Viaggio alla scoperta dell’Italia’, published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Piemme.
Qalauma is the only youth penitentiary in Bolivia and is considered a successful model for the social reintegration of young offenders. Recent statistics have shown almost zero recidivism by those who have been guests of the centre.