Study group Ñaupaqman The study group Ñaupaqman consists of a maximum of 15 students (US$8250 per year), who receive a monthly study allowance from SNKP-Bolivia. This offers them an opportunity for education that would be otherwise impossible. The male students are all former residents of the Children’s Home Valle Sinai (formerly Combase). The female students come from the country.In the Quechua language (one of the three official languages of Bolivia), Ñaupaqman means “forward”. The study group is one project organised by SNKP-Bolivia. The students are given responsibility for their own bank account and financial management. The current students in the study group are Alejandro (education, 1st year), Maria Elena (Industrial technology), Laura (Medicine, see video), Tito (Civil Engineering), Nelson (Dentistry, see video), Oscar (Pedagogical academy), Julio (MTS Mechanics), Milton (Petroleum Engineering), Jose Luis (Accounting), Omar (Building construction). In addition, Angela (see video) and Javier, who is from the Valle Sinai home (previously Combase), are members of this group. Both are undertaking their high school education and Javier combines this with a technical specialised training. Both pupils are assisted by the older students. To see a video of these students, click here (link to a video presentation of all members). For this year the funding for the study group is 6000 euros, including the budget for the volunteer work that they do. A substantial part of this amount (around 4000 euros each year) is financed by the Dutch high school Gemeetelijk Gymnasium Hilversum, which has been working with SNKP-Bolivia since 1994. The study group began in 1995 with boys who still lived in the home Combase. This enabled 60 youths to get specialised training alongside their high school education. From 1998 we opened the group to former-residents and girls who wanted to study. Since then twelve students have graduated: Fabian (high school teacher, mathematics and chemistry), Raoul (geometrician and topography specialist), Ronald (architect), Hernán (pedagogue), Lilian (biochemist), Epifanio, Richard and Israel (bookkeepers), Nelida (nurse), Yolanda (agricultural scientist) and Daniel and Gladys (psychologists). These former students have stayed active in the group, in order to assist ongoing progress of the group and guarantee its continuity. The study group goes every month for two Saturdays to the children’s home Valle Sinai (formerly Combase) and the women’s prison San Sebastian in order to give support to the children and youths there. They organise a variety of activity, with the development of the children in mind. If necessary, the members of the group give tutorial lessons during school exam periods. Javier, who still lives in the home, is responsible for organising the use of four computers that SNKP-Bolivia has provided. The study group also organises computer skills courses for the younger children. In addition, the group comes once per month for a general meeting. They also eat twice a month together. Each month they send the notes from the general meeting around and deliver an account about the financial expenses. They also write regular editorials about the activities they organise.