Church Donation Benefits More Than 12,000 Students in Montero, Bolivia

Thanks to an important donation, students in Montero now have access to clean and sustainable school bathrooms.

The Villa Virginia School in District 3 of Montero, Bolivia, celebrated two new accessible and sustainable restroom facilities as part of a school sanitation program led by the local government, with significant from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and UNICEF.

The project includes 15 restroom modules that will benefit 12,264 students in various public schools in the Montero area. Deliveries began on April 14, 2025, and will continue through May. This project will significantly improve hygiene and sanitation conditions in public schools.

The project’s inauguration ceremony was attended by Montero’s mayor, Regys Medina; Elder Marco A. Quezada, an Area Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ; and UNICEF’s Carolina Carias, Head of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Bolivia.

The new school bathrooms replace deteriorated infrastructure and incorporate environmental sustainability and universal accessibility. They are equipped with rainwater harvesting systems, solar s, motion-sensor LED lighting and water-saving faucets. Additionally, dedicated spaces for menstrual hygiene have been created, promoting dignity and continued school attendance for girls and adolescents.

“Today, we deliver more than bathrooms — we deliver dignity, health and opportunities for our children,” said Mayor Regys Medina. “These modules are an investment in social justice and a model of how collaboration can change lives.”

Carias said purposeful collaborations like this directly impact children’s lives. “We are proud that these facilities represent resilience, efficiency and equity,” she said.

Elder Quezada stated, “As of the Church, we strive to follow the example of Jesus Christ by caring for our neighbors and protecting our children. We know that God loves them and that this project will have a positive impact on their lives. We are honored to be part of this transformation.”

The event included a ceremony with students, teachers and parents, along with a tour of the new facilities. This initiative s Bolivia’s national goal of ensuring universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene in schools, with the backing of UNICEF Bolivia.

UNICEF and the Church of Jesus Christ reaffirm their commitment to promoting dignified, safe and sustainable school conditions for every child and adolescent in the country.