Act2gether Bolivia, in partnership with EDUCO, continued its work in advancing child and youth participation through the second year of Empowering from the Root. This 2023–2024 initiative deepens efforts launched in previous years to promote civic engagement among children and adolescents in La Paz by strengthening their agency to influence decisions across generations—in families, schools, and local governance.

The project is rooted in a multi-stakeholder framework that engages:

• Rights holders – children aged 4 to 18 in EDUCO-supported schools
• Duty bearers – parents and guardians
• Obligation holders – school directors, teachers, and municipal officials

This structure ensures that participation is not an isolated event but a sustained practice embedded in local systems.

Early Childhood: Laying the Foundations

A Toolbox for Participation was introduced in nine early childhood educational units, equipping 42 teachers to integrate rights-based approaches in the classroom. This reached 836 children aged 4–5, contributing to notable improvements in their well-being, expression, and engagement in everyday decisions.

Middle Childhood: Participation in Practice

Children aged 6 to 12 led the way in a participatory grant-making process, identifying needs within their schools and communities. In total, 1,883 children took part, forming promoter groups and developing proposals for concrete change, turning ideas into action and fostering early experiences of democratic practice.

Adolescents: From Journalism to Policy Dialogue

Through their student governments, adolescents aged 13 to 18 were trained in Citizen Journalism. They used this methodology to investigate educational issues and document community perspectives. Their findings were then shared in a formal exchange with the Municipal Committee of Children of La Paz, exemplifying how young people can influence public discourse and decision-making.

From classroom tools to municipal exchanges, children and adolescents are not only participating—they are co-creating the structures that shape their lives.