The name Hormigón Armado, which means both reinforced concrete and armed ant, represents the resilience of the street people in La Paz, Bolivia.

The goal of this organization is to provide people working as shoe shiners (lustrabotas) with an education so that they have alternatives to life on the street.

In the meantime, the program helps them supplement their meager income by acting as tour guides to show visitors La Paz as only they know it.

100% of the proceeds of the tour is given to the shoe shiner guide.

Growing up in Cusco, Ruth Uribe was disturbed by the large number of children she saw living on the street.

Her curiosity evolved into a sociological study. The study revealed that poor women are often abandoned with young children they are unable to support. As a result, they are forced to make a difficult choice – to live on the street with their children or to abandon their children in favor of finding men who can economically support them.

As the director of Chicuchas Wasi, Ruth has selected and specifically trained her staff of teachers to work to change the future for poor females and future mothers.