Milo
Milo was born in March 2023 in the town of Ivirgarzama located in the “tropical” region of the department of Cochabamba. The area is home to the Mbyá Yuqui community, a historically nomad and foraging group that is currently considered at risk of extinction. Milo’s young parents are both unemployed; his 25-year-old father occasionally brings in $10 - $14 dollars a day laboring on one of the region’s plantations when he can find work. The small family lives in a simple wooden shack with Milo’s maternal grandfather, a widower who grows yucca and other small crops.
Milo’s mother was fastidious about attending all her prenatal appointments and anticipated giving birth to a healthy baby. But soon after they brought Milo home, he appeared to struggle to breathe. The local pediatrician suggested they take the baby to Cochabamba to be examined by heart specialists, who recommended urgent open-heart surgery to close a gap in the wall separating his lower heart chambers. The family could not even imagine coming up with the money to pay for such a surgery – the household of four survives on roughly $180 dollars a month. They were referred to Puente de Solidaridad, whose social worker helped the family pull together support from multiple sources. Milo underwent surgery on October 30, 2023, and was discharged 6 days later. The support of Puente de Solidaridad was critical in ensuring a quick resolution of Milo’s surgical need before his overall health was compromised. The medical team is confident Milo will now be able to enjoy a normal life.