Sumaj Sonqo

A stark divide exists between the haves and have-nots in Chilimarca, Bolivia. Poverty is a problem, and the plight of the low-income earners is made even more difficult by living among the rich landowners who posses the power.

Just outside the basin of the modern city of Cochabamba, Paredes-Cabrera operates a modest clinic where she sees patients each day. The clinic’s name, Sumaj Sonqo, is translated from the local dialect as “good heart.” She moved into her new facility in August 2023.

When not busy in the clinic, her attention is turned to working with the most vulnerable groups in the nearby neighborhoods, teaching health, life and spiritual lessons to the elderly, women’s groups and to children.

She is also involved in a program to vaccinate neighbor animals against rabies and educating the public about the local chagas problem, a tropical disease prevalent in Chilimarca.

One of her special callings is to work with abuse victims. Physical, verbal and sexual abuse is a major problem in the region. She has become a trusted confident among the women in the area, where they can safely share their experience with abuse, receive comfort and press the authorities to take action.