Dozens of children in western Venezuela begin their daily journey to school before 5 a.m. But this is no ordinary school – it is located across the border in Colombia.
They live in the Guajira peninsula, facing the Caribbean Sea, a region shared by Colombia and Venezuela. The area is also home to the Wayuu indigenous people, the largest indigenous group in both countries. The Wayuu face numerous challenges, but one of their main struggles is the lack of access to clean drinking water. Because of that, children die of malnutrition at a rate nearly six times the national average.
Despite the adverse conditions, the ‘Children of the Border' have not lost hope and show their enthusiasm for learning and playing at school every day.