Climate change threatens Bolivian 'cholitas' livelihood
Bolivia's Indigenous climbing women known as 'Cholitas' take pleasure in walking on the glaciers of Nevado Huayna Potosí, 6,000m (19,685 ft) above sea level in the Andes. In their bright coloured skirts, the women also earn a living acting as guides and cooks for clients who come to Bolivia to climb its majestic mountains. The mountain is around 25 km (15 miles) from the centre of La Paz, the nation's capital. But now their crampons crunch on rock rather than pristine snow. Their work is under threat as the Nevado's glaciers are receding faster than ever before and attracting fewer clients to the mountain. The glacier's retreat means some cholitas are looking for alternative work to subsidize their income.
