Las Cebras / The Zebras of La Paz

There doesn’t appear to be any rules of the road in La Paz, Bolivia. Drivers cutting off other drivers, stopping suddenly, and running red lights are a regular part of the traffic flow. The fast-moving chaos creates a dicey experience for pedestrians wanting to cross busy intersections. Enter the dancing zebras.

La Paz’s traffic zebras are a crew of about 100 youths who, dressed in individual, full-body zebra outfits, help schoolchildren and elderly or disabled pedestrians cross the street.

Many of them are from broken families and troubled pasts. What started as a grassroots movement is now government-funded.