Accomplishments

As we celebrate our 17th year this weekend, we continue to be amazed at what a small group of dedicated people in the US and Bolivia can accomplish! Here are just a few of our acheivements since we started in 1994:

• 120,272 - volunteer hours in the US since 1994
• 2,180,061 - pounds of surplus medical supplies shipped to Bolivia
• $10.1 million - value of this surplus
• 123 - number of clinics built in Bolivia. 115 of these clinics are financially independent and do not rely on any funding from Mano a Mano. (All clinics receive continuing health education and medical supplies on an ongoing basis.)
• 14,065 deliveries with 0 maternal deaths and 0.5% infant mortality rate (average infant mortality rate in rural Bolivia is 8%)
• Schools, teacher housing, and community sanitation projects in 42 communities
• Built 3 large water reservoirs and 153 atajados (small water ponds)
• Constructed or improved over 1,400 kilometers of roads
• 962 emergency flights

Thanks to everyone that has been a part of Mano a Mano!

Weekend Health Clinics

As part of our integrated approach to improving health, Mano a Mano provides jornadas, or weekend health clinics, in rural areas of Bolivia that have no access to health services. Doctors, nurses, dentists, and other medical professionals from Bolivia volunteer hundreds of hours of their time with Mano a Mano Bolivia traveling on weekends to some of the most remote areas of the country to provide free basic healthcare. They also give educational workshops on treatment and prevention of prevalent diseases in the area, such as malaria, dengue fever, chagas, leishmaniasis, and tuberculosis. Mano a Mano Bolivia volunteers usually fly to the jornada sites on the Mano a Mano plane; the trip can often be 15-20 hours each way on treacherous mountain roads, whereas flying reduces travel time to an hour or two, allowing more time to be spent with patients.

Jornada volunteers

Mano a Mano volunteer Nemecio evaluating a baby

Videos made by Supreme Master TV

Last year Supreme Master TV, a nonprofit channel airing constructive news and programs that foster peace and promote healthy, green living, aired two videos showcasing Mano a Mano's programs as part of its "Good People, Good Works" feature. Part one highlighted our health and education programs:

Part two focused on our road and water projects:

Thanks Supreme Master TV for making these videos!

New Video Highlighting Partnership with Caterpillar Inc.

Mano a Mano International works on a model based on partnership; part of that process is seeking alliances with key corporate partners in the US. The Caterpillar Foundation has become one of those key alliances, and we have been working together for 3 years to help bring solutions to impoverished rural Bolivian communities. In 2007, Mano a Mano approached the Caterpillar Foundation to seek funding for two new roads. Caterpillar considers roads to be a priority in helping to open new markets that could spur an increase in economic development. Caterpillar indicated; “we were impressed by Mano a Mano’s commitment to assist rural communities [giving them] access to markets through the construction of roads and runways. Passable roads hold the key to economic well-being.”

Since 2007, Caterpillar has trusted their investment to Mano a Mano to continue to offer solutions in Bolivia.  CAT has provided us with a matching grant - providing a dollar for dollar match up to $225,000 for any contributions from other businesses to support our proven efforts in improving health and economic opportunity for impoverished Bolivians. In addition, the Caterpillar Foundation wanted to capture the impact themselves and hired a team of professional photographers to travel to Bolivia and share the Mano a Mano story:

The Mano a Mano Model

One of the main things that differentiates Mano a Mano is the model that we use. Here we'll briefly walk through the entire process for building a rural health clinic, although the model is very similar for all of our projects.

First, the community in Bolivia approaches us to request a project. This is a huge point; the local community is the driver of the process, Mano a Mano does not pick locations or projects itself. The community goes to our office in Cochabamba to request whatever project they have decided is most important, from a clinic to a school to community bathrooms, and are put on the waiting list until funds are available. When there is funding, Mano a Mano meets with the community and local leaders to sign an agreement detailing everyone's responsibilities: