Community Maintenance Projects

To ensure that the road and water projects that we build continue to be maintained and in good condition, Mano a Mano has implemented 'jornadas de trabajo' (work days) for everyone involved in the project - Mano a Mano, local authorities, and the community itself - to spend a day or two, 3-4 times a year, on improving or maintaining their projects. This past weekend more than 400 residents of Laguna Sulti participated in this jornada, showing up with their own tools to help get their reservoir (built with Mano a Mano) ready in preparation for the upcoming rainy season.

Mano a Mano was there to work as well, arriving with our grader and a truck to help with the heavy lifting.

These community maintenance work days are very important to ensure the long-term sustainability of our projects, and we were very pleased with the hard work and participation of everyone.

New Road in El Palmar Halfway Complete

Last week staff from Mano a Mano did a site inspection of our road project in El Palmar, Bolivia. Twenty-two of the 56 total kilometers are now finished, and when complete the road will connect the communities of Canon Verde and El Palmar in the department of Chuquisaca, Bolivia and provide access to the larger markets of Tarija and Santa Cruz. We hope to complete the road later this year.

Aerial view of completed section of the road

Finished section of road

Constructing these roads is a very difficult process. The road is being built through mountainsides and dense jungle, and staff have to live on-site for weeks at a time without seeing their families. Many of the areas are so isolated that they are only accessible by horse or on foot.

Mano a Mano staff on-site

Meeting with local leaders. The generator providing lighting is the only one in the region.

During the inspection we met with local leaders about the project, who are very excited about the road and happy with the current progress; roads are crucial in improving the lives of isolated rural communities in Bolivia. The municipality and community are actively involved in the project and are paying for a substantial portion of the costs themselves. Earlier this year Caterpillar, Inc. made a video highlighting their collaborative partnership with Mano a Mano and explaining why road projects such as this one in El Palmar are so important in Bolivia:

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!

Agriculture Fair in El Palmar, Bolivia

Yesterday local residents in El Palmar held an Agriculture Fair to show off their crops. The Fair was a huge event; the governor of the department was in attendance, as well as a number of local mayors. There were horse races and other games, and judges were there to select the best crops.

El Palmar

Many residents said that these crops that they are now growing are because of the road that Mano a Mano built here 6 years ago. With the road, they said, they could now grow crops in addition to what they grew for their own consumption because they knew they could transport the produce to market before it rotted. 

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:

New Road Project in Bolivia

Mano a Mano is currently constructing a road that will connect the communities of Canon Verde and El Palmar in the department of Chuquisaca, Bolivia. Roads in Bolivia are either nonexistent or little more than flattened dirt paths, making travel difficult, slow, and often dangerous.

Typical mountain road in Bolivia

Roads are vital in improving the lives of these communities,