The year is coming to a close. Like last year, 2021 has been another challenging year, but we are grateful to you for helping Mano a Mano continue to partner with Bolivian communities to improve their own lives. Check out a few pictures from this year and what we have been able to do together (there is a photo album on Facebook with even more pictures from 2021, and scroll down to the bottom of this post for a video compilation):
2021 in Pictures
Mano a Mano staff and heavy equipment onsite at the Laguna Sulti water reservoir expansion project, 2021.
All 3 containers filled and ready to start on their way to Bolivia – March/April 2021.
Pato Enyo
A Mano a Mano emergency flight in Sucre in 2021.
Abundant potable water began to emerge from the Pampa Grande well last week.
Read about Mano a Mano in this article in the Midway Como Frogtown Monitor.
7: Mano a Mano transports some supplies by plane, like this distribution to Baures, Bolivia.
Community sorting boulders for the foundation.
Machine operators and local residents watch intently as water begins to flow at the Chirusi well.
2 containers with 46,829 pounds of supplies starting their journey from Minnesota to Bolivia in June 2021.
Mano a Mano providing a flight for Oscar. Photo Credit: El Guardian Beniano.
Students from Metro State and St. Kate’s help load containers with medical supplies and equipment for Bolivia.
One of Mano a Mano’s weekend health clinics in Poza Honda in November 2021.
Nursing students from CEFTE-Chapare take a break from their volunteer work with Mano a Mano, sorting supplies sent from Minnesota to prepare them for distribution throughout Bolivia. Medical professionals from Hospital Combase also take part in these volunteer sessions, here providing some guidance and training for the nursing student volunteers.
Farmers from Laguna Sulti have received training through Mano a Mano’s Center for Ecological Agriculture.
Loading Mano a Mano’s Cessna Caravan at our hangar at the Jorge Wilstermann Cochabamba Airport
Banner honoring Epifanio Velasquez at Laguna Sulti. This is part of the Punata Regional Complex project.
Working on the 2-story school project in Chirusi.
Transporting heavy equipment from Cochabamba to Toro Toro to start construction on the airstrip.
Dedication brochure for the improved runway in Toro Toro, Bolivia, completed in May 2021.
Mano a Mano providing an emergency flight after an accident.
Mano a Mano Nuevo Mundo staff working on the Chirusi water well in July 2021.
Pampa Grande leaders at our counterpart organization Mano a Mano Nuevo Mundo’s office to sign the agreement for their water well.
3: Almost done loading!
Volunteers from Bolivian organizations like GEOS contribute many hours to help to sort medical supplies at our Cochabamba warehouse.
One of Mano a Mano’s flights in 2020, in front of our hangar at the Cochabamba airport.
Arriving in Mapiri to transport a patient on the Mano a Mano plane, May 2021.
An emergency flight in June 2021 outside of our hangar at the Cochabamba airport.
“We feel very happy and moved to work together, we want to be a bridge and a helping hand that is willing to reach out to any hand in the world. Let us have an attitude of solidarity, as a municipality let us help with our good will to also reach out to other smaller municipalities in the department that need help.” El Gobierno Autónomo Municipal de Tarija and the Secretaría de Desarrollo Humano y Gestión Social Municipal
Transporting a patient to Santa Cruz (here at Viru Viru airport) for intensive care, May 2021.
3: Mano a Mano staff and volunteers load containers, making sure to not waste any of the valuable space.
7: Donating a wheelchair for Gustavo in Trinidad, Beni in May.
Mano a Mano picking a patient up in Santa Ana de Yacuma.
Volunteers on the path to Yucomo with Pascuala’s wheelchair.
PTs, Mano a Mano volunteers, and Mano a Mano Co-Founder Joan Velasquez meeting during our recent giveaway on May 8th at our St. Paul warehouse.
A container of medical supplies sent from Minnesota arriving at Mano a Mano’s warehouse in Cochabamba, Bolivia, 2020.
Distributing medical supplies and equipment sent from Minnesota for Mano a Mano Bolivia, February 2021.
Drilling a deep well in Pucara, 2021.
Picking up Santiago and his family in Oromomo, early October 2021.