Donating Medical Supplies to People in Need in Potosi, Bolivia

Blanca, Ben, and Juan from Mano a Mano Internacional recently traveled to Potosi – an 18-hour drive round-trip from our office in Cochabamba – to deliver medical supplies and equipment to people with physical limitations.

Donating orthopedic supplies and equipment in Potosi. Photo credit: El Potosi

Article in El Potosi

El Potosi newspaper wrote an article about the distribution event on January 2, 2020, which is translated into English below:

“Mano a Mano, the Villa Imperial Rotary Club, and the Government of Potosi delivered medical supplies and equipment to people in Potosi with physical limitations.

Thanks to the efforts of Mano a Mano and Maria Blanca Velasquez, CODEPEDIS of the Government of Potosi, and the Villa Imperial Rotary Club, 16 wheelchairs, 120 walkers, 20 rolling walkers, 120 pairs of crutches, 120 canes, and 5 pairs of forearm crutches were distributed. In addition, medical supplies and equipment were given to the Betanzos nursing home, the Bolivano Cubano San Cristobal Hospital, and the Hospital Daniel Bracamonte. These donations were made possible by Mano a Mano and Rotary Clubs in the US and Canada. The distribution was held in the Potosi Government Hall, with the participation of Governor Omar Veliz, Maria Blanca Velasquez, Rodolfo Lizarazu Pantoja representing Rotary D4690 Governor Marco Antonio Salinas, representing the wife of the Rotary Bolivia Governor Gloria Bobarin de Lizarazu, Rotary Club Villa Imperial President Hernan Venegas, Rotary Club members, CODEPEDIS Director Emilio Reynaga, and Dr. Elio Martinez

Dar de si antes de pensar en si (the Rotary Club’s slogan: “Service above self”).”

Mano a Mano Shipped 203,747 Pounds of Recovered Resources from Minnesota to Bolivia

In 2019, Mano a Mano shipped 9 40-foot containers filled with 203,747 pounds of donated supplies and equipment from St. Paul to Cochabamba. These supplies are distributed to people & organizations in need throughout Bolivia, like this recent distribution in Potosi. Below are links to a few distributions over the past year:

On December 3rd, 2019 Mano a Mano held a small event at our warehouse to distribute a few orthopedic supplies and equipment to people with physical limitations from 8 municipalities in Cochabamba. In all we distributed 830 items.

• 90,000 Pounds En Route to Bolivia (November 2019)
• Distributing 830 Orthopedic Items to People in the Cochabamba Area (December 2019)
• Distributing Supplies & Equipment to Dozens of Organizations (September 2019)
• Distributing Supplies During Our Trip to Bolivia (March 2019)
• Scouting for Supplies (July 2019)
• Flying Medical Supplies to Cotagaita (April 2019)

Video: Recycling Medical Donations From Goodwill

The vast majority of the orthopedic supplies and equipment we distribute in Bolivia are donated to Mano a Mano by Goodwill in St. Paul; Mano a Mano volunteers go to Goodwill every Wednesday to pick up items: