From Trainee to Trainer — Personal Transformation at the CEA by Senior Agroecology Technician Feli Garcia

by | Aug 14, 2024 | Blog | 0 comments

Any day at Mano a Mano’s Center for Ecological Agriculture (CEA) in Cochabamba, Bolivia, you may find Feli among rows upon rows of hydroponic lettuce or taking care of one of the four beehives at the CEA. Ask him any question about either of these areas, and he’ll rattle off tons of knowledge. However, it wasn’t always that way.

Feli grew up in the tropical region of Chapare, about four hours from Mano a Mano’s Center for Ecological Agriculture in Cochabamba. At the Eterazama Technological Institute (CEFTE), he was studying agroecology—an ecological approach to agricultural production—when he first heard about Mano a Mano through a unique partnership between the CEFTE and Mano a Mano Internacional. Through this relationship, Feli found his home for an internship from December 2019 to February 2020 at the Center for Ecological Agriculture (CEA).

CEA (right) and Mano a Mano Internacional warehouse (left)

Handling livestock, cultivating various crops, growing hydroponic lettuce, creating compost — every week over those 3 months Feli was introduced to a new topic and gained hands-on experience with it. He credits this time with sparking a passion for working side by side with the environment using sustainable practices.

Radiating fearlessness and enthusiasm for his work, Feli soon stood out in the eyes of Mano a Mano staff, who offered him a job at the CEA. Recalling the date with ease, Feli proudly described January 17, 2021 — his official start here at the CEA. For the past 3.5 years, Feli has been devoted to expanding the CEA’s hydroponic lettuce production, constructing and managing 4 beehives on site, and hosting educational tours and trainings for individuals visiting the CEA.

One of Feli’s highlights of transitioning from trainee to trainer is the ability to implement ideas of his own to improve operations at the CEA. Feli cites this autonomy alongside building strong relationships with communities—such as groups of youth and university students—as the driving force behind the significant professional growth he says he has experienced over the past 3.5 years.

Nevertheless, Feli points even more to the personal growth he has experienced here. In reference to his work at the CEA, Feli proudly described, “Above all else, it’s helped me grow as a professional, and also to engage with communities, including students and university students. Moreover, it has helped a lot in my personal life: to be more decisive and also to make decisions for the larger good.”

Feli (left) with Grace (right) – Thanks Grace for putting this interview with Feli together!

One of the projects Feli has led is teaching students about the bees as well as guinea pigs and rabbits at the CEA. Check out these videos to learn more about Feli’s work at Mano a Mano’s CEA and perhaps something new about how to raise these animals!

More From Grace (and Fellow Volunteer Lasse) During Their Time With Mano a Mano in 2023 & 2024

Editor’s note: We were happy to have Grace Jones back for a second summer (summer in the US, winter in Bolivia) volunteering with our counterpart organization Mano a Mano Internacional! There are links to some of Grace’s newsletters and updates during her time with Mano a Mano this year and last year below. Thank you Grace! Mano a Mano is always interested in working with volunteers like Grace that will be spending some time in Bolivia; feel free to contact us. (As a general rule, we are looking for volunteers that will be in Bolivia for a month or more, are independent and have their accommodations mostly figured out, and speak at least some Spanish.)

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