We are getting ready to make our second shipment of 2023 of donated medical supplies, mobility equipment, and other needed items from Minnesota to Bolivia next week! Almost all of these supplies would end up in the local landfill; instead, they get new life for people and organizations in need throughout Bolivia. Below are a few examples of recent distributions of supplies sent from Minnesota being distributed in Bolivia.

Volunteers preparing mobility equipment at our St. Paul warehouse – July 26th, 2023

Volunteers sorting medical linens at our St. Paul warehouse – July 26th, 2023

Distributing Medical Equipment for Hospitals in Bolivia with Supplies from Minnesota

On July 4th, Mano a Mano distributed medical equipment to 16 primer nivel (1st level) hospitals – centers providing the most basic and fundamental care in the Totora, Huayllamarca, and Curahuara de Carangas municipalities of Bolivia. Each hospital received 13 boxes of medical supplies, 1 wheelchair, 2 walkers, 4 rolling walkers, 5 pairs of crutches, 2 quad canes, and 1 medical boot. All of these supplies were shipped from Minnesota.

Equipping a Dental Clinic in the San Antonio Prison in Cochabamba

Until this summer, neither the 400+ inmates – nor the wives and children who live in Cochabamba’s San Antonio prison with them – had any access to dental care. When Mario (not his real name), a skilled craftsman, saw that so many of his fellow inmates suffered from constant toothaches and emergency abscesses, he acted to correct the situation.

Mario had heard about Mano a Mano from a family member. “Si Dios quiere (if God wants), Mano a Mano will help us and maybe businesses will too,” he told the others. And he was right.

Now the residents of San Antonio prison have access to fully equipped, sanitary, and professionally staffed dental services. This facility serves dozens of patients every week, using equipment that once served patients in a St. Paul, Minnesota dental office. The clinic is staffed by a fully trained, licensed dentist who is imprisoned at San Antonio.

220,704 Pounds of Supplies & Equipment Shipped in 2022

In 2022, we sent 9 containers with 220,704 pounds of supplies to Bolivia.

From Minnesota to Bolivia

Thank You Volunteers!

We are so grateful to the many people that volunteer with Mano a Mano, in many different ways! This includes our St. Paul warehouse volunteers (pictured below at our warehouse earlier this month), who help organize the donated medical supplies and equipment we receive on a daily basis in preparation for shipment to Bolivia, where they are distributed to people and organizations in need. Thank you to the volunteers that contributed 16,687 hours of volunteer time in Minnesota (and tens of thousands of additional volunteer time across our 4 counterpart organizations in Bolivia).

Learn More About Mano a Mano’s Recovered Resources Program

Getting Ready For Our Second Shipment of Supplies from Minnesota to Bolivia