Check out a few Mano a Mano updates from October 2024:
Emergency Flight From Beni to Cochabamba – Early October 2024
In early October, our counterpart organization Mano a Mano Aviation received a call about a young man that had been gored by a bull in Puerto San Lorenzo in the department of Beni, resulting in a chest puncture. We flew to San Andres (we were planning to fly to San Andres, which is nearby Puerto San Lorenzo, the following day to deliver supplies, and had already received approval for that flight), picked him up, and coordinated his ambulance transfer from the Mano a Mano hangar at Jorge Wilstermann airport in Cochabamba to Hospital México in Sacaba, where he received immediate medical attention. He is recovering well and Mano a Mano flew him back home! All of Mano a Mano has been processing the tragic loss of Pilot Ivo Daniel Martínez Velásquez in a plane crash while flying his personal small acrobatic plane barely 3 months ago. Ivo worked with Mano a Mano Aviation for nearly 2 decades and was the lead pilot for more than a decade, personally flying hundreds of flights annually (and more than half of Mano a Mano Aviation’s flight hours). Ivo can never be replaced and will never be forgotten, but we are working to get back to the mission of Mano a Mano Aviation to consistently provide emergency flights, weekend health clinics, and transport of cargo to isolated Bolivian communities.
Distributing Supplies, Hosting Workshops, Making Airport Progress
Mano a Mano is keeping busy across our 5 counterpart organizations in Bolivia & Minnesota, working towards our mission of “Partnering together – Hand in Hand – to transform the health and well-being of Bolivian communities in need.” Check out a few updates from the past week or two.
Last Week at Mano a Mano’s St. Paul Office
Ben Martínez, Executive Director of our counterpart organization Mano a Mano Internacional (one of our 4 counterpart organizations in Cochabamba, Bolivia), was in the Twin Cities last week; we distributed supplies locally; and we hosted a number of volunteers, as we prepare for our final shipment of the year of supplies and equipment from Minnesota to Bolivia in November.
Distributing 7 Tons of Supplies and Equipment for 46 Organizations in Bolivia
On October 10th, 46 health centers traveled to Mano a Mano’s warehouse in Cochabamba from 14 municipalities throughout Bolivia to receive more than 15,000 pounds (about seven tons) of clinical and hospital equipment, materials, and supplies. Benefiting organizations came from Charagua, San Pedro, Pailón, Camiri and Buena Vista (Santa Cruz), Huaracaje, Trinidad, San Borja, Santa Rosa and San Martín de Porres (Beni), Palos Blancos and Patacamaya (La Paz), Raqaypampa, and Cercado (Cochabamba). All of these supplies were shipped from Minnesota, where they were destined for the landfill; instead they will be put to good use by organizations and people throughout the country. So far in 2024, Mano a Mano has shipped 7 containers with 182,317 pounds of donated medical supplies, mobility equipment, and other in-demand items from Minnesota to Bolivia (with another shipment planned before the end of the year).
15th Acute Care Conference With Mano a Mano Bolivia – November 2024
Our counterpart organization Mano a Mano Bolivia is hosting its 15th Acute Care Conference in November! These Acute Care Conferences are in partnership with Medical Educators for Latin America (MELA) and are accredited with local Bolivian medical organizations. A nursing-focused conference will take place on November 6th and 7th in Cochabamba, and a doctor-focused conference will follow on November 8-10.
Hands-on Workshop for 18 Agronomy Students From Tarata in Mid-October
Dedicating a Deep Water Well With the Community of Flores Rancho (October 2024)
On October 7th, 2024, our counterpart organization Mano a Mano Nuevo Mundo participated in a dedication ceremony with the community of Flores Rancho to formally celebrate their new water well project! Mano a Mano travelers visited Flores Rancho in May, where they were also greeted with a celebration event with the community. Water from this Flores Rancho water well started flowing in December 2023 after Mano a Mano completed drilling. Now, the water well is fully integrated: it is connected to electricity, there is a water holding tank with a capacity of 72,000 liters, and a water piping network that connects water to more than 200 households. This event was part of the community’s celebration of their 41st anniversary. The community let us know that they are happy with the water they have consistent access to and thanked Mano a Mano (they also made requests for other water well projects nearby; there is always work to be done!).
Students and Interns Currently Learning and Working in Cochabamba
In both Bolivia and Minnesota, Mano a Mano partners with many students and interns in many different ways in support of our Mission. Learn about a few of them working right now with Mano a Mano Internacional at the link.
Welcome to Our European Visitors
Donating 6 Specialty Wheelchairs Shipped From Minnesota
We donated 6 specialty wheelchairs to people in need throughout Bolivia! 2 neurological wheelchairs were given to a child from Beni and a child in Cochabamba. Also receiving wheelchairs were 3 adults with physical limitations from Cochabamba, as well as a child from El Alto. All of these wheelchairs are shipped from Minnesota (we are preparing for our final shipment of 2024 in the coming weeks). Wheelchairs and all mobility equipment are in extremely high demand in Bolivia, and there is always a long waiting list. The more equipment we can send , the more people we can support.
Halfway Through 2024: Mano a Mano Mid-Year Update
2024 is already more than halfway over! Check out a few highlights of what we have been able to do together so far this year.