Mano a Mano is celebrating our 30th anniversary later this year! Mark your calendars for September 15th, 2024: we will be hosting an afternoon event at our St. Paul warehouse (925 Pierce Butler Route, St. Paul, Minnesota 55104) to mark the occasion.
We’ll share more information soon.
Our Story
In 1994, Mano a Mano Co-Founders Segundo & Joan Velasquez came together with friends & family to address 2 problems: in Minnesota, hundreds of thousands of pounds of usable medical supplies and equipment are thrown away each year; in Bolivia, basic supplies were desperately needed and we knew we could put these supplies to good use. At the time, Bolivia had one of the highest rural poverty rates in the world, and despite making progress, there is still much to be done in partnership with communities throughout Bolivia.
Over the years, we have grown into 5 counterpart organizations that have kept the same “mano a mano – hand in hand” approach – connecting resources in the US & Bolivia with strong community-based partnerships – to construct hundreds of sustainable community projects throughout Bolivia. We ensure that each project is well-equipped and maintained, and that complementary training and education programs are also provided.
This video was made at our 25th anniversary celebration in 2019:
Learn More About Mano a Mano
- Thank You For a Busy and Successful 2023! (Annual Report)
- Buy Gaining Ground – the Mano a Mano Book
- Dedicating a New Health Clinic in Catariri, Bolivia (April 2024)
- Communities Sustain Their Mano a Mano Projects Over the Long-Term (May 2024 Trip to Bolivia)
- Celebrating 15 Years of Laguna Sulty Reservoir and Progress on Mano a Mano Airport in Punata (May 2023)
