Earlier this month, Mano a Mano achieved an important milestone. In the presence of David Quiroga, Presidente de la coordinadora de pueblos indígenas del trópico de cochabamba (President of the Coordinated Indigenous Communities of the Cochabamba tropics), and Damaris Orihuela, Asambleísta de pueblos indígenas Yuracarés (Assembly member of Indigenous Yuracarés Villages), our Recovered Resources program reached 10 school districts located in the most isolated tropical areas of this large region.
Several of its community leaders had traveled to Cochabamba months ago to learn more about the services of Mano a Mano, including the weekend clinics supported by our aviation program and the agricultural workshops held at our Center for Ecological Agriculture (CEA).
Mano a Mano Weekend Health Clinics and Agricultural Workshops
Recovered Resources Program
In addition to answering their questions about these programs, our staff shared information about other Mano a Mano services, particularly the distribution of medical and school supplies.
Responding to Their Most Urgent Current Request: School Supplies for Their Children
After returning to their communities for further discussion, community representatives contacted us again with their most urgent current request: books and school supplies so their children can attend school.
Mano a Mano staff and volunteers worked to prepare boxes of these items so they can be distributed within 10 isolated tropical school districts before classes begin. In total, we provided them with 260 packages of supplies for 251 students, including a few extras for students who might arrive later. Each district also received one box each of supplies for the teachers, including books and craft items.
Mano a Mano School Projects
In addition to responding to school district requests for supplies, Mano a Mano customarily packages and distributes supplies to each student when we dedicate a school or other community project.
Distributing 260 Packages of School Supplies for 10 Tropical School Districts – February 7th, 2024
Two spokespeople who received the supplies for the tropics expressed their appreciation and gratitude in front of an unanticipated audience of physical therapy and agronomy students who were taking a break from their internship activities.
The 10 beneficiary schools whose students received supplies from this distribution were:
- U.E. Fátima
- U.E. Carmen de la nueva esperanza
- Consejo Indígena Yuracaré, puerto san salvador
- U.E. San antonio de Moleto
- U.E. 3 de mayo rio ichoa
- U.E. Santa rosa del isiboro
- U.E. Puerto pancho
- U.E. San josé de angosta
- U.E. San Benito
- U.E. Buen Pastor
Collecting School Supplies in Minnesota for Bolivia
Thanks to the many teachers, students, and volunteers who collect these supplies in Minnesota so we can put them into the hands of children whose families wouldn’t be able to afford to buy them.
Learn More
- Minnesota Educator Article – “Minnesota teachers bring training to rural Bolivia” (Originally from 2017)
- Transporting Teachers To Their Schools in the Bolivian Tropics (2023)
- Providing School Supplies in Sacabamba, Bolivia (2022)
- Teacher Training Project with Normal Simon Bolivar (2022)
- A Donation of School Supplies Arrived in San Ignacio de Moxos, Bolivia (2017)
- Donating School Supplies in Bombeo, Bolivia (2016)
- Making School Supply Kits in Bolivia (2023)