Thanks Stradis Healthcare

Thanks Stradis Healthcare for sending a truckload of drapes, instruments, and medical supplies to Mano a Mano! We unloaded 11,093 pounds of supplies at our warehouse in St. Paul yesterday. And thank you to Jeff Milne for picking everything up in Illinois and driving it to Mano a Mano!

These supplies will be sent to Bolivia, where they are distributed to people & organizations in need throughout the country. In 2018, Mano a Mano has sent 8 40-foot containers with 166,607 pounds of recovered resources from Minnesota to Bolivia.

Mano a Mano unloading supplies from Stradis Healthcare, December 18, 2018.

Distributing Supplies to 26 Organizations in Bolivia on December 17, 2018

On Monday, Mano a Mano staff & volunteers distributed supplies to 26 organizations that came to our warehouse in Cochabamba, Bolivia to receive supplies.

Mano a Mano staff & volunteers preparing supplies for a distribution event on December 17, 2018 in Cochabamba, Bolivia.

The amount & type of supplies received varies depending on the level of the organization/facility in the Bolivian healthcare system: a Level One facility receives 10 boxes of medical supplies, 5  boxes of miscellaneous orthopedic items, and an assortment of wheel chairs, walkers with wheels, regular walkers, crutches, canes, etc. Level Two receives 45-50 boxes of medical supplies, 5-10 boxes of orthopedic-related supplies (boots), and assorted mobility equipment; Level Three receives 65-70 boxes of medical supplies, 5-10 boxes of orthopedic-related supplies, and assorted mobility equipment.

The supplies we received from Stradis yesterday will be shipped to Bolivia for distribution in an event like we hosted this week.

8 Containers Shipped in 2018

This year, Mano a Mano has shipped 166,607 pounds of donated supplies. Once they arrive in Bolivia, they are organized and re-sorted by our Bolivian staff & volunteers.

They are then distributed in different ways:

Large Distribution Events (Like Monday’s Distribution)

Large distribution event in Cochabamba in June 2018.

Bringing Supplies to Communities Outside of Cochabamba

Distributing supplies to health centers in Punata, September 27, 2018.

Donating a Few Items at a Time at our Cochabamba Warehouse

Donating a wheelchair at Mano a Mano’s warehouse, December 2018

Video: Distributing Supplies from Minnesota to Bolivia

Check out the video below for a better idea of Mano a Mano’s surplus program: