Mano a Mano agronomist Juan Carlos Cardenas recently provided training to around 60 Mamanaca residents in the efficient use of water. Community residents recently dedicated their newly drilled well built in partnership with Mano a Mano.
In the training, Juan Carlos emphasizes the importance of not wasting water, or as they would say “how to care for the water.”
“Our ancestors protected the water, cared for the water for us. We too have to care for the water. What inheritance are we going to leave to those that come after us? If we do not protect the water, it will be the end. There will be no more. We too have to be like our ancestors.”
Juan Carlos says, “So, how could we take care, protect or save water? What could we possibly do. A bathroom is the highest use of water. Check for leaks and minimize the number of showers. 2 or 3 showers might be too much.” They laugh. No one has had the luxury of a shower. Only one or two have a bathroom. But now, with water, having a bathroom or a shower could become a reality.
He continues: “A simple drip from a faucet can add up to a large amount of water. Replace the seal. Do not waste a drop.” These examples are among his suggestions.
The training consists of four workshops each about 4 hours long. The topics also include nutrition and hygiene:
- Gardening practices that maximize efficient use of water
- Planting and caring for family gardens
- Raising healthy livestock
- Nutrition
- Good hygiene practices
24 Deep Water Wells Built in the Past 3 Years
The Mamanaca deep well, drilled to a depth of 100 meters (328 feet), is the 24th deep well drilled by Nuevo Mundo during the past three years. Because of these wells, nearly 34,000 people currently benefit from water for household consumption, their few farm animals, and their family gardens. The Nuevo Mundo engineers train residents on well operation and maintenance.
Center for Ecological Agriculture
Mano a Mano’s Center for Ecological Agriculture (CEA) in Cochabamba, Bolivia provides training and tools for Bolivian farmers with the goal of increasing food security and nutrition using an ecological approach.
Mano a Mano Training & Education Programs
Continuing education and training are important components for every Mano a Mano counterpart organization and their areas of focus – for the communities that we partner with, and for our own staff and interns.
Mano a Mano Bolivia provides continuing health education and Dream Fund programs; Mano a Mano International Partners hosts interns from local universities and is a social work field placement site for Metro State University; Mano a Mano Nuevo Mundo provides training for heavy equipment operators; Mano a Mano Aviation provides training and internships for aviation students (pilots and mechanics); and Mano a Mano Internacional provides internships for agronomy students and provides training programs for public school teachers and physical therapy.
