Staff from our counterpart organization Mano a Mano Nuevo Mundo are in the process of transporting heavy equipment from our warehouse in Cochabamba to begin work on improving an aviation landing strip in Toro Toro, Bolivia. The first fleet of equipment was dropped off, and our staff then turned around with the trailers to go back to Cochabamba to pick up more machinery to transport to Toro Toro, so that we can begin work on the project early next week.
Toro Toro Airstrip Designed in 2020, Then Delayed Due to COVID
Mano a Mano’s Aviation Program offers private-pay flights to individuals and businesses in Bolivia to raise funds and subsidize our emergency rescue and weekend clinic programs. Bolivia’s geographic diversity and vast array of natural wonders led us to consider initiating regularly scheduled flights to tourist attractions. A request from Toro Toro’s mayor to repair its damaged runway and fly tourists into the area presented the right opportunity.
Toro Toro is well known for its fossilized dinosaur tracks, a significant attraction in Bolivia. We completed the challenging design and plan for the runway re-do, but COVID created two insurmountable challenges in 2020: we were not allowed to send personnel into this community and, during most of the year, flying for non-COVID reasons was prohibited.
The project is now underway.
Transporting Heavy Equipment to Improve a Runway in Toro Toro, Bolivia
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- Leaving the Mano a Mano Nuevo Mundo warehouse in Cochabamba
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- Leaving the Mano a Mano Nuevo Mundo warehouse in Cochabamba
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- En route to Toro Toro
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- En route to Toro Toro
Mano a Mano Projects in 2020: Working Around the Pandemic
2020 was a very difficult year, but despite the challenges Mano a Mano continued with our mission of creating partnerships with impoverished Bolivian communities to improve health and increase economic well-being. Learn more about each of our major programs and its work last year at the links below:
- Providing Access to Health and Education in Bolivia in 2020
- Flying in Bolivia During COVID: Mano a Mano’s Aviation Program in 2020
- Mano a Mano 2020 Water Projects: Working Around the Pandemic
- 2020 Summary of Medical Distributions in Bolivia
- Building Roads and Runways, Training Heavy Equipment Operators, and Dredging Rivers: Community-Based Economic Development Projects Completed in 2020
- Hydroponic Lettuce, Fodder, and Livestock at the CEA: Agricultural Experiments in 2020