Video: From Minnesota to Bolivia: Distributing Donated Medical Supplies

Mano a Mano collects donated supplies in Minnesota and ships them to Bolivia, where they are distributed to people and organizations in need throughout the country.

Check out footage and interviews from our most recent large-scale distribution of supplies in October 2016 at the Mano a Mano warehouse in Cochabamba, Bolivia, when more than 90,000 pounds of supplies were given away:

Video Credit: William Wroblewski
The surplus program is the program that started Mano a Mano more than 22 years ago; with the dedicated support of hundreds of volunteers in both the US & Bolivia, we have collected and shipped millions of pounds of supplies since 1994.

October 2016 – Distributing More than 90,000 Pounds of Supplies

In October 2016, Mano a Mano held two distribution events at our warehouse in Cochabamba, Bolivia to distribute the 99,000 pounds of supplies that had been shipped from Minnesota earlier this year. For each of those 2 events (on October 8 and October 22), dozens of organizations from around the country traveled to Mano a Mano to receive donated supplies; some had traveled 2 and a half days to attend. Many individuals came to receive wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, and braces.

Here are a few of their stories (watch the video at the top of the page to hear from more recipients of supplies in Bolivia):

  • Brian is a young boy whose legs don’t work and is unable to walk. He came with his mother on October 22nd to receive a donated wheelchair. As his mother tried to speak to the crowd at the distribution event, she broke out in tears, overwhelmed with gratitude.
  • A level 3 hospital from the department of Beni received an X-Ray machine, in addition to a large quantity of medical supplies. The director of the hospital was extremely grateful, and said that in their area they receive many referrals for broken limbs since they are the only hospital capable of dealing with these issues. He said that the new X-Ray machine will allow them to address many, many more of these emergencies.

Learn More About Mano a Mano’s Surplus Distribution Program

Distribution event at Mano a Mano warehouse, October 22, 2016.

Distribution event at Mano a Mano warehouse, October 22, 2016.