PROJECT UPDATE: Bolivian Water Project

Hello Valdi,

We thought you would be interested in seeing recent photos taken at the Laguna Sulti water reservoir and in hearing about its positive impact on the lives of subsistence farmers. 

We received this news from Laguna Sulti farmers and Mano a Mano staff.   During each year since the reservoir project was completed, rain which falls in the surrounding mountains and flows into the Laguna Sulti River has filled the reservoir.   Farmers plant and begin to use the available water during the two to three months before seasonal rains fall.  They find that watering thoroughly when their corn is small guarantees a good harvest.  When seasonal rain falls in the community, it can fill the reservoir again. 

Very little rain fell last year.  Because the reservoir held rain that flowed down from the mountains, Laguna Sulti farmers produced bumper crops.  Other communities that depended entirely on rain experienced nearly total crop failure. 

On  August 13 of this year leaders of ten communities in the Laguna Sulti area traveled to the Mano a Mano office in Cochabamba to express their profound gratitude, saying that they have never before harvested so much corn. 

 Mano a Mano is currently completing the Jusku Molle reservoir.  When Mano a Mano staff took Cochabamba Rotarians to this project site, an elderly farmer ran toward them, raising dust and nearly falling as he ran.   “Thank you for the work you are doing. Now we will have water and food.”

He spoke in Quechua (the indigenous language of the region).  The Rotary Club president also spoke Quechua and directly received this expression of gratitude. 

Staff and Rotarians then traveled to Laguna Sulti to verify the results of this project.  Its farmers expressed their gratitude and happiness, saying that the project brought excellent results and that now they can live, “all because of the effort of their Rotarian friends and Mano a Mano”. 

 Many communities, having witnessed the results of Mano a Mano’s water projects, are approaching us with requests to partner with them.  They suffer from deep and persistent food insecurity but are confident that, by creating infrastructure through which to manage the region’s water supply, they can remain on their land and feed their families.

 We are all deeply grateful to Rotary for granting funds for these projects that create opportunities for thousands of rural Bolivians to support their families over the long term.

Thank you

Segundo