Terra Newsletter
Since September 12th, Terra has been putting your generous donations to work in the Bolivian Altiplano. The goals of this project trip were to construct a windmill to pump potable water in the town of Jankusaya, develop an artesian water system in Chiquipata Baja, construct dry compost latrines in Cobre Mayo, evaluate the environmental education greenhouse in Oruro, and develop future projects. These projects have exceeded our expectations and we want to share the experiences. Please visit www.terradevlopment.org/2006_photo_update.html to see photographs.
In Jankusaya, the
windmill is filling the void of electricity and is delivering up to a
liter of clean drinking water per second. The quantity and quality of
the water shocked many residents, becoming the talk of the town. Our
counterpart, Don Antonio was elected community leader soon after the
first cup was filled. This success galvanized the community into
financing a small storage tank and distribution system.
In Chiquipata
Baja, we tapped into a very productive aquifer 50 meters deep that will
keep the storage tank full at all times. The aquifer is under pressure,
forcing the water to the surface without the aid of a pump. The water
is being connected to the existing distribution system that will soon
bring potable water to 50 families.
The construction of the greenhouse and environmental
education center at the Angel Mendoza Justiniano Teacher Training
College in the city of Oruro is complete. The faculty will use the
greenhouse in their environmental education curriculum. Additionally, a
Peace Corps volunteer likely will be placed at the college to help
expand the program.
The only setback Terra has faced is a two-week delay in the
compost-latrine project in Cobre Mayo. Last week in a town near Cobre
Mayo, the state owned mining company and independent mining
cooperatives exchanged gunfire and hurled sticks of dynamite at each
other. Both sides have been mining the same deposit for some time but
disputes over entitlement finally boiled over, killing sixteen miners
and injuring one-hundred more. This is another painful reminder that
the proper management of natural resources is central for peace. In
developing countries, where poverty pushes people to take extreme
actions, this is especially true.
This trip has enabled Terra to develop future projects in five communities that are in desperate need for water and irrigation systems and latrines. These communities are some of the more impoverished places we have visited and they are without support from other development organizations. During the next month we will determine the financial contribution of each community and organize local groups to ensure project sustainability.
Again, Terra would like to thank you for your support. We hope that our words and the photographs convey gratitude and a feeling that we are making a difference. The more communities we visit the more need we see so please help us spread the word about Terra and feel free to forward this message. We will be fundraising again soon; this is the most important aspect of our mission. If you have ideas or want to help coordinate an event let us know.
Sincerely,
Maxwell Borella and Zack Guido- Additional Information
- View Project Photos