Experiencing Bolivia - 16 donors get a glimpse of Etta Projects
Who knew that giving birth was such fun!
In September we welcomed a group of 16 volunteer/donors to our projects in Bolivia. Unfortunately, they arrived to some extremely smokey conditions as the wildfires were out of control in Bolivia.
Despite the heat, the smoke and the humidity, these folks embraced the experience of being a part of what we do in Bolivia. Each day consisted of breaking them up into small groups of 4 -5 and participating in one of our projects. Here were their choices during their 10-day stay.
Build Ecological Composting Latrines (3-hour drive there and back, lay brick, put up handrails, mix concrete).
Work on a water installation project (a community deep in the forest next to the Amboró Nat. Park).
Attend a health promoter refresher workshop and learn to birth babies, stitch wounds and provide CPR with 20 trained community health promoters.
Attend a medicinal plant workshop with 20 community members and learn remedies for kidney disease, wound care etc.
Train under a medicinal plant promoter making her living at teas, salves, lotions and other remedies.
Be a part of our girl’s empowerment program and spend the day talking and providing them menstrual kits from “Days for Girls” (women only).
Attend a clinic to hold a hand for girls getting a 4-year contraceptive implant. (women only)
Be a part of an eye clinic where we provide reading glasses in different communities. (630 glasses were fitted during the 6 days of clinics).
Attend a diabetes club and see what Etta Projects and Bridge of Life are doing to combat the high incidence of diabetes and hypertension.
They also had full access to our training center where they stayed and so could watch for monkeys, sloths, snakes, walk trails, and be fed by our fabulous vegetarian cooks when not participating in projects.
They drove a lot of bumpy difficult roads, crossed rivers and were exhausted at the end of the day but they learned the difficulties of development and how different life can be for others. It wasn’t your usual vacation, but we can say that we were honored that they accompanied us in our work. It takes bravery to look at the hard parts of others’ lives and to be willing to hold their hand, place a brick with them, carry water pipes, see the difficulty of living with a chronic disease in a less than adequate health care system, and many other difficulties.
Thank you, Bruce, Ruth, Rosemary, Keith, Drake, Rosanne, Randal, Tara, Joe, Jerie, Claudia, Genie, AnnaLee, Claire, Janice and Sue! You did a great job, and we are so grateful!
We do these trips every two years, consider it for 2026.