Bolivia

The brightly clothed Aymara people cheerfully speckle the harsh, bleak plains of Bolivia. For thousands of years, the Aymaras have lived near the highest navigable lake in the world—Lake Titicaca. They now reside in the Altiplano region where, with an altitude over 14,000 feet, survival is no easy task. The Aymaras sustain themselves primarily on potatoes, beans, and quinoa, a protein-rich grain similar to rice. Their official language, Aymara, is the sole language of most of the older people, especially the older women, but many also speak some Spanish. The Aymara people have a strong sense of community and always warmly welcome CHOICE volunteers with festive celebrations. The fragility of life in the Altiplano has taught them to value every individual and to contribute to the community.

The indigenous people of Bolivia finally became citizens of their country during the Revolution of 1952. Citizenship meant they could vote and own portions of land. The road to true autonomy for the rural indigenous people, however, has been slow and uphill. Lack of technologies, oppressive government policies, and a harsh climate are examples of the problems faced by the residents of the Altiplano.

Focus

• Groundwater development: hand pumps and hand-dug wells
• Community water systems
• Mi Escuelita program
• Greenhouses as micro-enterprises
• Schoolhouse construction

Country Coordinators

Willy and Maxima Mendoza work as co-directors, supervising the CHOICE operations in Bolivia. They are married with two daughters, and are both licensed, practicing dentists who were educated in their native country of Bolivia. Willy and Maxima offer their services to the poor who otherwise could not afford dental care. Since his childhood, Willy has been involved in mobilizing villages and organizing development projects with his father. Willy also worked as the assistant to the previous Bolivia director for CHOICE before he became the new director in 1999. Maxima handles all the bookkeeping and legalities as the office manager, and Willy works directly with the villages and the government in project realization and evaluation.