It takes time to set up an Alma project. Part of that is obviously the careful due diligence we conduct: identifying needs, creating project plans, projecting budgets, defining goals and timelines, choosing the people who will take responsibility for reaching those goals, etc. However, even before the due diligence stage, it is essential to spend time in the local communities in order to understand the larger context in which the projects will function. This is our crucial first step in Alma project development. What we strive to achieve most during these initial visits is to develop the initiative on behalf of the community members for improvement and creation of educational opportunities for their children. I recently had an opportunity to begin this first project step in various communities throughout Bolivia.
I will soon post more information about the Bolivian communities I have visited and the people I have met. In the meantime, it is worth following our pattern of project development, first provide some general context to the indigenous situation in Bolivia and rural communities.
Bolivia is nearing a turning point in its history in relation to its indigenous communities. In 2009, over 80% of the country voted to approve the formation of the Pluri-National State of Bolivia, creating a path by which each indigenous group could become an autonomous nation within the Bolivian state. Today, the results of this action are inspiring.
Every indigenous community of Bolivia I visited, from the Andes to the Amazon (the new Pluri-National State just being one), is overflowing with initiative and the spirit of autonomy. Every community I visited was not only identifying its necessities, but also trying to create and implement solutions as well. They are planning new curriculums based on their cultural contexts, developing effective projects in order to create the educational system as well as technical production and health system. These communities are taking full responsibility for their future!
Although these communities are still in the early stages of developing a brand new domestic policy, one of the things of which they are gaining control is the education of their children. They do not need help expressing their needs or identifying their goals, but Alma can without a doubt help to reach them.
Stay tuned for more exciting details about my Bolivian trip and Alma’s future development projects.
by Program Director, Ian McGroarty