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Rotary Club projects improving life in Bolivia

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By DAVID CRANE
Friday, March 21, 2008 3:01 PM CDT

For the Herald

Editor’s note: Dr. David Crane, a Chippewa Falls dentist and longtime member of the Chippewa Falls Rotary Club, has been spearheading humanitarian work in the Cochabamba region of Bolivia for 21 years. In addition to partnering with the Rotary Club, Crane works primarily with the Amanecer Foundation, which operates 12 facilities in Cochabamba to provide shelter, education and vocational training to hundreds of boys and girls.

Things are going well here in Bolivia. I’d like to share what is happening from the perspective of a member of Rotary Club.

Our club has been involved in the international programs here during the last year.

We purchased a cow for a sustainable agriculture project at one of our facilities that house and teach street kids vocational skills. The cow is now bred and doing well.

The Bolivians also raise guinea pigs here for sale as food. They are yummy little creatures that are skinned and served flattened on a plate. Nearly as tasty as cow udder or sheep kidneys.

The eco-toilet we built is being used and is serving as a model for all of the community. Solid and liquid are separated at the source — they go into separate containers that are decomposed and used as fertilizer.

A scoop of sand and lime is tossed in on the solids. It does not smell like a flower shop but not bad.

The system prevents contamination of the water and makes for a more sanitary environment. This was Mark Broses’ idea.

The first clean water project we started is now completed. The mortality rate and sickness are much greater here when they do not have clean water.

Our project is serving thousands and has more potential as the area grows. At a future club meeting, I will give a slide show with more details. I have been meeting with Rotary and other officials laying the groundwork for future water projects.

Andrew Dane is working with Rotary International on grant funding for a follow-up visit here to finalize another project. We will try to get other clubs and our district involved.

We paid to have a swing set made for the medical center where we have the eco-toilet. The kids enjoy this and it helps making the trip for medical care more fun and allows the parent more time with the doctor.

The Rotary Club of St. Louis Park, Minn. and their district are sponsoring an exchange student, Dana Bloomquist, to Cochabamba right now.

There are three Rotary Clubs here but only one has exchange students. It is the original club that we worked with 21 years ago (we now work with a newer club that they started).

In fact, I will be meeting with one of the original club’s members who our club sponsored years ago as a Paul Harris Fellow (this award is very expensive for them here and it is a very big deal). Bloomquist has been very helpful for our group, acting as a translator in the clinics and helping people with their other projects.

Thanks again to all of you for the support our club has given to international projects here and in Nicaragua. You have changed the lives of thousands of people, made the world a better place to live, and promoted peace through the understanding of different cultures.