The majority of inhabitants in Tiraque and Rodeo, located in the center of Bolivia, live off of root vegetables. We are attempting to provide agricultural skills to 94 children who attend a boarding school. We are teaching them agricultural skills and how to raise livestock by emphasizing the value of traditional knowledge through community gardens.
Our regional partner is: Fe y Alegría
Cultivating agricultural traditions in Bolivian children
Bolivia
Problem
Even though local teachers share all of their knowledge with the children, they lack certain basic and traditional skills in farming and raising livestock. One of the goals of the Yachay Wasis or “Houses of Knowledge” is for the children to learn how to build a fair, intercultural, productive society that lives in harmony with its environment.
Project
We were interested in this issue and wanted to help provide a solution. In the Yachay Wasis we stress the importance of knowledge surrounding agriculture and raising livestock. We help to strengthen that knowledge among children, youth, teachers and the entire Tiraque and Rodeo communities. Together we are creating productive and educational spaces and tools like composters, gardens and worm farms in order to also teach them how to recycle and reuse waste.
Comunidad
The communities of Tiraque and Rodeo are primarily made up of farmers who grow cereals and potatoes and raise animals. There are close to 90 children and youths, 10 teachers and almost 90 parents in these communities, all of whom have benefitted from this project.
volunteers involved
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"I hope that the children are left with a love of the earth and this place. I hope that the Yachay Wasi really feels like a home, a house of knowledge, and that this name has meaning to them." Laura Escárraga, Biologist