Communal buildings for Potosí province

Project Details

The goal of the project is to improve the social infrastructure in 5 indigenous Comunidades in the far northern part of the Potosí province in Bolivia. This includes community development, health and basic education for primary and secondary school children, the reduction of malnutrition in children under 5 years, as well as the improvement of agricultural production. The starting point for successful and sustainable community development is the improvement of organizational skills; in particular the support of existing organizational structures. Ideally this can be achieved through the building of a communal house. During the project duration, a total of 5 communal houses will be built. The current communal assemblies took place in instable buildings built out of clay and straw. Due to the material's short durability and weak resistance, as well as poor processing, the buildings were in constant danger of collapsing. Thus, the villagers were forced to hold their assemblies outdoors, where heat, rain, or wind would disrupt or prevent these gatherings.