New Project - Copacabana Sustainability Project!

We are excited to launch our new campaign! A few weeks ago we announced that we would be raising funds to build greenhouses in the village of Marca Cosco near Copacabana. After some analysis on the ground, the citizens decided that they would realize a bigger impact on their health and income by raising hens! This is a fun and exciting development, as we Strimel’s have some experience with chickens, and we love the idea of helping to create a sustainable source of protein and income. 

Consuming enough protein for optimal health is a daily challenge for people living in rural Bolivia. On top of this, the price of eggs has doubled in the last year. By providing every family in the village of Marca Cosco with 8 inoculated hens and a solid supply of feed to get their flocks up and laying, we will assist them in creating a long-term sustainable means to eat well and make some needed income. 

Please follow our page to receive all the updates. Trust us, you will be charmed by the images and videos! 

Some background . . . 

As many of you know, Maggie and I, and now our children, James and Sarah, have a strong connection to the country and people of Bolivia. Bolivia is a place that foreigners tend to discover by accident; it isn't the first, or even third South American country that most world travelers think to visit.

Maggie just happened to be assigned to Bolivia when she joined the Peace Corps 20 years ago, and she fell in love with the country during her two years building water systems in rural communities. When we met a few years later, she naturally wanted to introduce me, and it only took two weeks for me to fall in love (with Maggie and Bolivia :). We spent the next 15 years, first fantasizing, and then gradually plotting, a return with our kids.

Lots of things have changed over those 15 years, both in Bolivia, and within our own little family. Through ongoing projects spearheaded by the government as well as NGOs like Water for People*, and even small, grass-roots work by people like our new friend, Martin Stratker**, more families than ever have access to safe water, and more sustainable forms of agriculture. For us, we have been extremely lucky to grow from a young couple traveling on a shoestring budget, to a family of four with the means to enjoy less spartan travel. More important, as we spent this past July in Bolivia, we were able to seriously consider how we can lend our support in ongoing ways. We knew we could continue to support Water for People, but we were also quietly on the lookout for more grassroots connections during our trip.

Enter Martin, the friendly German expat who owns and operates Hostal Las Olas in Copacabana. Martin moved to Bolivia 30 years ago, but like most foreigners, it was not his first choice of South American countries. He had settled in Peru for a few years, and was part of a traveling band of actors. It was during a wild road trip to Solar de Uyuni (the famous salt flats) that he fell in love in Bolivia. In his words, "I just knew." He build a hotel on a hillside above downtown Copacabana (which neighbors said was crazy, since no one would walk up the hill to stay in his hotel), and Maggie and I were guests there for a night 15 years ago. We did not meet Martin then, but this summer we spent a week in his new hotel next door.

Martin has spent the last 30 years not only providing some of the warmest hospitality to be had in Copacabana, but also helping his community, and the outlying area, with various projects. From supporting a local orphan for many years (who is now a young man supporting himself with a good job in Copa), to building water systems and greenhouses for dozens of families, to providing food to local families during the worst of the pandemic, Martin has demonstrated a strong and consistent commitment to give back to the community that welcomed him as an expat and local business owner. In addition, Martin has employed the same staff to build and operate his current hotel for all these years, supporting several families in the process.

We immediately hit it off with Martin during our stay at Las Olas, and even made plans to meet up in La Paz the following week. As we got to know each other, it became obvious that he would be our ideal contact on the ground in Bolivia. While sipping coffee in one of La Paz's great cafes, I broached the subject of providing some support for Martin's projects from abroad, and here we are, launching our first campaign.

Our intention is to provide a long-term source of funding for Martin to continue his primary mission, which is to continue supporting the local community by providing the means to develop various sustainable projects. Although progress has been made, there are still many communities that lack safe, reliable drinking water and sanitation systems, and getting enough protein is a daily challenge. Depending on the current economic climate, we will support Martin in his mission in ways that make good economic and sustainable sense. 

You can see a video of one of Martin's projects here.

Water system and greenhouse project:

Although we intend to assist with this ongoing work, we decided that our first project with Martin should be smaller in scale. Copacabana is a very touristy town, but it is also home to hundreds of families. It is similar to other South American towns in so many ways, but one detail that was sorely lacking was a playground. We noticed this right away, as we often enjoyed taking a rest in various playgrounds while our kids blew off some energy. In Copacabana, there are lots of kids, and they make do with sidewalks and corners here and there, but the joy of central place to play and interact was lacking. On the surface, a playground might seem like an unnecessary luxury, but as Martin shared his desire to add such an element to the community, it became more and more obvious that playgrounds are fundamental to a town, and essential to kids. A playground in the heart of Copacabana, which Martin had secured, would be used by locals and visitors alike, not only providing basic recreation and physical activity, but also the unique interaction that adults experience at such hubs. When you imagine a beautiful playground full of families, in contrast to the total lack there of, the need is obvious.

Well, fast forward a few months, and our first project with Martin was a huge success! The images and videos he sent up throughout brought more joy than we could have imagined. Here is a video Martin produced once it was complete and dedicated at a public gathering. 

And one final note; the project that Martin and his staff completed during the pandemic is truly heartwarming, and you should check out the video. The story is that a Swiss couple was staying at Las Olas when things got serious and shut downs were being enforced world wide. The couple ended up getting one of the very last flights out of Bolivia, and to show their gratitude for the help that Martin and his staff provided, they sent a cash donation that covered a significant amount of food for dozens of local families. This story highlights the incredible power of foreign currency in a country like Bolivia. Not only are things less expensive there in general compared to the US, but the additional benefit of the exchange rate means that a relatively small donation have a huge impact. The $9000.00 that Martin sets as the goal for each major project he completes will provide 30 families with their own greenhouse, or a water catchment system for those same 30 families (or more).

Food distribution in Copacabana:

Thank you!

Craig, Maggie, James and Sarah