Editor's note: Squamish resident Jessica Butler, who has been living in the South American country of Bolivia while working for the non-profit Guia Foundation, has been providing regular updates on her experiences to Chief readers. This is the eighth installment.
The intensity of the sun's heat in Sucre, Bolivia has increased, but with the winter season beginning in November and the expectations of huge rainfalls to be had, not a drop of water has come out of the sky. This lack of water has resulted in weekly shortages throughout the city, especially in the higher parts, including several power outages, forcing water rationing in the city.
In a country where clean drinking water is already a rare commodity to some, the situation has only worsened. Those living in the periphery of the city are only getting two hours of drinking water a day, which has caused quite an uproar, leaving many dry and having to fetch their water elsewhere. You would think government officials would take action and make an effort with such a scarce resource that is such a basic human need.
However, if you look around, the situation hasn't changed, and when walking in the main city squares, gardens are being watered down during the hottest time of day. It really makes me wonder whether anything will be done with the well-liked water bombs used one month before all through the carnival, which is in February. This popular custom among the Bolivians will definitely be a hard one to break, but will indeed be an important issue to tackle as water here is only becoming more limited.
With the Guia Foundation's office in the city centre, the effects of this haven't been that significant since most of the rationing has been on the outskirts of the city - the city's mayor argues that water cannot be cut to that area, where most hospitals and other public institutions are located. However, the youth of the organization have definitely brought the situation forward in discussions, since some live in these city-centre sectors. However, as with many other issues that need to be tackled, they haven't let it affect them and have continued with their daily lives.
This past week, a group of youth with volunteers and Guia workers took part in a march which is part of the "Global Entrepreneurship Week," organized every year to engage the public and promote awareness throughout the country. With few jobs to be had, especially in Sucre, the idea is to promote new, innovative ideas in terms of self-employment, all to achieve sustainable economic development and to slowly eradicate poverty. With events such as this one, hopefully in the long run more people will take the initiative in creating sustainable solutions to eliminate issues such as the water shortage in Sucre and other parts of Bolivia.
If you would like information about our project, please contact Jessica Butler at [email protected]. You can also donate with PayPal either on our Facebook fan page which is called Fundacion Bolsa de Empleo Guia or at www.guiafoundation.org. You can also check out the new Blog at http://guiafoundation.wordpress.com.
