After months of hard work, the completely overhauled drinking water system “Napichan” in the lowlands of Tarija was inaugurated this month. It supplies both the central community of Tentaguazu, whose women we have been supporting for several years with the Boarding School in Indigenous Families, and the four surrounding Guaraní villages of Casa de Piedra, Arenal, Yumbia and Ivopeity in the district of Entre Ríos. The water supply was repeatedly interrupted by the outdated, dilapidated system. Thanks to financial support from the Microproject fund of the German Embassy in Bolivia, it was possible to rebuild the water intake point and a pre-storage tank for water treatment, to overhaul the water storage tanks and to repair the leaks in the central water supply line with its aqueducts.

Ambassador José Schulz did not spare the long journey from La Paz to be present at the official project inauguration in the remote Chaco region. Together with the chairman of Fundación Pueblo and the mayor of the Entre Ríos district, who had contributed technical staff and trucks to transport the construction materials, he smashed the clay bowls that crown the completion of an important community work for the Guaraní and released the water.

For the Fundación Pueblo, this was another successful example of how the Boarding School in Indigenus Families can lay the foundation for projects of further community development. For all involved, reason for long speeches of thanks and joyful dances.