Supporting social projects to combat poverty in Potosí

The Andean Development Corporation (CAF) and representatives of the Vila Vila and Culpina K Base Territorial Organizations (OTB) in Potosí department signed two cooperation agreements for social projects. In the first, the Vila Vila OTB becomes the fourth locality to join the integrated community projects for exploitation of the “Salar-Lagunas” tourist circuit and participate in the work that the San Cristóbal, Culpina K and Villa Alota communities have been successfully carrying out for some years.

The second agreement was signed with the Culpina K Territorial Organization to execute supplementary basic sanitation works with the Condominium Sewer System Project and the Manual Sanitary Landfill.

The signing ceremony was attended by Economic Development Minister Xavier Nogales; CAF Executive President Enrique García; President of Apex Silver Mines Corporation Keith Hulley; Executive Vice President of Minera San Cristóbal Carlos Fernández; and representatives of the localities of Culpina K, San Cristóbal, Villa Alota and Vila Vila.

García emphasized the social content of the projects, the importance of community participation and commitment in their execution, the strategic alliance with private enterprise and a multilateral financial organization, motivated by the search for synergies between all the actors, and the tourist potential of what is considered one of the country´s most important tourist destinations.

Tourism in Bolivia is the largest generator of foreign currency after soy, natural gas and mining. It is an important instrument in combating poverty, especially in populations that have cultural, natural and archaeological wealth, García added.

Localities in Potosí, which were once neglected, now offer high-quality services to tourists who visit Salar de Uyuni and the colored lagoons. With these projects, the communities are recovering their identity through revaluation of their traditions, customs and values; generation of income and jobs, and creation of real alternatives for their young population which discourage migration. The experience of these "model towns" can be replicated in other regions of the country.

The synergies require commitment and leadership from the communities, values which they have in abundance. For this reason, the Transredes company has incorporated one of the community members of Culpina K as a social leader in "The Good Conductor" television series which promotes the community values of service and leadership.

The Integrated Community Projects for Exploitation of Tourism are integrated in the sense that they combine a series of elements: i) valuation of the cultural identity, traditions and customs of the communities, and popular participation in decision-making; ii) improvements to the infrastructure of the towns by building plazas, renewing roofs and facades, refurbishing churches and improving access routes; iii) tourist training and education plans; and (iv) innovations by national artists who use the cultural wealth of the communities in combination with modern designs. In this field, Gastón Ugalde has made an important contribution.

These efforts create new alternatives of employment, generation of income and regional development in the short and medium term which have a direct effect on the quality of life. The income that the communities receive from tourist activities supplements the traditional occupations of agriculture, mining and livestock.

The Integrated Community Projects supplement a broader proposal conceived by the CAF to "Improve Tourism in the Andean Region" which aims raise levels of competitiveness and sustainability by positioning the Andean region as a macro-tourist destination capable of competing at world level. The CAF considers tourism to be one of the sectors with greatest potential for promoting the economic development of the Andean region, and raising living standards.