Where we work
Chakana carries out projects in several communities in the highlands of Bolivia. They are all situated in the department of La Paz, the most western department of Bolivia, consisting for the greater part of highlands (Altiplano).
The Altiplano is situated between the mountain ranges 'Cordillera Occidental' and 'Cordillera Oriental', where you can see for instance the majestic Illampu and Illimani. The Altiplano is situated at an average altitude of 3.300 meters above sea level and is characterized by a hilly landscape as well as mountainous parts with steep slopes. Apart from grasses and bushes, not much can grow here. The climate is dry, with a short raining season from December until March, and cold with an average temperature of well under 10 degrees Celcius.
Chuma and Aucapata
Chuma and Aucapata are two municipalities in the province of Muñecas, at about a 10 hour drive over a very bad road from La Paz, at an altitude of over 4.000 meters, northeast of Titicaca Lake. Chuma includes 115 communities with a total of approximately 13.000 inhabitants. Aucapata is much smaller with 4.000 inhabitants divided over 52 communities.
In Chuma Chakana works in ten small communities such as Kishuarani and Patascachi, where the very first projects of Chakana were set up a couple of years ago. In Aucapata Chakana works in three communities.
Political structure
The population of the Chuma and Aucapata communities is organized by according to traditional indigenous structures: the ayllu or Comunidad Indigena de Origin. The leader of the community is a jilakata, a position that is filled by another person every year. Head of a cluster of communities is the kuraka.
Poverty
99 percent of the population in these municipalities lives under national poverty standards, which means they are not able to meet their primary necessities of life. 86 percent lives in extreme poverty. The houses in both municipalities are of bad quality, the walls made of adobe most of the time, with a roof of corrugated iron and a dirt floor.In Chuma, only one third of all houses are connected to water supply, in Aucapata only 15 percent. Sanitary facilities and a sewer system are almost nowhere to be found.
Social facilities
Chuma en Aucapata together have 76 small schools. However, most people hardly got any education: only about 40 percent of the population finished elementary school an more than one third of the population (20 percent of the men and almost 50 percent of the women) is illiterate.
Also in Chuma there are 6 and in Aucapata 4 health care centres. Most children have been vaccinated, but infant death rates are still high: of each 1000 children, in Chuma 72 children die before they are 5 years old, in Aucupata 105.
Economy
The population of Chuma and Aucapata depends mainly on agriculture. 80 percent of the working population works in agriculture, mostly in family businesses. Despite the hard circumstances due to extreme cold and drought, it is possible to grow crops, of which the potatoe is the most important (and often even the only one). Also they keep llamas, alpacas and sheep for wool and meat. Particularly the communities in the higher areas hardly have access to the market; the local market of the village of Chuma (pop. 1.000) is at least 4 hours by foot away.
Culture
Most members of the Chuma and Aucapata population identify themselves as indigenous. In Chuma, 80 percent is Aymara and 15 percent is Quechua. In Aucapata, 78 percent is Quechua and 14 percent is Aymara. Mother tongue of these people is aymara or quechua; less than 50 percent of them also speaks Spanish.
Achocalla
The municipality of Achocalla (in the province of Pedro Domingo Murillo) borders on La Paz and lies in a valley at an altitude of 3.500 metres. In the lower parts of the valley there are some woods, next to the usual vegetation of the Altiplano. The valley can be reached from La Paz in an hour by public transport, but to reach the most distant communities it takes much longer.
The municipality of Achocalla has 15.000 inhabitants, living in the village of Achocalla and 20 rural communities. In the past few years, the number of inhabitants increased dramatically, due to migration from the more rural areas to Achocalla, that is situated close to La Paz and El Alto.
Poverty
Here too, 99 percent of the population lives under the poverty line. More than half the population lives in extreme poverty. Nevertheless, the situation in Achocalla is much better than in Chuma and Aucapata. The quality of housing is mediocre: most houses have an iron plate roof, some houses have brick walls and wooden of tiled floors. Most houses don't have running water or sanitary facilities, but two third of the houses have access to electricity.
Social facilities
In most communities in Achocalla there is an elementary school. 70 percent of the population finished elementary school, only 5 percent of the men but 25 percent of the women is illiterate. Also there is a medical post and a health care centre. Not even two third of the children have been vaccinated, but infant death rates are low, compared to other municipalities: 67 out of every 1.000 children don't make it to their fifth birthday.
Economy
The Achocalla population is for the bigger part dependent on agriculture, both for own use and for trading at the market in La Paz and El Alto. 41 percent of the working population works in agriculture. Also a lot of men have a job as a worker in the cities close by. 31 precent works in services, 17 percent in trading and 10 percent in the industry. More than two third of the working population work in their own family business.
Culture
90% of the Achocalla population is Aymara, but the Aymara language is only spoken by 55 percent as their mother tongue. The rest have Spanish as their mother tongue. Two third speak both languages, 20 percent only speaks Spanish and 15 percent only Aymara or Quechua.
Puerto Acosta
Puerto Acosta is a municipality in the province of Eliodoro Camacho, situated at an altitude of 4.000 metres close to the border of Peru, north of Titicaca Lake. Approximately 27.000 people live in this municipality, that is divided into 231 communities. Chakana works in the Piñani community.
Poverty
97 percent of the population of Puerto Acosta lives below the poverty line, of which 80 percent in extreme poverty. Houses are of very bad quality but a little better than in Chuma and Aucapata. They have iron plate or reed roofs, almost all houses have adobe walls and dirt floors. Only one third of the houses are connected to running water, 20 percent have electricity and sanitary facilities are hardly anywhere to be found.
Social facilities
The municipality of Puerto Acosta has 113 small schools. 70 percent of the population finished elementary school. 15 percent of the men and more than 50 percent of the women is illiterate.
In the municipality are 8 ambulant health care centres and a small hospital. All children have been vaccinated, but infant death rates are still 74 out of 1.000 not making it to their fifth birthday. Average life expectancy is 60 years.
Economy
Almost all inhabitants of Puerto Acosta are depending on agriculture; 80 percent works in this sector, mostly in family businesses. They grow root tubers like potatoes and carrots and greens for their cattle. Agriculture is difficult here because of water shortage, which drives a growing number of people to the city.
Cultuur
In Puerto Acosta, 97 percent of the people are Aymara, the Aymara language is their mother tongue. Almost 50 percent also speak Spanish, next to Aymara.
Comanche
Comanche is a municipality in the province of Pacajes, situated at an altitude of 4.000 metres close to the Chilean border. This municipality has a population of 4.000 inhabitants, divided in one village and 29 rural communities. Chakana works in ten of these communities.
Poverty
98 percent of the Comanche population lives in poverty, of which 75 percent in extreme poverty. Housing is very primitive; almost all houses have dirt floors and walls of adobe. More than 75 percent of the houses have a reed roof. Less than 20 percent has access to running water and only 10 percent has electricity. Sanitary facilities and sewerage are hardly anywhere to be found.
Social facilities
In Comanche there are 20 small schools. 75 percent of the population finished elementary school, still 10 percent of the men and 30 percent of the women is illiterate. Comanche only has three ambulant health care centres. 80 percent of the children is vaccinated, infant death rates are rather high with 84 out of 1.000 the children dying before their fifth birthday. Average life expectancy is 57 years.
Economy
The municipality of Comanche is a rural area. 76 percent of the population works in agriculture, which is mainly to be selfsufficient. Most families do not own much land and the harvests are small, so it is hardly enough to survive on. The small leftovers are traded in the region. Also lots of inhabitants move temporarily to the city for small jobs in construction, trade or transport.
Culture
98 percent of the inhabitants of Comanche is Aymara and they therefore speak Aymara. Most people also speak Spanish.
Sources
