LatinaLista — In Third World countries, consistent access to electricity can be tricky, if not impossible for those remote villages and their residents. One non-profit in Bolivia has created a reliable source of electricity for people and it takes nothing more than a little pedal power.
Cochabamba Pedal Project is a small social enterprise located in Cochabamba, Bolivia that harnesses the sustainable energy of bike-machines to improve the daily lives of Bolivians.
To date, Cocha Pedal has constructed pedal-powered soap mixers, an ice cream maker, and plans are being created for clothes washers and water pumps–all operated with pedal technology!
Their latest project, and crowdfunding campaign, not only provides a service but a much-needed way for an impoverished school to raise money.
The project is to build a pedal-powered corn degrainer for a school in the village of Morochata to help the school raise funds. They plan to build and donate this bike machine to the school, which will then rent it to local farmers. For the farmers, it is a way to save time and effort in degraining corn cobs, which is oftentimes done by hand. And for the school, it provides a means to raise money to provide kids with quality school materials and university scholarships.
The nonprofit is working with the school Julio Espinoza Canelas, a school situated at 4000 meters above sea level in the village of Punacachi, Morochata in central Bolivia. Around 170 children from the hilly countryside travel into the valley to study, with many students walking at least one hour each way. Out of the 170 students,only 12 will be able to go to the university, most of them boys. The school currently lacks the necessary financial means for proper teaching resources, offering a proper education, and providing life-changing opportunities.
The fundraising goal is $550.
Campaign: Help us finish our bici-desgranadora!
