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A 2-3 day trek for water and firewood was beginning to wear on families in Sapilica, Bolivia. And as it began to consume more and more time and cause numerous back problems, residents began to look hard for a solution. They found it by examining their environment.

In the mountainous community of Sapilica, extreme drought presented problems. Besides the lack of drinking or cooking water, the sheep, goats and other livestock that residents depended upon were going hungry. Finding enough firewood or water was beginning to be a 2-3 day trek for Sapilica natives. Without a donkey and cart, the work was backbreaking and even more time-consuming, taking time away from growing crops and grazing animals.

Hurricane winds unusual for the area had destroyed wide swaths of the community in recent years, and the community began to take a close look at the reasons behind the weather and lack of vegetation. With facilitation by Outreach International staff in the area, 25 families were inspired to experiment planting small eucalyptus and pine trees with their own savings and they found an organization that would supply trees for denuded communities.

These families now have accessed 4,000 pine and eucalyptus saplings through the Bolivian government and generated 20 more families interested in planting. Community members are in the process of establishing a greenhouse with a capacity of 100,000 plants. This will help the residents of Sapilica create a more sustainable environment and help the land to sustain them for years to come.