Details of Payment

Emergency: Fire in Millipaya village, Bolivia
Date of Emergency: August 2005
Requesting Partner: Bolivian Evangelical Lutheran Church and Millipaya village committee

Details of the Emergency
A fire affecting pastures surrounding the village of Millipaya, Bolivia, had spread to the village, destroying the entire community’s potato seeds storage. A total of 250 hundredweight of potatoes ready for consumption and about 500 hundredweight of seeds were destroyed. The village, in the Andean Highlands, relies on potatoes as its main source of nutrition. Attempts by the village to receive assistance from governmental organisations have all failed.

Purpose of Response
The project aims to supply 250 hundredweight of potato seeds to enable 50 villagers to grow 8.5 hectares of potatoes. The local villagers have indicated that with 8.5 hectares, their basic needs would be covered.

Beneficiary information and location of response
The beneficiaries of this project are 50 families (or around 400 inhabitants) of the village Millipaya, located in the Canton of San Antonio de Millipaya, Province of Larecaja, Bolivia. The village is located 140 km from La Paz, the capital city of Bolivia.

Proposed assistance
The Bolivian Evangelical Lutheran Church (IELB) had made assessment visits at the end of August, upon request by the local committee of Millapaya. The proposed assistance aims to assist villagers to buy potato seeds, transport the seeds in a truck to the village and buy natural fertiliser. The seeds will be distributed by the local village committee. The Evangelical Lutheran Church (IELB), through its Department of Social Development will provide technical assistance for the sowing and harvest. IELB is also providing pastoral accompaniment to the community.

Implementation Period
Implementation period will be three months from the day funding is received and will comprise the distribution of the seeds and the technical assistant for the sowing. The IELB with their own resources, through its Department of Social Development, will provide follow-up and technical advise to the community until the harvest (March 2006).

A project report to be received at the ACT CO by January 15, 2006.

BUDGET

Note: This proposal foresees own contribution of USD 3,204 which includes the truck load of natural fertiliser.

Exchange Rate: US$ 1 = 8,0 Bolivian pesos

ACTION

The ACT Co-ordinating Office has approved the use of US$ 7,100 towards the budget from its Rapid Response Fund and would be grateful to receive contributions to wholly or partially replenish this payment. The ACT CO has requested the Lutheran World Relief (LWR) office in Bolivia to provide assistance to the Lutheran Church in the implementation and the reporting of the project.