Matching Grant #55389
Fish Farming Project
rural Bolivia - District 4690

This project was developed between the Rotary Club of Grigota, Bolivia, the Rotary Club of Arnold, Missouri, Rotary District 6060, the Rotary Club of Littleton, Massachusetts, and Rotary District 7910. 

The Rotarians above are working with veterinarian Don Wilson and two non-governmental organizations, World Concern and GATHER, to begin the Tilapia-raising project. The project is located in a very rural area of Bolivia known as the Berlin district. The residents are very poor, with protein in their diet approximately one time a week.

The reason for the project is two-fold, improve the diet quality, and teach the local residents to raise their own Tilapia in back-yard ponds at their own homes, rather like having a little garden to grow some fruit and vegetables for your table.

The fish farming project is the first of several vocational training projects planned for this site. It is hoped it will develop into a multi-faceted vocational training program over the years. 

 One of the first requirements was to get a house built for the project
supervisor to live in while they direct the construction and
later the operations of the project.

 Veterinarian Dr.  Deisy, has been hired to be the project supervisor. 

 Also, a new storage and laboratory building is being built.
Since these pieces are needed prior to the equipment and
could not be funded by our Rotary Foundation matching grant,
World Concern and GATHER worked on getting these items finished quickly.

 Domingo, and others are working to clear the project site,
getting ready to build a fish pond.

 The first fish pond is being constructed utilizing a grain bin ring. The ground will not hold water, so a brick floor with a concrete wash is being placed to seal the pond so that it will hold water.

First fish pond is finished, with tilapia fingerlings growing inside. No pumps are in place yet, so there is not sufficient algae growth to support growth of many fish. 

More and larger ponds are being prepared.  

  The brick floor is being laid in one of the larger ponds.

 
 Grigota Rotarians visit the project site - July 2005

 
 Grigota Rotary visit

 
 Grigota Rotarians discussing project implementation.

 
 A fish ready for harvest.