Bolivian President Evo Morales has handed over three new schools and two roofed outdoor community centres in the Sacaca Municipality of the southern Potosi Department.
“We are going to continue working, your vote has not been in vain,” said Morales, who was re-elected on October 12 with more than 60% of the vote.
In the Caripuyo municipality in Potosi, Morales also inaugurated a market and an electrical system for the Caripuyo community.
Rural development has been a hallmark of the Morales administration, which was first elected in 2005. In all nine of Bolivia’s departments, thousands of new schools, soccer fields, markets, roads, and other small-scale development initiatives have been built.
Potable water and electricity were absent in countless numbers of abandoned communities in the Bolivian countryside. But more rural communities now have access to basic services. In many cases, visits by Morales in far-lying rural communities mark the first time a president or state representative has ever officially visited.
The works are part of the state program “Bolivia Changes, Evo Fulfills”. Founded in 2006, it was originally funded by donations from China and Venezuela, but has been wholly financed by Bolivian resources since 2011.
Most works carried out under the program are schools, synthetic grass soccer fields, community centres, and housing. From 2006 to 2012, the program financed 4214 works at a total cost of US$402 million.
Since then, the project has grown further. In the Sacaca Municipality alone, site of the three new schools and community centres, the government has spent more than $750,000 in infrastructure projects since 2006.
[Reprinted from TeleSUR English.]
Like the article? Subscribe to Green Left now! You can also like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.