Give a M2 of land as a gift...
The vision of one human being and the hard work of many is bringing the El Poncho Ecocentre and Ecovillage in Marquina, Bolivia to reality. In 1995 The Latin American Permaculture Institute ILP was founded by Enrique Hidalgo and in 1999 he drew the plans for the Ecocentre site and construction on the first cabin began in October 2000.
On a hillside overlooking the green and fertile Cochabamba Valley with high mountains behind, and at an altitude of about 2,800 meters lies the village of Marquina. The village has a narrow rocky road with very few cars, there are two churches, an old Catholic and the new Evangelical, and three tiny stores with very little on the shelves for this village of about 400 families. There are people walking, sitting, talking, working and the sound of water from the mountains running through a small channel in the centre of the village. It is the end of the dry season and the countryside looks thirsty and dusty.
Up a narrow rocky track just above the village is the El Poncho Ecocentre on 1.5 hectares of rocky morrain. Entrance is through 8 foot high rough wooden slat gates. To the left is the first project completed - a 3 foot high stone wall, 142 meters along the southern boundary of the property which was built by 5 people in just 6 weeks. On the inside of this wall and around the entire perimeter, a living fence of prickly pear cactus has been planted - this is also used for animal food, fruit, shampoo and mixed with mud for waterproof coating on buildings. Molle, a local plant, has also been used around the boundaries to enrich the soil with its leaf litter, as a bird habitat and also for medicinal uses.
The name of the Ecocentre comes from the constellation of Orion's Belt, plus the four stars forming an oblong around it which Aymara and Quechua Indians of the Andes call El Poncho - the three stars of the belt making the hole in the poncho, and representing a stair going back to the stars from -
Manka Pacha - the inner earth - lower reality
Akka Pacha - the earth - this reality
Alaj Pacha - the cosmos - higher reality
El Poncho is designed on Permaculture principles and based on the constellations. The first area completed is a series of four cabins built around a medicine wheel and representing the elements, animals and colours significant to the Andes Medicine Wheel.
Earth - Snake - Green - in order to grow you need to change your skin
Fire - Puma - Red - taking change with elegance - new cycle
Water - Hummingbird - Blue - smartness, intelligence, wisdom
Air - Condor - Yellow - visionary - can see far but has trouble landing
The cabins are stonework up to about waist height then come up into an oval shape for the roof. Between the cabins are paths and garden areas and a sandpit for children to play. The medicine wheel has at the centre a pond around a shooting tree stump, with four sections out from the pond with a stone seat, a herb spiral and two growing areas with paths between. Stone, which is in great abundance, marks out all these areas.
Near this cluster is the outdoor solar shower set amongst molle trees with the run off watering these trees and a small nursery area near a stone mill wheel which has been set on its side on a stone plinth facing east and will serve as a sun clock.
Now under construction, and on the other side of the shower, is the two storey managers cottage, a round building with the lower storey of stone to be used for tool storage and the upper storey for accommodation made of wood, straw and mud-cement with a thatched roof.
Further up the hill work is progressing on two two-storey cabins, part of the second cluster of eight cabins around a larger circle. The first is stone on a lower level, beautiful stonework with designs (in different coloured stone) of the Southern Cross and triangles representing the three realities. The second cabin is rendered and will have the same designs painted on it. Foundations have been laid for several other cabins.
Construction has also begun on a kitchen-dining building which will be a two storey, 12 meter diameter round structure, with a third storey viewing tower to see out over the valley. All of these buildings are being made of natural materials, and with no electricity on the site, without power tools.
Marked for future construction are three pyramids, the largest in scale with the Cheops Pyramid in Egypt will be used as a meeting-lecture room, the next is for a greenhouse and healing centre and the smallest as the office. There is a natural amphitheatre which will be enhanced as an outdoor meeting area. The plan also includes a camping area, a flowform swimming pool and a sand volleyball court.
Preparation is being made for planting trees as the rains should be starting soon, with holes being dug in the rocky earth with a crowbar. The trees will be supported by a drip irrigation system from the only water supply for the Centre, a cistern to which water is delivered by truck. To drill a bore in this terrain would cost about USD50,000 to go 130 meters which is not feasible at this time.
The project is currently employing eight local men full time, plus the manager and a local woman who does the cooking for volunteers as well as supporting the local candle maker. When completed the Ecocentre will employ local people teaching courses, running the centre, producing food, kitchen and dining room work, as well as in the micro enterprises such as craft production and sales, solar showers and ecological tour guides.
Due to the excellent climate there is pressure to urbanise this rural area (one proposal is for 400 families on one hectare not far from the Ecocentre)
Enrique Hidalgo's vision is for the area to be declared an ecological zone and he is gaining support from others in the area as well as nearby communities, but the immediate need is to secure as much land around El Poncho as possible.
To raise money for the purchase and site costs of the 1.5 hectares adjoining it, the Ecocentre is asking for support from individuals of USD10.00 to sponsor one square meter.
To see what has been accomplished in such a short time with such energy and enthusiasm is infectious, and I hope I can come back in a couple of years to see it flourishing, prospering and expanding.
Written by: Linda Riccio - ILP-Bolivia representative in Australia - Member of PAWA (Permaculture Association of Western Australia)
HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HELP
Please note that banks everywhere take a big share of the payments you make. In order to avoid paying them more than the ammount you are sending to us, it is adviceable for donors to get together and make one large payment instead of many small ones. Banks will charge per payment, not for size. Thank you
The El Poncho Ecocentre in Marquina, Bolivia has made huge progress in the last year and would like your support to continue its growth and employment of local people.
For USD10.00 you can sponsor the purchase and site costs of one square meter of land for the Ecocentre -
You will be supporting -
-EARTH CARE
-PEOPLE CARE
-SURPLUS SHARE
This would make a unique gift - especially for those people who 'have everything' . Sponsorship Certificates will be sent by email, if you need certificates mailed, please send an extra USD2.00 per address due to high paper and postage costs in Bolivia. Send the following details by e-mail or mail:
Your name
e-mail address
Address
Sponsorship certificate in the name of _____________________________
to be sent to (email address or address)________________________
Show as a gift from ____________________
(Repeat this as many times as necessary)
For sponsorship of _____ M2 @ USD10.00 per M2 ______________
Postage ___ @ USD2.00 per address ______________
Donation ______________
TOTAL USD ______________
BY ___ International Money Order Enclosed
___ Bank Transfer Dated ______________ TO
NAME OF BANK : Postbanken in Norway
ACCOUNT NAME : ILP-International
ACCOUNT NUMBER : 0539 02 41455
REFERENCE : " Land support project ILP - Bolivia "
OR
MAIL TO: Instituto Latinoamericano de Permacultura - ILP / Enrique Hidalgo
P.O. Box 3727
Correo Central - Cochabamba
Bolivia South America
