Tuesday, May 7th, the Foro de Interés Ciudadano (FIC) took place in Riberalta. The objective was to expose and explain the 292 Law of Ley General del Turismo “Bolivia te espera”, as well as the National Tourism Plan (PLANTUR). Sustainable Bolivia was there to get some information about the new touristic politics that are being driven at departmental and national level. It was a whole day event. In the morning the operation of the departmental law “Destino Beni” was explained. In the afternoon, they emphasized the law 292 of the General Tourism Law, “Bolivia te espera”. In those regulations, they […]Read More »

Traveling is the best way to discover, the best way to learn! This sum up represents the three best lessons of this two months of work. My favourite part of this experience was to discover nature, a real one: autonomous, spontaneous, without hard human activities! I discovered an amazing biodiversity, especially on reptiles, amphibians and birds. I really enjoyed walking hours and hours during the night in the rain forest. Finally, I learned that we just have to do nothing… just to protect it from ourselves (meaning you and I). Only communities really know it and respect it. They are […]Read More »

Riberalta is located in the Amazon part of Bolivia. When I first arrived here, almost a month ago now, it was really different from what I had experienced before. One of the differences with France, where I come from, is food. Here is a little guide on how and what to eat. Where to buy food? In Riberalta there are no supermarkets or big stores to buy all of your product. You have to go to the different markets in the city or to the small stores. Next to the volunteer house is located “el Mercado San José”, with fruits, […]Read More »

After working in Switzerland for almost 2 years in a school for children with special needs, I decided to go to Bolivia to discover the same kind of work in another country. Sustainable Bolivia allows people to work with kids that have disabilities in Centro Nuevo Horizontes. In this centre they have a day care for children from 2 years old up to teenagers. At the moment, there are 15 children with different handicaps. In the centre there are 4 kindergarten teachers, 2 volunteers and 1 physiotherapist. A normal day begins with the bus picking up the children home around […]Read More »

Sustainable Bolivia (SB) was a world away for me and getting to Riberalta from the UK was an experience within itself. However, despite SB being so far from my comfort zone the welcoming vibe meant that I quickly felt at home. The various group activities also gave me the opportunity to get to know my housemates more. This is also because I had a great house manager who ensured we had quality house activities. The volunteering side of SB is also incredibly rewarding. I worked at one of the orphanages (Casa Segura) teaching English at the kids there are amazing. […]Read More »

I began working for Sustainable Bolivia (SB) in January, researching and writing grant proposals. This is an exciting opportunity for me because I am developing an understanding of how SB implements and manages its projects, the resources it requires, and how it quantifies success. By working directly with the Founder and key stakeholders, I am gaining invaluable field experience and insight into how an international NGO operates. SB is working on a number of projects to promote community ecotourism, resource management, environmental education and research. I am specifically applying for grants to help SB build a well to provide running […]Read More »

I am the kind of traveler who wants to visit as many different parts of the world as possible. For the first time of my life, I decided to return in a previous destination : Riberalta. Why ? Let me explain. Some destinations, are just so special that even the most adventurous travelers want to return again and again. For me Riberalta was this kind of place. The destinations that draw me back are the ones where I feel a connection with the place or the culture, a need to explore more and dive beneath the surface. Beautiful tourist sights […]Read More »