No study can survive unless it gives back to people participating in the study. TAPS works to improve the lives of the Tsimane’. For example, the United Nations Development Fund of Bolivia asked TAPS to use its research to assess the effects of Bolivia’s laws of decentralization and Popular Participation on the political participation of lowland indigenous peoples. With funding from the World Bank, TAPS introduced a new cover crop, pigeon peas, that enhances nutrition, serves as a feed for small domesticated animals, and as food for humans. In 2001-2002, TAPS introduced the technology along with workshops to improve health, nutrition, and cultural esteem, and used an experimental research design to evaluate the intervention. About 18 Tsimane’ villages received the intervention, and about an equal number served as controls. Outcomes included nutritional status, income, measures of cultural esteem, and use of natural resources. The technology has greater demand in areas facing population pressure and pressure from encroachers. With funding from the Inter-American Foundation, TAPS started a second phase of the study in 2006 to spread the use of pigeon peas; extension agents continue to introduce pigeon peas, but accompanied by the raising of chickens. The study will last until 2009; a third phase (2010-2012) is already under discussion to spread the technology to other lowland areas. TAPS has used a participatory approach to develop and implement interventions. Researchers from TAPS have co-authored a book on local plants with Tsimane’ in their native language, and have done workshops and produced booklets for villagers on health, nutrition, and cultural esteem.
TAPS has done training workshops on health, nutrition, cultural esteem, and farming. TAPS co-authored a book on local plants with Tsimane’ in Tsimane’. We have given all participants in our study cards where we track their height and weight. We have trained a small group of translators and have a scholarship program for Tsimane’ who pursue higher education, and offer training workshops for them on a range of topics such as accounting, computers, and project evaluation. TAPS has helps organize annual exposition to promote Tsimane’ material culture in the annual festivity of the town of San Borja. Local schools have used the educational material. TAPS sent a copy of the exhibits to the National Museum of Ethnography in La Paz to promote Tsimane’ culture and self-esteem. As the study unfolds, we are able to notify participants who are malnourished or who show symptoms of other illnesses as revealed by blood analyses or anthropometric measures. We have a nurse arrange to refer participants in the study to town hospitals if they request such services, and coordinate with doctors for follow-up treatments. Life-threatening, urgent ailments detected during the study are referred to the local hospitals in the towns of San Borja or Yucumo; depending on the type of treatment and costs, the project might cover the medical costs of the cases. The Gran Consejo Tsimane’, the umbrella government for all Tsimane’, has supported our work from its inception.
To make more effective our development work, we have helped in the creation of a non-governmental organization (NGO) called Centro Boliviano de
Desarrollo y de Investigación Socio Integral (CBIDSI).
The Centro was legally established in 2007. The goals of CBIDSI are to: (a) link research on health, education, socioeconomic development, and the environment to improve the well-being of lowland Bolivian populations, (b) train students and local leaders to improve the human capital of lowland populations, and (c) strengthen the cultural capital of local ethnic minorities in the lowlands by encouraging the use of their local language and cultural expressions. Currently, CBIDSI leads the development project funded by the Inter-American Foundation, and has sponsored the training of nine Tsimane’ high-school students and three students from the technical program of the University of Trinidad. These students work as agriculture extension officers, translators, and field work assistants in TAPS projects.
