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Mauro Walter Peralta is a twenty-eight year old veterinary student in his last year at the college. He is currently in the midst of a research project, working toward a solution to a real-world problem. Mauro’s goal is to find a better way to raise pigs, so that farmers with limited resources can still do a good job of raising his animals.
Photo: Mauro Peralta on Campus Manning.
Mauro’s background is similar to many Bolivians, but in his own family he is a bit of a maverick. As the first generation to go to college, Mauro is using education to improve the lives of his people. Having come from the high plains outside La Paz, in the rundown city of El Alto, Mauro knows firsthand what poverty means. Born to an urban family without college degrees or even land of their own, Mauro has made a giant leap by simply attending college. Fairly soon he will be graduating and spreading his veterinary skills to other parts of Bolivia. This is a great feat for anyone, but just imagine how proud Mauro’s family must be!
As a veterinary student and a recipient of a small stipend from conBolivia, Mauro has made great strides in his research. His work with pigs has allowed him to collaborate with other students from the school by experimenting with different types of feed and housing practices. Mauro is currently finding a way of feeding pigs more economically. His plan is to find feeding practices that would be more beneficial to farmers than what are currently used.
This research will be a great benefit to Bolivian farmers, but it has not been without hard work and sacrifice. Since Mauro has been in school instead of working these past four years, he has been unable to provide money for himself or his family. However, through scholarships he has been able to continue in his studies. With a quality education, he will not have to endure the same hardships his parents have suffered, and he will be able to improve the lives of others as well. In fact, Mauro is already planning to buy a farm in Yucumo, Bolivia. Through his skills learned at the college, Mauro can help the people of Yucumo in their search for a higher quality of life through better farming.
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