16th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Water Project

Record of Meeting pg 1 of 2
16th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Water Project Committee
Part 1 & 2
Part 1
Where: Hotel El Corijo Turn-off to Los Torres
When: 4th December 2008 10-11.30am
Who: Chela, & Holly – CEDESA, Bill Fisher (Patronato Pro Nino), Laura & Bob (Rotary)

Specific Project determined: We are now working on the Los Torres project
to fund individual water collection systems for each household in Los Torres. We have verbal funding agreed of US$60K combined, from our North American Rotary Partner clubs.

Purpose of the Pre-Assembly Meeting -
co-ordinate with CEDESA the topics & goals of today’s assembly.

Points to cover during the Assembly
* What Rotary can offer (ie cisterns for individual water collection)
* Is this something LT is interested in – as a community.
* How the labour for the building of the cisterns will be organised (ie by family or community team or…)
* We can offer the option for the families to build larger cisterns than those * provided if they fund the larger size themselves.
* By the end of the assembly would like to have a community committee appointed that can co-ordinate between CEDESA, LT & Rotary

Assembly Purpose:
This assembly was called by the Leaders of the community of Los Torres so the community could discuss what Rotary can offer & whether they are prepared to participate & in what form.

Part 2 Assembly 4.12.09
Where: Los Torres Community – School Kitchen Shelter
When: 4th December 2008 12pm – 2pm
Who: Chela, & Holly – CEDESA, Bill Fisher (Patronato Pro Nino), Laura & Bob (Rotary), Ma Jesus (Delegada), Hilaria, Maria Lucia, Maria de Conception, & others,
In total 22 women, 4 men & 7 kids from the LT community.

Summary of the assembly
The meeting was scheduled for 12. At about 12.30 some women & children started to arrive & mill about.

Unfortunately the meeting co-incided with a surprise visit from DIF, (the equivalent of Social Welfare), who were conducting a door to door survey on the state of each family’s house re the programs they offer. Mothers were all staying in their houses to not miss DIF.






Record of Meeting pg 1 of 2
16th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Water Project Committee

Some of the programs DIF offers are
Piso firme (replacing dirt floors)
Casa different (they provide materials family builds the house)
Stove upgrades (adding flues to stoves)

Eventually more women arrived (see total above)

Chela discussed:
The definition of Assembly v meeting
There are 92 families, so this was not an assembly (as planned)
The meeting can look at & discuss issued but not make decisions on them for the whole community as there is not a majority represented.
They named the person that would co ordinate for the meeting.
Role of co-ordinator was discussed.
“co-ordinar el trabajo de hoy”
- Directs the dialog
- Directs the people to be quiet while others speak
- Directs discussion, not too argumentative.
- Keeps the meeting calm
- If people wish to speak they must raise their hands
Chela pointed out that they are learning how to co-ordinate their own meetings.
Maria de Jesus (delegada) was appointed today’s co-ordinator.

Chela “ask your compadres what we are going to talk about today”
“who remembers what we talked about at the last assembly?”
- agua
- construction of cisterns
- pipas (the filling of tinacos)
- also about the study of quality of water
- the quantity of water required
- decision on how much each family receives
- a commission went to Sapasma – what did they discover
- also speak about toilet options

A mini commission was formed
8 women,
4 for the top community, (Carmela, Carolina, Cesaria, Elena)
4 for the lower community (Maria de Conception, Magdalena, Ma Jesus, Tere)

They will go house to house to determine
- number of families
- number of roofs needing replacement material
- size of roof
- can they do the work themselves or will they need help

They will report back at the next meeting on December 9th at 10am
Next Assembly 22 January 12pm
Presidencia meeting 28 January 11am