5th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Capaderillo potential water Project

Record of Event pg 1 of 3

5th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Capaderillo potential water Project

Where: Capaderillo Primary School - classroom
When: Wed 9th June 3pm – 5.30
Who: Chela (Cedesa), Elena & Laura (Rotary), 54 adults + 4 men (outside listening through the classroom windows!), + 4 kids

Purpose: To plan the next step of the project.

When we arrived there was a big group already awaiting us in the classroom & several more people crammed in to this full classroom.

There were 22 people from neighbouring Vivienda de Abajo (also called Vivienda Urbana) coming to see how they could be included in the project.
There was also a woman from neighbouring Viviendilla (basically the same neighbourhood but a little further over).
3 people were from La Aurora (they had attended the assembly in Vivienda de Arriba & were invited today.

Vivienda Urbana has approx. 40-50 families & a primary school.
Viviendilla has approx. 20-30 families, & share primary with Cienegita.
La Aurora has approx. 10 families.

There were 36 people attending from Capaderillo.

Introductions
Chela, Elena & Laura
We began working with Los Torres 18ths ago & have since worked in CdP, MdN, VdArriba, & are starting work in Tierra Blanca.

San Isidro Capadero, La Aurora & La Tinaja have also initiated contact.

Chela – why are we here?
Vivienda woman “ we are getting together a group of people interested in constructing cisterns to catch water during the rains”
“ I am interested in this project & would like to learn more”
“I am here for the same reason, hopefully I can come here to see if we can get help with our water situation”
“the teacher invited us to attend if we were interested”

Chela – why capture water?
“because the water here is contaminated & the water from the rain is safe to drink”
“because the water coming from the tap has chloro in it?”
“we have wells but not for drinking water, just for domestic use”
“the wells are from 16- 30mtrs deep” (30 mtrs in Vivienda de Abajo)

Chela – who adds chloro to their pozo water? – no-one
Chela – what are the contaminants?
“sodio” – why is salt bad for you, bad for blood, arteries, kidneys & heart.
Why do you have damaged teeth? “from the water”
What in the water? “saro?” – no.
“fluoride” yes – it affects your teeth & other parts of your body, bones & the brain & all major organs.
What other dangerous minerals exist in the water? Arsenic – causes problems with circulation, cancer & other illnesses.

Chela In Cruz del Palmar there is manganese too. These minerals exist in the water & then contaminate your body, not just affecting your health, but the health of your kids & grandkids.
The problem exists in this region, it is naturally occurring & there are a few people working to resolve this, from Cedesa & Rotary.


Record of Event pg 2 of 3


Rotary provided the funds to provide the solution in MdN, LT, CdP & VdAriiba, $$$ for materials, & training in construction & organization.

The next project – here in Capaderillo is being funded by the green fund from the Ecology department, that’s why we’re here today, to plan for this project, & also look at the possibility of opening up the opportunity for other communities.

Elena – these projects multiply the force/strength, when we work together we achieve more. Plant a seed in the dark & nothing happens, with light & care the tree will grow fruit. Through these projects you will learn integration & organization.

Chela – these communities have a lot in common, your kids go to the same schools, & use the same communal spaces, church & soccer pitches. It makes sense to work together on this, since you have so many things in common, & you all have contaminated water too. If you’re interested we can resolve the issue of resources.

Phase I is for Capaderillo a few Vivienda de Abajo & 1 Guerrero family.
Phase II could be Vivienda de Abajo & Capaderillo, (& possibly La Aurora – although it is approx. 1 hr away by foot. It I closer to Don Juan with approx. 30 families, & Guerrero with approx. 40 families)

One of the women later said, she believes Guerrero is unlikely to want to co-operate, they are known not to be joiners (Ecology dept had said the same about one of their projects).

The measure is of the people with good conscience who wish to commit.

Chela suggested
Change the meeting in Los Torres on the 28th July from 12 to 11am, so we can visit Aurora at 3pm.

First meeting in Aurora/Don Juan/Guerrero to be 28th July at 3pm – Aurora will invite the other communities)

Chela asked about phase II for this Capaderillo/Vivienda de Abajo, I explained we have funding agreed but have yet to write the exact Matching Grant so would be good to have specific details, Chela asked the phase II people to go outside & write their list of names.

The list is to include name of family & number of kids.
Maria Salud & Anamaria will co-ordinate the list of phase II people.

One woman asked about her single daughter who has 1 child, if she is able to participate & help then yes, add her to the list.

The phase II people left the classroom & the men listening through the windows then had space to come in & sit down, these were Phase I people. We continued with Phase I planning.

Phase I called the roll – 5 missing from the roll.
Question, can someone represent someone else in assemblies, yes, 1 person from each family.


Update re timing/schedule
The cheque was promised by Ecology on the 26th May, but we are still waiting. Jesus has been up to the presidencia several times but still no joy. Now they have come up with additional information they require, we suspect the cash is not currently available, but will let them know asap, & will spring into action as soon as we have the cash in hand.






Record of Event pg 3 of 3


2 people from Phase I have said they are unable to work,
Pulcheria, & Ema.
This was discussed & the groups all agreed to remove them from the project & open their slots to 2 people from Phase II who are able to work.
Joel “available & willing” (in his own words) joined group 1 (with their blessing)
Maricela Joined group 6 (in place of Pulcheria).

Chela asked if all groups were clear & co-ordinators were clear on their groups – answer was Si & Si.

The group requested a cistern for the primary in Guerrero (many of their children go there) & also Secondaria.

We suggested these options would be ideal for pilot for phase II.

Re: materials, all of the malla (mesh) & wire, will be delivered for all 38 families at the same time so all can commence work at the same time, once all are completed to the cylinder stage the balance of the materials will be delivered.

This is to prevent the issue of people not co-operating until their materials arrive…

The list for Phase II was handed to me – it contains request for 34 cisterns including Guerrero Primary, Kinder & Telesecundaria at Vivienda de Abajo.

Action: Laura will re-write the Capaderillo Phase II project with 34 cisterns budgeted, since we have additional financial support offered.

Next Assembly for Capaderillo 14 July at 3pm
(Chela advised that both Phases will be planned at that meeting)

This report respectfully submitted by Laura Stewart