Wednesday, May 26, 2010

4th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Capaderillo potential water Project

Record of Event pg 1 of 4
4th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Capaderillo potential water Project

Pre planning meeting:
Where: El Cortijo Hotel
When: Wed 26th May at 10-11.10am
Who: Holly, Chela (Cedesa), Saul (capaderillo Community co-ordinator), Laura (rotary) – Elena – apologies,
Purpose: To plan topics for the assembly today.

Discussion points
Saul reported the Capaderillo primary school has 117 kids so 2 cisterns will be sufficient.
There is the possibility of 2 @ school and 1 @ kinder, to be discussed with community, depending on number of families intending to be part of the project, as we have 40 cisterns in total.

Ecology have advised Jesus, that the Cheque is expected to be available today for collection & banking, & therefore cash should be available tomorrow for payment of the 50% of the 40 cisterns (to enable delivery deadlines to be met).

Proposed pilot begin date is therefore 31st May, & order will need to be made at Talego urgently with stress on delivery of Saturday latest.

Meeting closed as we were running late for the assembly already.


Capaderillo Assembly
Where: Capaderillo Community (40 mins from SMA)
When: Wed 26th May supposed to begin at 11am – we arrived at 11.30.
Who: Holly & Chela (Cedesa) Laura, (& later) Elena (Rotary), Rafael & Miguel Cruz (Los Torres Tech team)+ 40 adults (including 6 men) +12kids (& 2 dogs) (+ a rooster!)

Purpose: Reporting on successful application to Ecology green fund, & subsequent Planning of implementation of the project

Everyone was ready & waiting for us on arrival.

Saul called the attendance roll - 34 in attendance who are on the roll, + 2 from Vivienda de Abajo (neighbouring community) & 1 on the pending list, + 3 first time visitors.

Important note – Saul has agreed to take on the roll of Community Co-ordinator for this community – he is also doing this project as part of his Cedesa University Course, which offers extremely reduced tuition fees to attendees who are running a project in their community.

The 3 people attending for the first time are 1 from Capaderillo & 2 new people from Vivienda de Abajo, (the 2 people from Vivienda de Abajo at the last assembly have not returned).

The woman from Guerrero is here again today, she was at the first & then not the subsequent meetings as she was not aware of the dates of those meetings.

Chela led off with the routine call for co-ordinator for this meeting.

Elena explained it is important for everyone to take turns at this role, & hence receive training.

Saul proposed Hermelinda – everyone agreed, Hermelinda said she didn’t know how & Chela explained she would learn by doing it.

Chela prompted her to ask for points for discussion at today’s assembly.
• Plan the next steps
• Revise the work groups




Record of Event pg 2 of 4

We jumped straight into reiteration/revision of work groups
Group 1
Cruz * +
Saul *
Enedina
Elvia +
Emma
Reinalda

Group 2
Timoteo *+
Estelo *+
Maria concha
Julia
Luz
Elena Group 3
Consuelo+
Remedios +
Margarita(martin)
Juana Valdez
Cristina *
Maria Lupe* Group 4
Carolina*
Lucia
Adriana
Nicolasa(Gustavo)
Francisca
Marino* Group 5
Juana A*
Lucia A+
Hermelinda*
Lilia
Martha
Noema
Salud (Gro)+ Group 6
Eva *
Juana R +
Alicia *
Marina/(braulio)+
Francisca
Herminia
Pulcheria/(not here)


*=group leader += abanile/mason (husband)

All were asked to raise their hands by group & all (except Pulcheria with a sick son) were present.
It was reiterated if you are not able to attend you must send a representative, “not present – not interested”

There was discussion about attendance & some comments were
• Everyone has difficulty in attending sometimes, but it’s important to send someone in your place.
• You need to be here to plan & make sure the work runs smoothly, at this point we have a group of interested people, all interested in beginning work.
• Maybe the group can decide because it is the group that is mostly affected.
• Of group 6 they were all asked if they thought the person not present should be allowed a cistern, the majority said yes, one woman said she would go with the group, but Saul reiterated everyone’s point of view can be different & respected, & that she was entitled to her point of view, she was asked again her opinion & again said – yes, since the group says yes!

Since there are potentially 38 cisterns available to families, Holly suggested one of the groups could offer to take another family & they were asked to consider whether to accept the woman from Guerrero in their group.
Group 5 agreed.


Plan the next steps
Pilot location options were discussed
Since there are now 38 people on the list, we have only 2 cisterns available for the pilot.

Introductions & explanation of project
Chela realised at this point there were new people at the assembly & they needed introductions from us & what the project is about, Holly, Chela, Elena & I, introduced ourselves & gave the usual talk about the history of the collaborative project with Los Torres, & the issue of fluoride contamination etc. Including the fact that Rotary has funded all 4 projects to date, but that the Ecology Dept green fund has now approved funding for this project in Capaderillo, having had the concept demonstrated & proven by the hard work of the Los Torres community.

Elena reiterated the fact that the projects are not easy, they involve participation & hard work & that personalities have to be left at the door…

The director of the Primary school introduced himself (Jaime), he volunteered the school classrooms for future assemblies, & also agreed to the school being the “distribution centre” for delivery of bulk materials to be distributed.

He will be busy in July with the end of the school year, but will give Saul the key & access. He “Jaime Cruces Perez” is at our service… He also said he has a program on Saturdays for at risk children, during which he does extra tutoring.




Record of Event pg 3 of 4

Chela asked the assembly if they would like to have future assemblies at the same house or at the school? (responses varied)
• “better in a public place”
• Time of day, need to consider kids might be in school & little kids might wreck the school gardens
• Jaime said not a problem, he has an empty classroom & all kids are welcome at school.

There was a vote & the majority agreed to meet at school.

Introduction of Trainers
Rafael & Miguel Cruz – expert trainers from Los Torres Tech team, were officially introduced to the community. They received a big round of applause. It was explained that they were part of the original project & are now part of the team of experts in Los Torres who train other communities.

Saul described them as being part of the spirit of help & assistance which demonstrates solidarity & a desire to unite & resolve issues.

When do you want to begin the project?
“tomorrow!”
“when the materials arrive”
“the sooner the better, so we can be finished before the rain arrives”

Work Plan
Description of the process
We will build 2 cisterns at the primary school as the pilot, Rafa described the process of the pilot, crocheting of the malla can be done by everyone regardless of age, or skill level, there are some abaniles who can not work all 4 days, & Holly suggested it would be most beneficial for them to work the final 2 days. Don Julio suggested the abaniles should ideally come to all days so they can learn the process from start to finish. The more people that learn the whole process the faster the project will progress.

• The groups will decide amongst themselves who will bring food & drinks etc. & who will work the full 4 days & learn the whole process. There will be a minimum of 1 abanile per group per day.

• One woman proposed that everyone should come every day… Rafael pointed out that in Montecillo de Nieto there was 30 people per day, & they only built 1 cistern, this is to build 2.

• A minimum of 2 days work for each person in each group was agreed.

• Rafa suggested splitting the work groups, 3 groups for him & 3 for Jose Miguel.
• Rafa will take groups 1,2 & 3 & Miguel groups 4,5,& 6

• Each group will keep a list of attendance for each day.

• The person in contact re delivery of the materials for the school is Saul.

• It was agreed that the maximum length of PVC to be covered by the project will be 6 mtrs, if more than that is required the people will provide it for themselves.

• Miguel & Rafa will review the roofs, a couple of women think theirs are not suitable. (Subsequently discovered that 3 roofs need replacing – we have a budget allowance for this)

• The distribution centre option was discussed & ultimately they decided it should be the house of Timoteo & Mariana (& Elvia & Yolanda) for the main project – they will receive PVC, puertas, Grava, Triplay & people will need to come there to collect there materials.





Record of Event pg 4 of 4

Doubts & Questions section
A visitor asked if there was any chance of a project in her community (vivienda de Abajo). Chela said it’s up to you whether you participate, you can attend the assemblies & Saul, said in order to begin work with Cedesa/Rotary you need to begin to organise, call a meeting & invite Chela..

Approx 40-60 families in VdAbajo, approx. 40 in Guerrero.

Next assembly 9th June at 3pm at the School

Report 39 on Los Torres assembly Wed., May 26,

Report on Los Torres assembly
Wednesday, May 26, 3:00 p.m.

The meeting was postponed from the usual meeting time at 12 noon because of a meeting for “Opportunities” (a government give-away program) in the morning. At 3:30 there were about 20 people present, and though that was not a quorum, we started the assembly. Another 5-6 people arrived during the course of the meeting. Since Laura likes to count children and animals, for the record there were three kids, two dogs, a skinny black cat and several chickens in the vicinity.
The agenda was established:
1. Review the progress of the cisterns
2. Visit by the Mayor Luci Nuñez
3. Traspatio workshop

I. CISTERNS
Group 1 –group coordinator Alejandro reported that the three families that have received all their materials have finished their cisterns (Alejandro, Manuel and Gonzalo). Of those who have not received their materials, Jesus has been working with Alejando and Manuel, and Piedad and Lucia have been working with Gonzalo. The seventh person in this group, Dimas, has not worked with anyone, nor has he attended assemblies (his mother, Filomena, was present).
Group 2 – group coordinator Cruz reported that three cisterns are finished (Cristina, Dulce, Francisco/Ma Jesus), and four still do not have materials (Cruz, Juana, Elena and Arturo). Cruz, Juana and Elena have been helping the others, but Arturo is working alone with his wife, Maribel, who was present at the assembly.
Group 3 – group coordinator José Matilde reported that his cistern in done, working with Aurelia, Josefina, Guadalupe and Rosa/Cruz but there has been a problem with the triplay … since the groups have divided into sub-groups, there isn´t enough, so the other cisterns are still not finished. Nicolasa has not worked with the others, and Caratine is working alone with her husband Gil; according to them, both of whom were present at the assembly, they were not informed of where and when the work was taking place.
Chela insisted that if people wanted to work on their own and not in presta-fuerza groups, they should just buy their own materials and work alone. She asked each representative of the non-cooperating families (Dimas /Philomena, Arturo/Maribel, Nicolasa and Caritina/Gil) if they were willing to work with others, and they said yes, and agreed to form a fourth group. Holly suggested that these families should not receive the rest of their materials (cement and lime) until they have all helped each other to finish weaving their mallas, and the assembly agreed it was important to insure that these families work together. Ironically, the cement was being delivered at the very time that this decision was being made!
Several people complained about having to go to the asesor’s house (Guillermo) to get their PVC, saying it was inconvenient and that Guillermo arbitrarily changed the lengths that the families requested so that they came out short and had to buy extra. Alejandro agreed and said it wasn’t fair that Guillermo decided how much tubing each family received. Concha defended Guillermo (her dad) saying that Rotary, not Guillermo, decided to have all the PVC delivered to his house, and he spent a lot of time making calculations in order to not waste tubing. Chela supported her, saying that in this phase we are being more economical and purchasing more precise amounts of materials instead of giving away extra, so that more families can participate in the cistern projects.
Alejandro asked about the rotoplas tinacos that will be installed in the homes of three elderly persons and Holly said they would be delivered at the end of the process. Alejandro noted that they will need materials to make a base for the tinaco (Chela agreed it was necessary to protect it from humidity), and also PVC tubing. Holly suggested that Guillermo measure the roofs and make the order for PVC and cement needed for the base, but there was notable resistance to this, so she decided not to insist. This problem needs to be resolved as soon as possible since the regular deliveries to Los Torres are now finished. Perhaps one of the other asesores can be recruited to do this job.

II: VISIT BY MAYOR LUCI NUNEZ
Chucha reported that Mayor Luci Nuñez will visit Los Torres on Thursday, June 10 at 5:30 p.m. Chucha made the invitation under the pretext / upon the occasion of the inauguration of the school cisterns.
The hour being late, and having attended a long meeting in the morning, people were not as enthusiastic as one might expect. Chela asked the assembly if they wanted Luci to visit, and they said yes; and why? The assembly came up with three reasons:
1. To tell her about the problems in the community
2. To show her the cisterns
3. To find out what is happening with the well
Problems in the community:
#1 the road … since she will be experiencing it first-hand, it will be very apt to present a petition to get it fixed – graded and pave at least the ford.
#2 – problems with electricity
#3 – need for a bridge to Cruz del Palmar
Show (off) the cisterns – short inauguration ceremony
1. Benvenida – Concha Alvarado and Rafael Cruz (new delegado)
2. History of the cisterns – Chucha and Carol, Los Torres project; Juan – diffusion in the region
3. Presentation of petitions – Alejandro, Elena, Jesus, Aurelia
4. Convivencia (food and drink, pot-luck)
4. Tour – Nicolasa ARRIBA, Caritina ABAJO
Question of whether the tour should be first or last. Those from Abajo say if it is last, Luci may never make it to Abajo. Those from Arriba say they if Luci goes to Abajo first, it will take too much time away from the inauguration. At this time (6 p.m.) Holly suggested that a committee, made up of the people responsible for the various activities, make the decisions about the logistics of the visit. A woman asked how long the visit would be, and Chucha said she forgot to ask: Holly was asked to inquire at the Presidencia, and also to help them with the presentations on Monday, May 31 at noon.

Next Mini Meeting May 31 12 noon.
Next assembly ??