Middletown goes to Magueyes

Our visit started at the home of Senora Lilia, whose initiative led to the current project at Los Magueyes and La Palma. 

Our group consisted of Rotarians from San Miguel and Connecticut in the US, as well as Unitarian-Universalists from San Miguel.  We were warmly greeted, in spite of the fact that we were interrupting an active phase of the cistern construction at Senora Lilia’s house.  

One work group was busy putting concrete on the inner and outer walls of the cistern there, while another group was doing the same around the corner.  Nearby we saw a cistern which was completed except for the final sealing with a mixture of lime and nopal extract, an extremely effective and low cost method we learned.

Saul and Holly from CEDESA, along with Senora Lilia, gave us a very comprehensive summary of the process of a water harvesting project, from the initial community meetings to the maintenance carried out by the families in the years following construction.  

We were very impressed by the central role played by the local residents themselves, who are responsible for every key decision along the way, for the construction itself, and for the ongoing maintenance.  

The pride of ownership and the certainty of sustainability were very evident. 

What was also evident was that this was likely to be just one step in a much larger process of this community working together to better itself.  

The first part of our visit ended with a delicious meal prepared by Senora Lilia and her helpers, and enjoyed by everybody, including those of us visiting and the adults and children of the families involved in this incredibly worthwhile project.

After lunch we crossed the highway to visit the completed pilot cistern at the home of Dona Beatriz.  There we learned a lot more about the water problems in the state of Guanajuato, where the depletion of the aquifer has led to increased concentrations of fluoride and other harmful chemicals.  We learned about the potential health effects of these chemical concentrations, especially for children, and we saw in Senora Lilia how increased awareness is being translated into community action.  

The cistern at Dona Beatriz’s house was ready to be filled by the summer rains, which we learned will support a family of 14 until the next rainy season.  

As we left we could not help but to be amazed by how much good will come from such a modest level of financial support.

Howard Reid, Rotary Club of Middletown CT. Saturday, March 16, 2013

Howard  & Melanie (Middletown Rotary), Senora Lilia & Lee (SMA Midday Rotary)

Pilot Cistern – Los Magueyes – Day 3

We arrived around 8:30 this morning and I was surprised by how much work had been accomplished in just a few days. 

Yesterday, the first layer of concrete was put on the "wall" of the cistern. 

Today about 15 persons arrived sharply at 9 am, the technical representative from Cedesa and 14 workers, most women. 

watched as they sift sand and start dumping wheelbarrows of sand on the ground. Next they carried over 5 bags of cement and dumped that on top of the sand. That was mixed up and formed into a small volcano. Buckets of water started arriving & were poured into the volcano. 

We were mystified to know how they knew just when the right amount of water was deposited. They, (about four women with shovels), mixed it up and they were exactly right … no extra water had to be added.

Meanwhile the plywood sheets were removed from the inside of the cistern cylinder … concrete was passed over the top to the workers inside and then began a flurry of activity both inside and out. 

Final result: two new layers of concrete and a finished cylinder. Tomorrow the cone shaped roof will go on and the pilot cistern is on schedule and will be finished on Friday.

Each work group intends to immediately begin on the fifteen more cisterns. Materials are expected to be delivered to each family’s home on Friday.

Lee Carter

Los Magueyes Pilot day 1

“A lot of enthusiasm on the first day. The wire was unrolled and the foreman Miguel quickly had the volunteers stitching the layers together. I was impressed at how many men turned up. While the large group composed of men and women worked on the wire, 3 men dug out the space for the cement slab. The gravel was delivered for the base as well as the sand for the concrete. Next a truck arrived and transferred sufficient water for mixing the concrete. Three women busied themselves in Beatrizes house getting lunch ready and preparing cool drinks for the workers. I would say they are all very enthusiastic and committed. If the 3ply arrives...today as promised, it will have been a very successful first day on the pilot cistern.... Harvesting water is fun and very rewarding..“ Denis Beaudry, Rotary San Miguel Midday.18 February 2013

Photo 1 The Materials arriving on the Pilot Site, home of Dona Beatriz

 Photo2 The Devil is in the details … stitching together the chicken wire and structural wire

Photo3 Things go fast with so many helpers

Photo 4Preparing the pad – 12,000 liters weighs a lot

Photo 5 Step One: tie the chicken wire together

 Photo 6 Jesus Rico has delivered the sand and gravel

2nd Los Magueyes Community Mtg - We are Funded

We are funded! Thank you to Middletown Rotary Club and District 7980 who provided matching funds. Thank you to Chinook Rotary Club of Calgary, Canada.

On Valentine’s Day (February 14, 2013), the pre-construction organizational meeting was held at Las Magueyes. In attendance were 17 women, 7 men and 2 children of the Las Magueyes and La Palma communities. The hard work of community development continued. Saul and Holly of CEDESA were there and Saul began the meeting by greeting all and recognizing San Miguel Midday Rotary members who were in attendance. Steve and Jim, members of the Walla Walla, Washington Rotary Club came with Denis and me. They have already made a down payment to be contributing members of our next water harvesting project.

The first order of business in developing a community is to guide the community members in learning how to run a meeting. Saul teaches this brilliantly and with much patience. To begin, a meeting leader and secretary were elected. The community leader then began to develop the agenda for the day and reviewing the meeting notes from the last meeting.  Each member of the community participated by proposing a list of things to be discussed and decided before the next step, building the pilot cistern, begins. Early in the meeting it was determined that three families who had indicated a desire to have a cistern had not attended pre-construction meetings and they had not shown the necessary intent required to earn a cistern. After discussion amongst all of the community members, they decided that only the 16 families that had done the work to deserve a cistern would be included in the project. Alas, the project is now cut back to 16 cisterns. We are overfunded!

It is an appropriate decision to decide to only do 16 of the potential 19 cisterns in this case. Persons/Families truly must earn their cisterns through attending meetings and demonstrating responsibility and willingness to do the work. There is significant time required for construction and teams must believe that all participants will be there to do the work, not only for their own cistern but also for the cisterns for every other family represented on their work teams. I will now discuss what to do with our international partners. I hope they will agree to apply the excess funds to the next project. We already have a list of other communities with dire need for safe and potable drinking water.

Rotary as a mechanism to bring water to poorer marginalized communities has become recognized by the rural communities of the San Miguel Municipality. At this meeting, five persons representing the community of Ex-Hacienda de Pena Blanca came to request that we help them. This is one of the poorest communities in our region and they have no water whatsoever. For many months of the year, they have to take burros miles away to collect water and return it to their community. The representatives of Pena Blanca appealed to us to come visit them and see for ourselves the difficulties they are facing. We will do that and we will support their efforts to obtain a constant water source by encouraging them to become active participants in COCIRA and earning their position in our list of those who have the gravest needs. Their story was a heart wrenching one.

The Meeting Leader of the day (with the soft coaching from Saul) formed three work teams to work together to complete their cisterns. They decided to build a pilot cistern next week at the home of Dona Beatriz. Members from all of the work teams will be there Monday to Friday to build this cistern under the technical guidance of a CEDESA promoter. Rotary will be visiting each day to document the progress and observe the process. Once the pilot cistern is finished, the work groups will build the final fifteen cisterns to complete this project.

It was greatly gratifying to see the process take place and watch as life changing resources are being brought to these communities through Rotary.

Los Magueyes and La Palma Exploratory Meeting – 14 December 2012

Attendance: Saul Juarez and Holly Yasui from Cedesa

Denis Beaudry, Alejandro Guerra and Lee Carter from Rotary San Miguel Midday

Veronica Gonzales and Juan Cervantes, Lilia Luna and Juan Juárez[YUN1] , Anastasia Paolino, Arturo Juarez, Rafael Juarez y Lucina Gonzlaes, Filomeno Juarez, Gloria Martinez, and Beatri Ramirez from the community of Los Magueyes

Maria Juarez, Susana Morales, Ma. Socorro Juarez, Patricia Ramirez, Cristina Ramirez, Ma. Guadalupe Juarez, Norma Zapatero and Ma. Elena Ramirez from the community of La Palma

Not in attendance but represented: Concepción, Estela Munoz and Eulalia Granados

Attending from the communities: 14 women, 4 men and multiple children.

The meeting was called to order at 4:20 pm. The meeting began with an introduction of all persons in attendance. The order of the day was set:

1.       Presentation from CEDESA

2.       Introduction of the project and its importance to the two communities

3.       Introduction of Rotary International and Midday Rotary

4.       Requirements and Commitments required of the project.

Each participant offered their viewpoints of the problems with water for their communities. The important points discussed were lack of water, contaminated water, minerals in the water and taste of the water with chlorine added.

Saul (CEDESA) presented the history of the cistern project in San Miguel that includes 587 cisterns spread out through the area. Saul emphasized that each drop of water is sacred and that water harvested into the cisterns should only be used for drinking and cooking. Twenty-two communities have banded together through the water harvesting and other projects, and they have formed the regional organization, COCIRA (Consejo Ciudadano Rural de Agua – Rural Citizens Council on Water), which brings these communities together as a single voice in analyzing and prioritizing their needs, making plans to resolve problems and presenting their case as a single voice to municipal authorities and other organizations. The participation in COCIRA will lead to further advances for these communities (example: dry toilets, training in food production and processing, health workshops). It is the responsibility of COCIRA which has one representative and one alternate from each community, to manage the community needs and set priorities for the represented communities. (The community development part of this water project is as important as the cistern itself.)

The state of the aquifer underlying the municipality of San Miguel was discussed and it was recognized that this precious resource is rapidly being depleted. Many families and communities have no access to water whatsoever except for erratic deliveries by the municipal government to fill barrels and plastic tubs. For the communities that have a well to provide them water, it is increasingly contaminated by Fluoride and Arsenic. In high concentrations, these minerals cause numerous health problems, most notably dental fluorosis (staining and deterioration of the teeth, general indicators of bone deterioration) and cancer. The most recent test of the well water at La Palma showed that it exceeded limits set by the Mexican government and the World Health Organization. It was pointed out that every year the concentration of these minerals in the aquifer increases as its water continues to be depleted.

The community members at this assembly understood that it is a requirement of this type of project that the cisterns be built in mutual-aid groups, which will decide rules of participation; that the building process requires 4-8 weeks; and that to have a cistern, the family must live full-time in the community and have 25 square meters of roof to capture rain, and a ground space of 3 x 3 meters for the cistern itself.

The members of the community presented their prioritized list of families to receive cisterns: 14 confirmed and 5 on the waiting list. The list was made by considering necessity (no water in Los Magueyes) and participation in the project by attending meetings, helping with the organization and willingness to participate in the work teams. It was explained that funding would be sought for 14 to 19 cisterns.

This is the prioritized list of families to receive cisterns as decided by the group.

Los Magueyes
1- Lilia and Antonio Luna
2- Veronica y Juan Juárez
3- Anastasia Paolino
4- Arturo Juárez
5- Lucina y Rafael Juárez
6- Filemon Juárez
7- Gloria Martínez
8- Beatriz Martínez

La Palma
9- María Suárez
10- Susana Morales
11- Ma. Socorro Juárez
12- Concepción Mojica

13- Ma. Guadalupe Juárez
14- Patricia Ramírez
15- Ma. Elena Ramírez
16- Cristina Ramírez
17- Norma Zapatero
18- Estela Muñoz (not present)
19- Eulalia Granados (not present)

Lilia’s husband was there too, in and out, but I don’t know his name - 

Record of Event 46th Event of the SMA Midday Rotary Water Project Los Torres

Where: Los Torres Primary School

When:  6.6.12 12midday to 4.40pm

Who:  Saul,Chela,Holly,Abel (Cedesa), Gary, Lee, David, Enrique, Lisette, Don, Laura (+ Steve & Visitor Carly from New Zealand) (Rotary), approx. 500 adults plus 100+ kids from 22 communities

Warning – long report – last inauguration is the excuse!

Purpose: I was led to believe the purpose of the day was inauguration of 14 cisterns of the final phase in Los Torres, full circle from the first visit in late 2008 & first project early 2009.

We Rotarians arrived in convoy to Los Torres approx. at midday.

Many people were already gathered, lots of pick ups parked trying to snatch any little shade from small mesquite trees. A huge tarpaulin was strung over a rows of small school chairs, most already occupied, tables were placed to receive the large enamel pots & buckets of tortilla’s wrapped in embroidered cloths to stay warm!

Balloons alternating pink & white were strung over the entrance, a large group of small girls rushed me & each one giving me a hug.

There were posters of photos of all the famiies in Los Torres proudly standing in front of their cisterns, & groups of small children gathered pointing out their families, or laughing at their photos.

We only began the tradition of each family photographing their cisterns in one of the later projects, but Los Torres had decided to go back & photograph each of their families – 84 – lots of posters!!

Concha & Chuy the 2 women who have been instrumental in organisation in this community from  before we even arrived with our projects, gave me welcoming hugs & then spun off to busy-ness readying things, Holly & huddles of other women dotted around from many other communities.

We mingled, chatted, & shook hands with more than 100 people, before miming shaking hands with the rest – realising we’d be there all day if we continued. This was shaping up to be a massive final inauguration.

Pages of info on each community were strung in plastic sleeves on a rope high up across the entrance. Men were lingering in any shady spots they could find replete in their best western shirts, embroidered belts & cowboy hats, I greeted those I recognised, with a general nod of acknowledgement to the others. Other men were carrying huge pots of barbacoa (lamb/sheep) cooked in an underground oven, with steaming large banana leaves – hmm looking forward to that!

The teachers had the children ready & primed with sound equipment in place to begin, a long table decorated with beautifully embroidered cloths & special florist bouquet arrangements of carnations & greenery – I fleetingly thought, how had they gotten those all the way out here in the desert (special trip?)…

More hello kisses & hugs from all the faces I recognised from the many events, assemblies, project days, & regional meetings that we had now amassed between us. Familiar eyes, aprons, special earrings for special events, everyone in their finest.

Gary laughed & asked me if I was running for president? I dismissed him with a nervous laugh & wondered what the heck he was talking about. He asked if I’d seen the electoral poster with my name on it, again I kind of laughed & moved onto other hellos…

I looked up & saw a photo of me from the Tierra Blanca project, Saul & I had tried to take a photo of a particularly old woman, in her fine apron & ready for work with a big hat on. She had refused to smile, so we made it our business to steal one from her. We had cajoled, explained & even pleaded, all the time being met with a staunch refusal… I snuck round beside her & wrapped my arm around her shoulder, then I tickled her ribs, & she couldn’t help it, a smile broke across here face & Saul just managed to catch the last of it…& one of me throwing my head back in a fit of laughter… Anyway, this apparently was my election poster, along with slogan “Laura si cumpli” (loosely translates to – she keeps her word).  There was a resounding clunk & I realised – oh my god, they are honouring me here today!!

A wave of panic came over me – how can I get out of this? rushed into my head… This should not be happening, we should be honouring the team & the communities, this is wrong… I’m sure I flushed an instant magenta! Finally (30 seconds later) I thought, oh well, hopefully it will be short & sweet & this has involved massive organisation & co-ordination, I have to respect their efforts…

Well, so it began, we were asked to take our place at the big table, & the presentations started.

Gifts were presented to me from many communities, a huge glass jug & glasses, a picture of a lush garden, a tin lizard & miniature wheelbarrow, a box of hand painted mugs! Hugs & tributes, I’d already begun crying, this was going to be long!

There were dances by adults, dances by kids, speeches of gratitude, retelling the stories, long crushing hugs, Concha led the proceedings announcing each of the next items, each of the communities were asked to do the chant…bim bom va – each community was called out in turn, stood up where they were & chanted the bim bom va chant ending with “laura, laura Ra Ra Ra”, this lasted an excrutiating lifetime, while every community yelled their loudest! There were even people from Palencia & 3 Esquinas in the municipality of La Paz 2 hours away!

Then more speeches, including one composed by Ivar & read in his absence in English by Gary, & in Spanish by Lee, with David standing beside us holding up a photocopied lifesized mask of Ivar’s face over his own (on a paddle stick) – thank god for that, everytime more tears came bubbling, I looked at Ivar’s smiling 2D face on David’s lanky frame & couldn’t help but laugh. I was presented with a certificate, a pen to continue writing & beautiful silver cuff from Ivar & Paty (exquisite scandanavian style!)

This continued for what must have been an eternity for the kids standing in full uniform & full sun, as more speeches, (tears fully streaming as Chela recounted our team exploits & gave thanks for our collaboration) songs & dances were performed, & eventually this all concluded, after some hilarious solo songs by a couple of older women, & the banquet began.

Plates of steaming pozole, rice, chicken mole, barbacoa, tortillas (still warm!), large jugs of juice water, until we couldn’t eat any more…

People ate, Chela called a meeting in a different part of the school (she can’t help herself, never miss a chance to organise!). We found a knife (the barbacoa one hastily cleaned & pressed into service to) cut the 2 huge cakes bought by Rotary, into a million pieces to make sure all that line up got some… David dished out serviettes & whispered, cut them smaller Laura, there’s a lot of people! The kids (&

some adults) lined for ½ hr waiting patiently for their little piece of cake, it took me a while to realise that the usual “can I have a bigger piece?” which would have been the norm in our culture didn’t happen, each recipient was happy with whatever they received, not one asking for a bigger piece, even if some were only crumbs – it struck me additional confirmation, these humble people have no expectations, & are just so grateful to receive anything.

Rotary colleagues peeled away, many people from the communities piled back onto the pickups, with empty containers & full tummies, huge hugs & calls of “don’t forget us, & remember you’re always welcome in our community” as they drove away in clouds of dust… Holly &  I walked to find the cistern whose ribbon we were to cut.  Eventually we all gathered (the families in Los Torres involved in this final phase, bringing the number of cisterns in Los Torres to approx. 96% of the number of families! We cut the ribbon, hugged, cried, laughed. I lingered a little longer to hear the extreme gratitude & pride of the woman who’s cistern this was. Her husband spoke very good English with a very strong accent – he had, it turned out – been in Florida for 22 years!

I asked the woman if she had children, she said only 2, she would have had more but her husband left , she spoke with sadness retelling how he had only returned 8 mths ago & had left when her daughters were 3 & 5, the oldest was standing there today a mother herself! The woman had tears in her eyes, & a stoic strength about her. We walked to her gate, through her proud garden, geranium cuttings & plants in cans,  she retold – for my ears only – how she had raised those children solo, here in this desert with no money & support for 22 yrs – she had not been part of the previous phases as she didn’t have the requisite time to commit to the participation, & she was sooo relieved & grateful to finally have a cistern, despite the absence of her husband… We hugged & I felt an overwhelming rush of her pain & strength with massive sadness, having been deserted & yet a sense of I survived – but did it have to be that hard…

What a day! What a project!! – this has been an amazing journey for all involved, the communities, the Rotarians here & away, the team!! We have all grown beyond description & know so much more than that first hot dusty day we came driving into Los Torres in 2008 – who would have guessed!!!

LOVE
LAURA

In summary at the conclusion of the Water Project

It’s been a long but seemingly fast, journey from the initial needs analysis carried out by Bob & I in Aug-Nov 2008 until now…

There are huge thanks to be doled out - I’ve done my best to recall all the info/stats/data for the last 3.5 yrs forgive me if there are any omissions.

A BIG THANK YOU to all the hardworking men & women belonging to the Rotary Clubs & Districts & the Foundation who have been part of this solution:

Ann Arbor RC USA

Baton Rouge Capital City RC USA
Bellingham RC USA

Calgary RC Canada

New Braumfels RC USA

Paso Robles RC USA

Port Lavaca RC USA

Richmond RC TX USA

Sechelt BC RC Canada

Tallahassee RC USA
Trail BC RC Canada
Tyron RC USA
West U RC TX USA
San Miguel Midday RC Mexico
Districts 4160, 6060, 6200, 6940, 7670

& THE ROTARY FOUNDATION (Ashley & Lauren)

HUGE THANK YOU’s to:

Cedesa, (especially Holly, Chela, Saul – The TEAM!!), & our family members who put up with long, late hours…

Sapasma (Camilo, Waldo, Alva, Juan Jose & the other promoters)

Fondo Verde

Alberta Govt’s Community Initiative Program (BC Canada)

The many private donors/supporters

Our Suppliers, especially Raul from Hierro Comercial Dolores Hidalgo, Eric our Herreria & his boys, Jesus our sand guy, Madera Providencia, Cemex, Talego, Don Pedro,

Our Banks: Frost Bank, Bancomer, Monex, Intercam, CI banco,

Our accountant (wish we had her in the early days) : Liliana

Our publicity: Atencion!,

Members & Board of San Miguel Midday, for continuing support, attending Inaugurations, making speeches on behalf of the project, attending meetings with govt, fundraising!

Lee Carter: answering all the tricky finance questions

 &

MASSIVE THANKS to the men, women & children in all of the participating communities – for showing us your strength, courage & commitment to improving the lives of yourselves & future generations - living with such dignity under incredible hardship.

Numbers:

587 Cisterns

19 Communities

Ie 4000+ family members (+ other school & kinder children)

Total Funding Summarised

Rotary US$229047    (including direct grant private donations)

SMCF US$10614

Sapasma mxn$870399 (ie approx. US$67000)

Fondo Verde mxn$150,000(ie approx. US$11,500) + US$21,850

Other donations US$1000

(total approx. US$341,011) 

To be Completed May-Jun 2012 11 Cisterns

Summary of Funding

San Miguel Community Fund $5911

Tierra Blanca 11 cisterns

Completed Jan-May 2012 169 cisterns in 8 Communities

Summary of Funding

Global Grant Rotary $65,300

Direct grants & donations $21,147 breakdown as follows:


Tallahassee US$10k club & $2.5k private donation
Port Lavaca  US$6k
Peggy Purcel US$462.45
Pancake breakfast fundraiser $14950pesos
Excess funds from Port Lavaca/New braumfels proj. $11420pesos
Excess funds from Cap II proj. $487pesos
Excess funds from Bellingham water proj. $1163.5 pesos
private donation $250pesos

La Tinaja 22 cisterns

Cruz del Palmar 41 Cisterns

Guerrero 20 Cisterns

Tres Esquinas 24 Cisterns

Tierra Blanca 23 Cisterns

Corralejos 15 Cisterns

Vivienda de Arriba 10 Cisterns

Los Torres 14 Cisterns

Completed Nov 2011-Jan2012 60 cisterns in 5 communities

Summary of Funding

Sapasma mxn$435399

Chris Hosford private donor US$500

Los Torres 18 cisterns (Phase IV in this community)

Presita de Santa Rosa 21 Cisterns (Pilot paid for by private donation - thankyou Chris Hosford, 20 cisterns funded by Sapasma)

Cienega Juana Ruiz 18 Cisterns (Phase II in this community)

Lomas de Cocina 2 Cisterns

Cinco Senores 1 Cistern

Completed March – Jun 2011 134 cisterns in 6 communities

Summary of funding

Rotary $44,000

Fondo Verde mxn$150,000

Sapasma mxn$435,000

Tierra Blanca 28
Juan Gonzalez 22
funded by Global Grant from Baton Rouge Capitol City RC & District 6200 US$33,500

(completed June 2011)

Tierra Blanca 14 - direct grant donation from New Braumfels RC $2k, & Port Lavaca RC $7k

(completed June 2011)

San Lorenzo 4
Cinco Senores 11 (incl pilot in JG)
Fondo Verde Mxn$150k

(Completed June 2011)

Villa de Guadalupe 27
Cienega Juana Ruiz 26
Sapasma mxn$435k

(completed June 2011)

Villa Pilot x1
Cienega Pilot x 1 
Bellingham RC US$1500

(completed June 2011)

Completed Jan 2011 – March 2011 25 cisterns

Summary Funding

DSG Tallahassee $3800,Tallahassee RC$6000,Walla Walla $7000

Vivienda Urbana (Cap II) 25 cisterns

Completed Jan 2009 – Jan 2011 Total 188 cisterns in 6 communities.

Summary Funding
Rotary$81,800
SMCF$4,703
Fondo Verde$21,850
Skymed $500
total funding = USD $108,853

Palencia 21 Cisterns $7k (+ balance of excess from other projects)

Capaderillo 40 Cisterns FV US$21850

Cruz del Palmar 28 Cisterns combined $24700

Vivienda de Arriba 17 Cisterns

Montecillo de Nieto 30 Cisterns $16700

Los Torres 52 Cisterns (27+4+17+1+3) Including $21,700 + 12,200+smcf US$2468+ smcf 2 U$2235  

= 188 cisterns (& 4 rotoplas tanks)