9th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Cruz del Palmar Water Project

Record of Event pg 1 of 4

9th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Cruz del Palmar Water Project

Where: Cruz del Palmar Community - Domitila’s Casa (40 mins from SMA)
When: Wed 11.08.10 11.15 – 2pm
Who: Chela, (Cedesa), Laura (Rotary), 33 adults incl 3 men, + 11kids, 4 dogs,

Purpose: Review construction of individual cisterns

There were 2 new people here today & 3 who had only attended 1 previous meeting, so we introduced ourselves.

I apologised for not speaking Spanish well, they all joked & said next month’s meeting will be in English…

Chela asked the women to describe for me what had taken place at the previous meeting (I did not attend as I was in NZ).

Last month they talked about
• back yard gardens, why it was better to grow your own food than buy it, including cheaper, more healthy, fewer chemicals, beneficial bacteria, medicinal plants, plants for human & animal food.
• Maintenance of cisterns
• Review of cisterns progress

Domitila was elected as co-ordinator
Analaura records taker.

Agenda points were called for:
• The next stage/Phase II?
• Review of cisterns progress
• Traspatios/back yard gardens

It was noted there is a govt. Oportunidades Program mtg on at the same time which is why some people are not here today.

Re (possible) Phase II Planning
There are currently 11 people on the list, including one woman who came to earlier meetings but was unable to attend re small children, so dropped out, she wants to be re-included. Elizabeth was voted able to go on the list.

There was an old woman (Euphemia), who works very hard & lives alone & was unable to attend previous meetings, she would like to be considered for a tinaco (plastic tank), she has one daughter who comes to visit her. Her only source of water is the river, which is often dry, or dirty with kitchen scraps.

The women at the assembly were asked for their opinions
Tere “ a plastic tank would be a good idea for her”
Wenseslada agreed since it would be hard for her to build a cistern & cisterns should be kept for families.
A plastic tank is less work, but she still needs to help other people & other people will need to help her, like in other communities, come together to help the older people (Tere).




Record of Event pg 2 of 4

Another older woman – mother of Maria Banca (new) has not attended other meetings as they were on too early for her, right when she was working, if they were later in the day she would be able to attend. She is here representing her daughter Maria, who has 2 children.

In the end the Phase II list was amended
17 cisterns, including 2 tinacos, & 1 for pilot at the church. Ie 14 family cisterns, 2 tinacos (plastic tanks) & 1 for the church.

Analaura has the complete list in the records book.

There was some discussion as to whether to close the list or not, & I pointed out since funding has not been secured yet, it is fine to keep it open, as long as the additional people on the list are aware of the commitment & continue to participate in planning meetings in the interim.

Domitila mentioned a representative from the community of El Cortijo (near Montecillo de Nieto) had asked her about joining the project – there are approx. 12 families there, without water, (only delivered irregularly by pipa – water truck), a representative will need to attend an assembly to make contact with us.

Chela mentioned there have been many requests for assistance by many communities & there is the possibility of an extension of this project with the Presidencia.

The first phase has had the experience & training of building cisterns & co-ordinating meetings & workgroups , these people need to assist the next phase…

Revision of Phase I
25 out of 27 cisterns (20 originally planned) have been completed.
The last 2 are finished but are awaiting connection to the roof of the houses, that are being built as part of the Casa Diferente Program (materials provided, people build their own house).

All cisterns are now ½ or more full (depending on size of the roof catchment area).
Any/all problems have been resolved.

Chela & I asked them to describe the difference the cisterns have caused for their families:

“we’re happy we just have to turn the tap & fresh water that tastes good comes out – there is no need to buy water – the flavour is very good & it’s very fresh & cool” – Domitila

Josefina “ very delicious, we’re very happy, it’s worth the hard work”

Tere gave a gift of water in an empty coke bottle to friends & they couldn’t believe it tasted better than bought water.

Jesus “ very convenient, very reliable & safe to drink, a good solution:”

Domi said “it is clean out of the cistern, or black & yellow if it does arrive, out of the other pipes” (some houses in CdP have water on tap, but the delivery is sporadic & the quality is undrinkable)



Record of Event pg 3 of 4

Chela reminded everyone how important the maintenance (as discussed last meeting) is, you must make sure your roofs are free of dust & other rubbish. Domi said she brushes her roof regularly between the rains now.

The subject of coke came up & Chela mentioned some interesting facts
• More than 12 spoons of sugar in one bottle
• The kidneys can’t filter this much sugar & chemicals so it gets into the pancreas & can lead to diabetes, hypertension/high blood pressure.
• 9 pesos for a small bottle of coke, 23 pesos for 2.5 ltr of coke
• 1 2.5 ltr bottle of coke per day = $8395pesos per year (this amazed people!)
• (many families buy 3 2.5ltr bottles per day!)
• Laura mentioned it takes 2.5 litres of good water to make 1 litre of coke
• Giving it to your kids is the same as giving them “poison”
• No-one personally knows the makers of coke, you are not supporting “friends” by buying it, you are supporting an anonymous corporation.
• The plastic bottles are very hard to dispose of in the countryside.
• It’s damaging to your health, then you have to spend money on doctors & clinics
• Coke is a diuretic

Children are becoming accustomed (essentially addicted) to the taste of coke, Chela suggested making fruit waters. Chela proposed they try a week of just drinking water & fruit juices (home made), & give their kidneys a break. …Most thought this was an amusing suggestion, some thought it was a good idea.


Laura & Chela asked how they would describe the experience of working in groups?

Jesus “workgroups are great, every day is different, lots of harmony & singing & laughing, sharing food & drink – cokes!! Also you begin to know people better & begin a relationship.

One woman responded that Jesus likes it for the free food! Everyone laughed & agreed!

“working in groups means you advance faster”
“each group has different experiences of working in a group, some less effective, some helped with the wire weaving but didn’t help with the concrete work.”

Chela asked the community to identify the experts on cisterns in this community.
In other communities – eg Los Torres, there are now 2 or 3 people who have become expert at the process…

This community agreed many men only helped certain days & could not identify experts, they said mainly women did the work, with the men just coming to do the cement application.

They agreed they would probably still need help with tech assistance for any Phase II people.

The Padre of the church has mentioned to some of the families he would like a cistern, they agreed it would be a good place to do the pilot for phase II.

The roll was called, 6 people missing from Phase I (they are @ the Oportunidades Program). All were present from the Phase II list.



Record of Event pg 4 of 4

Traspatio/Back yard gardens
Chela is going to report back about the possibility of a workshop(s) or regular meetings re this topic, there seems to be interest, but in Los Torres for example, the attendance is sporadic.

We finished at 1.15

Next assembly 8th Sept. 11am (Domitila’s house)

Chela asked Jesus if he had a few eggs he could cook up for snack for us, since we were meeting in Capaderillo next & would have no time for lunch. Jesus has many hens & she knew he would have some eggs. We went to his place & he cooked us some rice, & fried eggs & a calabash casserole!









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