3rd Regional Mtg of the Communities requesting assistance with water

Record of Event
3rd Regional Mtg of the Communities requesting assistance with water

Where: Cruz del Palmar Community Park & “Salon”
When: 25.11.10
Who: Communities represented: More than 25 Adults including 5 men + 3 kids
Jesús Guitierrez, Holly Yasui,- Cedesa, Laura – Rotary, Mario & Citlali from Gaia,

Purpose: To continue work on resolving the water issues with these communities
Jesus gave a brief introductin.
A co-ordinator (Ana from VdA) & records taker (Isabel from 5 Senores) were elected

!. Introductions everyone introduced themselves & said why they were here today.
Reasons included – we don’t have safe drinking water, our wells are dry, we have to carry water from the river & it’s very far & very heavy & not often safe to drink.
“thank god we have water, but unfortunately it is not safe to drink, it is contaminated with fluoride so we need help with drinking water…” “we are struggling for water, having to carry it for people, animals, to clean the house etc”

Why are we here?
Agenda was formed:
Cisterns
Q&A re Cisterns
How to find resources
How to work to construct a cistern
What we need for cisterns
How much they cost?
Now many cisterns needed per community

One representative from Montecillo de Nieto & one from Vivienda de Arriba (previous project sites) described the process of projects in their communities.

From Training days @ schools to receiving their materials, to constructing the cisterns in groups, weaving the cylinders & mixing cement & placing on the lined cylinder…

The woman from Vivienda de Arriba explained it in great detail, she knows the process very well & including “everyone needed their own tools for the work”

The question of why work in groups was raised, “to be united & work together”, it was explained some have tinacos if they live alone or have very small families & are unable to construct their own, but they still contribute however they can, for example bringing food & drink to share.

Montecillo de Nieto described the case in their community where one family did not participate, despite meeting & encouragement & they offered to provide food to make up for it but didn’t follow through on their promise, so the material were given to another family.

Cost to Families
There is no $$ cost but families must participate & provide all the labour, not $$$ but it’s lots of work.

A man from Presita suggested we do a study – we agreed it was a good idea, if he was willing to co-ordinate it (he was not more explicit on the subject of the study he was suggesting).

Requisites
That the community be united, minimum of 20 per pilot, share work & share everything.
It’s difficult to co-ordinate if there is not community unity.

Discussion re how to Prioritise the communities involved
The issues were raised again
Pipas (water trucks) only coming 1x per month
Pipas bring likely contaminated water
Some wells have water but no pipes
Some wells have pipes but no water

The well in San Isidro Capadero has been capped since a dispute of land ownership re the location of the well.

The communites were divided into Clusters/micro regions
Group 1 –
La Cienega, Cinco Senores, Villa Guadalupe, San Lorenzo, Juan Gonzalez
1st meeting 2nd Wednesdays 12.1.11 1pm Villa de Guadalupe

Group 2
Capaderillo, vivienda de Abajo, Guerrero, La Aurora, Don Juan, Presita de Santa Rosa
1st meeting 3rd Wednesdays 19.1.11 1pm Vivienda de Abajo kinder

Group 3
CdP, Los Torres, vivienda de Arriba, Montecillo de Nieto, San Isidro, Tierra Blanca
1st meeting 4th Wednesdays 26.1.11 1pm Vivienda de Arriba @ Capilla

Meeting finished around 4pm.
Next ones as above!