Record of Event pg 1 of 3
7th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Vivienda de Arriba Water Project
Where: Vivienda de Arriba (40 mins from SMA)
When: Wed 2nd June 2010 12.10pm
Who: Holly, Chela (Cedesa) Laura (Rotary), 25 adults incl 5 men + Jesus the sand guy from San Isidro Capadero, & 5 people from La Tinaja (community on the Rd to Gto) & 2 people from La Aurora (past Guerrero).
Purpose: Review of progress of construction of individual family cisterns
We arrived to be greeted by people from 3 additional communities other than VdA.
We decided to have the discussion with each of the communities first before we got onto the business for VdA.
La Tinaja
There were 5 people here to represent this community. This community is further out on the GTO road, near Villa Guadalupe & Pena Blanca.
• One of the women has a niece in VdA who told her about the assembly today.
• Approx 49 families in La Tinaja.
• They have a big well, & have not tested the water, but drink it anyway.
• They had no obvious problems with their teeth.
• They don’t believe they need help with water (although they would like us to test their water for confirmation) they are here to see if we can help them with dry toilets, as there is a project going on in Villa Guadalupe providing dry toilets (this is a project we’re aware of, it is costing approx. US$60k to provide 30 dry toilets, funded by Save the Laja, & done by Atajualpa).
• Their well is approx. 300 mtrs deep.
• They share the well with Ejido de Pena Blana (where the well is located).
• They would like us to test their water
We advised them we do not currently do dry toilets, they are almost twice the cost of cisterns to put in, & often are just used for sheds, as people ultimately prefer to toilet in the wild… Our priority is to provide safe drinking water for everyone who needs it first…
We invited them to the next assembly at VdA on 7th July at 12pm, & may have some information for them then on their next course of action.
La Aurora
2 women came from La Aurora to present their request for assistance with water in their community.
La Aurora is the other side of Guerrero 20 mins walk from Guerreo, (which is the other side of Capaderillo), approx. ½ hr walk from Capaderillo, they would have attended Capaderillo’s assembly but did not know the date of it.
La Aurora is a small community, only approx. 10 families.
They have the same situation as Guerrero, ie wells dry in summer, they have to buy water from the pipas (delivery trucks).
Only have wells in the lower area.
Their teeth are all damaged, (Guerrero has highest Fluoride levels in SMA)
La Aurora were invited to attend the assembly in Capaderillo on 9.6.10 at 3pm to continue planning.
Record of Event pg 2 of 3
The visitors left & we began the VdA assembly at 12.45.
VdA
Chela asked the meeting in general what they knew of these other communities…
One woman was aunty, not sure why they came since they didn’t want help with water, but with dry toilets.
There was a discussion about the # of children here, seems fewer than in other communities, they joked that it was because all the men were up north, & then joked that they only come back to make babies…
Chela began a discussion about toilets. She asked who had them, the majority did not. Some have latrines, they say they are smelly, & this is because the urine is not separated, & it takes longer to dry.
They need to separate the urine, & add lime & dirt, & make sure the lid is always shut, to reduce flies.
The majority of the community go out in the countryside “behind the Nopal(cactus)”
They joked about the animals following them when they know they are going to go to the toilet, & how people wish them luck when they see the animals following them.
Chela then described the model of dry toilet they propose, with 2 chambers, 1 in use, while the other is drying. The urine is separated & is very good to use in a dilution of 1:10 to fertilize plants, everyone laughed at the thought of this, as no-one knew it was possible.
The dry toilet needs to be well maintained to work well.
Casa apparently came to VdA & did a dry toilets project of 5 toilets, it was a lottery, 2 of the people with dry toilets from that project were at today’s meeting, when Chela asked them how the toilets were going, they said, they weren’t since they weren’t using them, they preferred to go in the “wild”…
One family described digging an 18mtr pit & lining it with concrete, they didn’t hit water.
Chela said digging a hole can contaminate the water table, so better to do dry toilets (above ground).
Chela said that since they have 2 people there with dry toilets not using them they most likely don’t want them, & said maybe we should do a project in La Tinaja & they could see how they function (I think she was using a bit of reverse psychology!)
Anamaria agreed to write a list of people who would truly like dry toilets & we will re-visit this at a later stage.
Review of Project
Group 1 & 2, have completed the first 4 in each (ie half).
They have still to install the piping.
They don’t remember how & need help with this.
We suggested they invite Juan to come & demonstrate at one house how to do this.
It took them 3 wks & 2 days.
They say their cisterns are the most beautiful, better than Cruz del Palmar, who have some wonky ones.
They are still waiting for the cement for the 2nd lot…
Record of Event pg 3 of 3
Laura explained, the issue is with the suppliers’ supplier, the quantities were so large the suppliers have had problems keeping up & VdA finished sooner than they estimated.
Cement should be here soon.
Apart from the materials any other probs?
There is interest in a 2nd phase for this community.
1. Consuelo (3 people in family)
2. Nicolasa (6 in family)
3. Francisca (12 in family)
4. Jose Guadalupe (4 in family)
5. Gerardo (anamaria’s brother in law)(just 2 – newly married)
6. Rogelio (3 – young family)
7. Gloria (6 people)
8. Kinder (6 kids)
+ Luisa (2 elderly – rotoplas)
Marcelina was mentioned as she spends some time here, but also some time in Cruz (they have land in both places that they work), I said I thought it unfair to give her a cistern in both places when there are families without even 1)
Laura also pointed out that with such a small group a pilot demo day is more difficult , every person would have to attend everyday & it would be very slow with such small numbers, they had double this number at the first pilot, phase I people would have to help out.
The list was passed around (roll called) we had forgotten to do this at the beginning.
The phase II people were added to the roll.
San Isidro Capadero (Jesus – the sand guy)
The guy who delivered the sand to all the project recipients attended today’s meeting, this is his 2nd meeting, he took time off work to attend today’s meeting.
• There are approx. 30 families.
• He has a list of 10 interested at this time, he didn’t want to disrupt today’s meeting by bringing them.
• They have no running water, small personal wells, & they get water from the river, but there is no water in the dry season.
• Jesus understands the situation, it is a process that takes time, firstly to gather the interest, then the information, & then to write & make the application for funding (Rotary, Ecology or Sapasma)…
• He agreed to gather the info. & we will make a time to visit his community at a later date.
Meeting finished at 2pm.
Next meeting will be at Vivienda de Arriba on 7th July at 12 Midday.
We then went for lunch at one of the houses, during which we saw they had decorated their cistern with 3 elephants on the top, apparently they have decorated each one individually! I will take photos next time! (Very cute!!)
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Report of 2nd visit to Tierra Blanca
Where: Tierra Blanca – under big trees down by the river…
When: 02.06.10
Who: Chela, Jesus, Holly (Cedesa) Laura (Rotary), 38 adults incl, 4 men, 8kids, at least 7dogs
Purpose: We were invited to visit this community to talk about water issues & discovered they have a major health issue, the community has requested our help to resolve the early mortality rate.
Introduction
Chela asked us to introduce ourselves & then gave the meeting a bit of background about Cedesa, & also about the collaboration between Rotary & Cedesa starting in Los Torres, 18mths ago, working on the solution to the problem of contaminated water (by fluoride, arsenic & in some cases manganese). She explained we began training & teaching people to build cisterns.
3 Women from the Tierra Blanca community began to visit the assemblies in Los Torres & then in Vivienda de Arriba & asked us to visit Tierra Blanca. This is our 2nd meeting, last time they mentioned the mortality rate issue & asked for our help.
We came initially to talk about water issues, & many other issues were raised, nutrition, alcoholism & the cancer issue. We are here to talk more about this issue as it worries us & we would like to work with you to resolve this issue.
Do you want to work with us or not? “SI”
The problems you have raised are serious, do you want an organised assembly or disorganised?
“organised!”
To organise we need to appoint a co-ordinator, to control the speakers & raise points for the agenda – who do you propose?
Veronica was proposed, & all voted yes.
The principal function of the co-ordinator was explained as to keep order & make sure everyone has a chance to be heard, & also to raise points for discussion today.
Points for discussion
• Cisterns for above & below communities.
• The problem of cancer/health
• Why doesn’t someone help us with a bridge for the rainy season?
• Interested in dry toilets (we don’t have them)
Cisterns
Contaminated water info was provided, ie fluoride & it’s symptoms.
They just began to drink the water from the deep well 10 years ago, so the symptoms are not obvious in the adults, & are more obvious in the kids. The small 3 or 4 year olds’ teeth are crumbling & falling out.
The water has not been tested yet, but is assumed to be contaminated.
Jesus – ususally the deeper the well, the more contaminated the water, also there is a strong relationship between arsenic & cancer, so arsenic is a potential cause.
Step 1 will be to analyse the water, we didn’t bring water sample bottles today as we are waiting for new ones for the lab.
The water from the pozo (deep well) only runs between 12 – 4pm daily (when the pump is switched on), people with roof top tinacos (plastic tanks) collect water in them, & then use it from there, when the pump is switched off.
Jesus suggested a commission to accompany us to the well to take the tests (when we return with the sample bottles)
Estela, Enedina, Lucia, Pedro & Vero will help take tests.
Vero 415 155 9410
Pedro 414 153 5862
Action Jesus When we have the bottles we will ring to make a time to come to do the test.
The water from the well is cold not warm when it comes up.
We need the keys to the enclosure to enter the well (community will organise these)
Chela – This program is not a govt. or Santa Claus program, you need to participate & ultimately build your own cisterns within groups.
Vero was asked to describe what she knows about the project.
She said they organised well, & began learning when they built one at the kinder, & then worked well in groups to build their own cisterns – Dona Julia reiterated this too.
Chela - If you demonstrate your motivation we can help, it’s not easy for Laura to knock on doors for money, she doesn’t have a big pile of money in her big bag (my bag is always full of files, kind of my portable office, so I carry a big bag to the communities)… she has to go & find avenues of help for you.
How many families are there in Tierra Blanca (approx. 125)
How many families are interested in this moment in starting a cistern project?
Jesus – water, toilets & health are in truth, all related. We need to ask questions to find info & resolve the issues, to begin a plan of management for this community, important to begin in these themes/issues.
We need to take a census - how –any families, how many inhabitants…
# of houses 125
# of persons avg 5 per house – 625
# men/women
Where the water is sourced, what types of water are drunk…
Action It was agreed that at the next assembly they would come with a list of who would like cisterns.
Action: Jesus proposed coming on the day they test water, with a rough map of the community & divide into roughly 3 areas of 40 families in each area.
Suggested 3 Teams in charge of the census
Marisol (& Vero)
Lucia/Pedro
Enedina/Reina & Carmela
Before the well people were still dying young, so it is unlikely to be the well water, but it is causing other issues (fluoride contamination). People were drinking from the river
Jesus asked everyone in the meeting
“raise your hand if you have a direct family member who has died from the cancer problem”
17 out of 43 people, raised their hands (ie approx. 40%)
How far back does this problem go? Grandparents, great grandparents?
“both grandparents & uncles died”
“here is a drastic situation, on my wife’s side all the people have died, relatives as young as 23 & people in their 30’s”
“I don’t think it’s the water, other communities are also drinking this water & they have old people & we don’t!”
“Dr’s are all surprised why people are dying here in Tierra Blanca”
“I am not sure how much you can all do to help us deal with this”
Jesus answered –
We will do an epidemiological study to determine the causes of the sickness’s, once we have the information we will be able to see the relationships/patterns, & maybe it’s external causes, or maybe it’s bloodlines, or a propensity to the problem.
Once we have the information we can work with medical experts to determine the cause & possibly prevention or cure…
If you are interested in learning the cause we will work with you buy only if you are interested, with your participation only. Are you interested in working with us? “Si”
Jesus suggested the 17 people who raised their hands could be the first to fill in the interview forms we have to begin gathering statistics & data.
“There is a young man who is sick with “bumps” under his lungs they say he is sick & cant do anything about it…”
The Bridge
Chela – did you ask for help at the municipality re this issue – “si but no-one came”
When it rains there is no access here, it’s blocked in all directions. It’s up to your chest if you try to cross the river.
There is a footbridge in neighbouring Espejo to cross on, but no-where for vehicle access.
Jesus suggested the community needs to appoint a commission to look at the problem & potential options to resolve it, including possible diversion of the course of the river with large rocks etc. & looking at not removing sand (preventing excavation & continued erosion/worsening of the problem).;
La Campana (another community Jesus is aware of) had a similar problem, they began with analysis, then diverted the river & had no need for a bridge.
The Bridge commission needs to consider
History of the river flow
Make suggestions for solution
Be prepared to meet with govt (public works) but have done the work in advance.
Commission for the bridge is
Estela, Augustine, Isabel Garcia
On the day Jesus comes for the water samples he will also meet with
1. Commission for the census/health
2. Commission for the bridge
3. Commission for water
Next assembly will be cisternas list.
Dry toilets
5 out of 44 people at the meeting have toilets,
3 people have flush toilets that flush into septic tank.
1 has latrine & 1 has dry toilet
Chela suggested that at the next assembly we discuss options, what works best & what people want.
Doubts & Questions
None…
Next assembly in Tierra Blanca 7th July at 3pm (commissions visit by Jesus to be advised)
The 17 people were then interviewed & stats info sheets completed by Jesus, Chela & Holly.
We then went to the house of Pedro & had gorditas, beans, nopal, rice & Alfalfa juice. We arrived home around 7.30 pm.
When: 02.06.10
Who: Chela, Jesus, Holly (Cedesa) Laura (Rotary), 38 adults incl, 4 men, 8kids, at least 7dogs
Purpose: We were invited to visit this community to talk about water issues & discovered they have a major health issue, the community has requested our help to resolve the early mortality rate.
Introduction
Chela asked us to introduce ourselves & then gave the meeting a bit of background about Cedesa, & also about the collaboration between Rotary & Cedesa starting in Los Torres, 18mths ago, working on the solution to the problem of contaminated water (by fluoride, arsenic & in some cases manganese). She explained we began training & teaching people to build cisterns.
3 Women from the Tierra Blanca community began to visit the assemblies in Los Torres & then in Vivienda de Arriba & asked us to visit Tierra Blanca. This is our 2nd meeting, last time they mentioned the mortality rate issue & asked for our help.
We came initially to talk about water issues, & many other issues were raised, nutrition, alcoholism & the cancer issue. We are here to talk more about this issue as it worries us & we would like to work with you to resolve this issue.
Do you want to work with us or not? “SI”
The problems you have raised are serious, do you want an organised assembly or disorganised?
“organised!”
To organise we need to appoint a co-ordinator, to control the speakers & raise points for the agenda – who do you propose?
Veronica was proposed, & all voted yes.
The principal function of the co-ordinator was explained as to keep order & make sure everyone has a chance to be heard, & also to raise points for discussion today.
Points for discussion
• Cisterns for above & below communities.
• The problem of cancer/health
• Why doesn’t someone help us with a bridge for the rainy season?
• Interested in dry toilets (we don’t have them)
Cisterns
Contaminated water info was provided, ie fluoride & it’s symptoms.
They just began to drink the water from the deep well 10 years ago, so the symptoms are not obvious in the adults, & are more obvious in the kids. The small 3 or 4 year olds’ teeth are crumbling & falling out.
The water has not been tested yet, but is assumed to be contaminated.
Jesus – ususally the deeper the well, the more contaminated the water, also there is a strong relationship between arsenic & cancer, so arsenic is a potential cause.
Step 1 will be to analyse the water, we didn’t bring water sample bottles today as we are waiting for new ones for the lab.
The water from the pozo (deep well) only runs between 12 – 4pm daily (when the pump is switched on), people with roof top tinacos (plastic tanks) collect water in them, & then use it from there, when the pump is switched off.
Jesus suggested a commission to accompany us to the well to take the tests (when we return with the sample bottles)
Estela, Enedina, Lucia, Pedro & Vero will help take tests.
Vero 415 155 9410
Pedro 414 153 5862
Action Jesus When we have the bottles we will ring to make a time to come to do the test.
The water from the well is cold not warm when it comes up.
We need the keys to the enclosure to enter the well (community will organise these)
Chela – This program is not a govt. or Santa Claus program, you need to participate & ultimately build your own cisterns within groups.
Vero was asked to describe what she knows about the project.
She said they organised well, & began learning when they built one at the kinder, & then worked well in groups to build their own cisterns – Dona Julia reiterated this too.
Chela - If you demonstrate your motivation we can help, it’s not easy for Laura to knock on doors for money, she doesn’t have a big pile of money in her big bag (my bag is always full of files, kind of my portable office, so I carry a big bag to the communities)… she has to go & find avenues of help for you.
How many families are there in Tierra Blanca (approx. 125)
How many families are interested in this moment in starting a cistern project?
Jesus – water, toilets & health are in truth, all related. We need to ask questions to find info & resolve the issues, to begin a plan of management for this community, important to begin in these themes/issues.
We need to take a census - how –any families, how many inhabitants…
# of houses 125
# of persons avg 5 per house – 625
# men/women
Where the water is sourced, what types of water are drunk…
Action It was agreed that at the next assembly they would come with a list of who would like cisterns.
Action: Jesus proposed coming on the day they test water, with a rough map of the community & divide into roughly 3 areas of 40 families in each area.
Suggested 3 Teams in charge of the census
Marisol (& Vero)
Lucia/Pedro
Enedina/Reina & Carmela
Before the well people were still dying young, so it is unlikely to be the well water, but it is causing other issues (fluoride contamination). People were drinking from the river
Jesus asked everyone in the meeting
“raise your hand if you have a direct family member who has died from the cancer problem”
17 out of 43 people, raised their hands (ie approx. 40%)
How far back does this problem go? Grandparents, great grandparents?
“both grandparents & uncles died”
“here is a drastic situation, on my wife’s side all the people have died, relatives as young as 23 & people in their 30’s”
“I don’t think it’s the water, other communities are also drinking this water & they have old people & we don’t!”
“Dr’s are all surprised why people are dying here in Tierra Blanca”
“I am not sure how much you can all do to help us deal with this”
Jesus answered –
We will do an epidemiological study to determine the causes of the sickness’s, once we have the information we will be able to see the relationships/patterns, & maybe it’s external causes, or maybe it’s bloodlines, or a propensity to the problem.
Once we have the information we can work with medical experts to determine the cause & possibly prevention or cure…
If you are interested in learning the cause we will work with you buy only if you are interested, with your participation only. Are you interested in working with us? “Si”
Jesus suggested the 17 people who raised their hands could be the first to fill in the interview forms we have to begin gathering statistics & data.
“There is a young man who is sick with “bumps” under his lungs they say he is sick & cant do anything about it…”
The Bridge
Chela – did you ask for help at the municipality re this issue – “si but no-one came”
When it rains there is no access here, it’s blocked in all directions. It’s up to your chest if you try to cross the river.
There is a footbridge in neighbouring Espejo to cross on, but no-where for vehicle access.
Jesus suggested the community needs to appoint a commission to look at the problem & potential options to resolve it, including possible diversion of the course of the river with large rocks etc. & looking at not removing sand (preventing excavation & continued erosion/worsening of the problem).;
La Campana (another community Jesus is aware of) had a similar problem, they began with analysis, then diverted the river & had no need for a bridge.
The Bridge commission needs to consider
History of the river flow
Make suggestions for solution
Be prepared to meet with govt (public works) but have done the work in advance.
Commission for the bridge is
Estela, Augustine, Isabel Garcia
On the day Jesus comes for the water samples he will also meet with
1. Commission for the census/health
2. Commission for the bridge
3. Commission for water
Next assembly will be cisternas list.
Dry toilets
5 out of 44 people at the meeting have toilets,
3 people have flush toilets that flush into septic tank.
1 has latrine & 1 has dry toilet
Chela suggested that at the next assembly we discuss options, what works best & what people want.
Doubts & Questions
None…
Next assembly in Tierra Blanca 7th July at 3pm (commissions visit by Jesus to be advised)
The 17 people were then interviewed & stats info sheets completed by Jesus, Chela & Holly.
We then went to the house of Pedro & had gorditas, beans, nopal, rice & Alfalfa juice. We arrived home around 7.30 pm.
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