44th Event of the SMA Midday Rotary Water Project Los Torres

Where: Los Torres Community Pilot Project private house

When: 14.11.11

Who: Saul, (Cedesa), Miguel Cruz (technician) Denis & Laura (Rotary), 27 adults plus 5 kids

Purpose:

1^st Day of Pilot training session (train the trainer type) for Phase III of Los Torres Water project, This project funded as part of the Sapasma Project II grant.

Denis & I arrived approx. 10.45am the session was well underway & had begun at 8.30.

The materials had been delivered as requested, by Hierro Comercial Dolores Hidalgo, on Friday afternoon.

The first phase was almost completed, the women & some men were weaving the chicken wire either side of the electrosoldered maya. They were using ganchos (hooks) created by grinding down cut pieces of the maya. This community has done 2 other phases + cisterns at the kinder & School so they were fairly well versed in the phases, & were working quickly to complete the weaving.

Next was to cut the length for the cylinder & for the cone top, & flat base. The cylinder was joined to the flat base. 2 of the guys worked on the inside of the cylinder & Denis & I joked about how the heck they were going to get out, since they had joined the bottom. Saul explained when finished they would tip the cylinder (with bottom attached) on it’s side & they guys would climb out.

Everyone was in good spirits & many people working.

Delivery of the maya & wire had been made for the families to begin work on their cisterns at night after the pilot, the delivery had been made to one place as it turned out the co-ordinator was not present when the truck arrived to guide them to each participant’s house. The groups therefore had to work out delivery of the maya & mesh on their own.

We congratulated everyone & left.

This was Denis’ first visit to Los Torres & we noted how particularly dry the terrain is, since rainy season (such as it was) had recently finished. The maize plants in 2 fields were on avg less than 1 mtr high.

We will return when the family construction is in progress & see how things are going.