Where: Casa of Cata in Cruz del Palmar (& 3 other family casas)
When: March 29 2012 11am – 4.20pm
Who: Chela, Holly, Saul (Cedesa) Laura, (Rotary), + more than 158 people.
Purpose:
- Regular Regional meeting of the now 22 communities part of the Consejo – Cocira formed as a result of the Water Cistern Project.
- Inauguration of the 41 cistern project part of the Global Grant 25437 funded by Calgary RC & Alberta CIP & combined with Direct grants from Tallahassee RC, Port Lavaca RC & private donations, as well as excess funds from previous water cistern projects.
Holly & I arrived a little late at 11.40 & the meeting was in full process. There was a huge gathering of people seated & standing & participating in the discussions.
The roll had already been “called” & a list of communities & numbers of representatives was already made. Attendance was listed as follows:-
Corralejo 5, Pena Blanca 18, Capaderillo 3, La Tinaja 16, Tierra Blanca 3, Artesanos 3, Juan Gonzalez 17, Palmita II 14, Vivienda de Arriba 4, Villa de Guadalupe 8, Vivienda Urbana 5, Guerrero 2, Magueyes 2, Presita de Santa Rosa 10, Los Torres 3, San Lorenzo 3, Cienega 5, Cruz del Palmar 31, Montecillo de Nieto 4, La Joya 1, Banda 1. (there were more late arrivals but these were not recorded by community).
The Co-ordinator had been chosen – Roberto & record takers were taking notes for each community as well as for the Consejo.
The agenda had been decided & listed:
- Presentation & Introduction
- Programing of regional meetings, micro regional meetings & community direct attention assemblies.
- Sanitarios secos update re resources
- Cistern project – inaugurations/ next project with Sapasma
- Pipa Communitario
- Diplomado de turismo Rural
- Report re Codecin
- Inauguration of 41 cisterns at Cruz del Palmar
Item 1:This had already taken place (hence the list of attendees above)
Item 2: Programming of regional meetings, micro regional meetings & community direct attention assemblies.
After some discussion it was agreed that micro regional meetings were ideal to discuss issues closer to each community & with smaller more productive groups enabled. The list of micro regions was drawn up, & each decided when they would next meet, they will meet on a 2 monthly basis.
Regional meetings will be held every 3 mths (ie qtrly) unless there is a special meeting called.
Community direct attention/organisation assemblies will be every month with Saul or Chela attending each one.
Traspatios (backyard production) & health workshops will continue in each of the communities that wishes them, with other Cedesa “specialist” promoters, ie Juana for health, & Benigno for backyard production.
The special training workshops will also continue at Cedesa, with the next one being on alternative construction techniques, this one is aimed at the young men, many of whom are currently unemployed, to teach them inexpensive alternatives to the normal brick construction. They will learn rammed earth techniques as well as adobe. The idea being as a team they can assist eachother to construct housing for themselves. Traditionally young men in this state go to the USA to accumulate enough money to begin to build themselves (& their new families) a house. We know how fraught this tradition is & in attempt to offer alternatives this new workshop is being offered.
Micro region 1 – close to the Presa. Next Meeting 18/4 10am at Vivienda Urbana
Capaderillo, Guerrero, Vivienda Urbana, Presita de Santa Rosa
Micro region 2 – Next Meeting 16/5 10am Montecillo de Nieto
Montecillo de Nieto, Los Torres, Cruz del Palmar, Banda, Artesano, Magueyes
Micro region 3 – Next Meeting 25/4 Juan Gonzalez 10am
Vivienda de Arriba, Tierra Blanca, Juan Gonzalez, San Lorenzo, Villa de Guadalupe, Cienega, La Joya
Micro region 4 – Next Meeting 23/5 10am La Tinaja
Corralejo, Cinco Senores, La Tinaja, Palmita II, Pena Blanca
General Assemblies, or Regional meetings will be every 3 mths, the next one June 28/6 at Guerrero 11am.
Item 3: Sanitarios Secos
The work continues on this project, the funding has been promised but they are still working through all the requisites to receive the $$ & begin the actual project.
Item 4:
Cistern Project Inaugurations:
Cruz del Palmar today, La Tinaja Tues 24/4 at 11am, Guerrero Sat 28/4 at 11am (3 Esquinas to be advised).
A commission from Cocira will attend the inauguration in Guerrero in solidarity.
Sapasma next project:
Holly advised Waldo has said a next Sapasma project is likely within the next 2 months. Sapasma currently has a policy of providing cisterns only to communities without water, not to communities with Contaminated water, Cocira would like to discuss this with Sapasma, ie to see whether this can be changed, as it is essential that people with contaminated water have access to safe drinking water, even if they have well water for domestic use.
A list of priority communities was created, but depends on the existing policy of Sapasma & whether that can be changed.
Action: water tests need to be done at the following communities – ie not yet tested
La Joya, Corralejo, La Tinaja, Palmita II, Vivienda Urbana. The cost to the communities for these tests is $300 pesos, $150 for arsenic test & $150 for Fluoride test. These costs are to cover the consumables for the Cedesa Lab ie bottle, testing strips, chemicals etc. Chela asked that each community ask families to contribute even 5pesos each, to cover these costs.
Item 5: Pipa Communitaria
It had previously been proposed by Sapasma that a plan for the Consejo to operate their own Pipa (water truck) for deliveries of water to their own communities could be put into place. This has been discussed at great length in previous assembly & each representative has spoken with their communities. Each of the communities were asked to comment & vote on the proposal, there were many comments, “the purpose of cisterns is to collect rain water, which is pure water, it makes no sense to fill the cisterns with other water & will be very complicated to administer” “we don’t know the exact costs but we know it is likely to be expensive & it will be very complicated” “we just want rain water or people will not value it & will waste water” “it will be too complicated, we are many communities & it will be difficult to administer & control” “I don’t think it is viable with all the issues that could pop up, like a broken pump, no electricity, lots of potential expenses” “lots of responsibility & a lot of work” “difficult to prioritise deliveries, we could have lots of people wanting water at the same time & this would mean competing against eachother, & risking solidarity”
The vote was unanimously “NO”.
A commission will go to Sapasma to explain the reasons for “NO” vote & make alternative suggestions for resolving the issues - & work hard on getting existing Pozos(wells) functioning – in Los Torres, Cienega & Montecillo de Nieto – this will cut down the number of families without water significantly.
Also, extra pipa deliveries need to be asked for for the communities without water in Villa de Guadalupe for example.
At this point an additional item was added – discussion on ethics & values. Chela worked with the crowd to discuss the value of working hard to improve your community & your region, working with good heart & good conscience.
Item 6: Diplomado de Turismo Rural
Cedesa is hosting another rural diploma similar to the water one held 2008/09. It is described as follows:
Diploma course on Sustainable Rural Tourism, taught by Dr. Felipe Macias, University of Guanajuato (Social Science and Humanities)
Module 1 – social organization
Module 2 – sustainable energy in the rural environment
Module 3 – Territory and natural resources
Module 4 – Gender, environment and sustainable development
Module 5 – Landscape and special aspects of the countryside
Module 6 – Reception, services and goods to offer to visitors
Northern Guanajuato is diverse, not only because of its people and the natural reosuces, but also because of the ecology that provides food, medicine, fuel, rest, tranquility and recreation for its inhabitants. Without a doubt, rural areas have much to offer the urban population, including goods and services and the opportunity to share knowledge and experiences. Campesinos are the ones who protect, maintain and take care of natural ecosystems, especially the water, soil, flora and fauna and cultural heritage. Rural tourism includes actions that teach/confirm respect for the environment and natural resources as well as an opportunity for campesinos to improve their socio-economic situation.
Item 7: Codecin – Coalition of the Cuenca
Cedesa & representatives from Cocira are part of a coalition of the Cuenca (the region that includes the 7 municipalities sharing the same aquifer). They are working on various issues including maintaining conservation & defence of the aquifer & defence of the native seeds. This coalition is made up of many national organisations & is beyond just San Miguel.
At this point the assembly concluded & the Inauguration began.
Cata described the agenda which included first a banquet & rest & relaxation (after the long meeting), we then headed off to visit 3 cisterns nearby.
The 41 cisterns in this community were completed in record time, 3 wks to construct all the cisterns, which is an average of 2 cisterns per group per week.
The participants receiving the cisterns spoke their thanks at each of the houses. A huge thanks was extended to Rotary both local San Miguel & the international clubs who have made this project & continuing process possible. The speakers spoke with love about their cisterns & the difference it will make to their lives.
Two of the cisterns had been amazingly decorated. The first one had a very cute cobbled path around the circumference of the cistern, with another width of garden defined by large jagged rocks. The garden was filled with lillies & the cobbled path included specially selected rocks found in the dry river bed nearby. They had even created a little bridge going over the space where the water from the discharge would flow when they clean the cisterns out…There was also a little stone carved deity which they had found while excavating dirt to make the tepetate bricks in the area, he was placed looking over the tap. It was topped off with a full glass bottle of coke, & the woman joked that when her children & grandchildren come to visit they will be very happy to drink fresh water instead of the unreachable coke.
The last cistern was also incredibly decorated, this one had coach lanterns placed evenly around the top rim of the cistern, it was surrounded by a ledge of cement with little stone carvings placed evenly watching, it was topped off with a very ornate metal cross with a plastic baby doll attached, & with a terracotta bird watching on.
There were streamers & balloons & a ribbon strung across a metal arch way… Chela asked me to say a few words, I was choked up & could barely get any out but managed to congratulate the large crowd on their accomplishments in the last 3.5 yrs, beyond just the water cisterns, to have organised themselves to continue to have council meetings of this size & continue to work on their issues is a mammoth achievement.
Chela spoke & explained this is likely my last project since I am moving to Mexico City with my family. I invited them to visit us in Mexico City & couldn’t get any more words out with tears streaming. Flashing past were many memories of where this all started, all the zillions of emails & huge support from Bill Webb in Tallahassee & the many other clubs, Districts, Foundation & organisations that have supported these communities. How these communities continue to have faith that their work will be rewarded & how it has been.
The ribbon was cut & confetti was tossed. Cheers went up, & Holly & I made our excuses & raced off.
I really wish that Bill, Norman, Skip & all the members from all the other clubs that have been involved in this project from the start could have been there with us, but actually in a huge way you all were!!
Love
Laura
(As an addendum, 3 of the women from Los Torres were at the assembly, they bought with them a list of 12 more families who would like to receive cisterns, this will bring the total to 82 out of 91 families, & will be the last phase – we have decided to include them in this final project, bringing the project full circle – Los Torres is where we started & will be where we finish this final project – ay carray!)
