Record of Event
Where: La Tinaja Community – Health Clinic
When: 7 Dec 2011
Who: Holly, Saul, Chela & Laura + 18 community members including 1 man + 7 kids
Purpose of the meeting: To plan wáter cisterns Project re the Calgary Global Grant.
People were absent today as another community meeting was being held at the primary school at the same time.
Chela opened the meeting & asked who would be co-ordinator & record taker for the day, since it was a small room & we were all sitting there freezing & couldnt easily see a board since we were in a circle, we ran the meeting informally, just recording actions in their minutes book.
She also asked why the community representatives from La Tinaja did not attend the regional meeting 26/11 at Juan Gonzalez or the training workshop 19/11 at Cedesa. They sheepishly admitted they forgot.
Chela reminded them that if they dont continue to meet or attend meetings they are failing their commitment, it doesnt matter if you happen to have an appointment that clashes with a meeting you have a responsibility to attend or send someone in your place. She asked what people think will happen if they stop attending meetings & working together, they were embarrassed to reply.
She reiterated that at Cedesa workshop it was only La Tinaja & Cinco Senores who were absent, there were representatives from all the other communities & a turnout of more than 70 participants when it was planned only approx 50 would attend At Juan Gonzalez regional meeting it was only La Tinaja absent, more than 100 people turned up for that meeting. You will forfeit your right & priority as attendance in meetings is a major part of the commitment.
We all agreed La Tinaja is very remote & it is difficult to travel to the other places as they are so far away, as well they have no telephone or cell phone service, so they need to stay in the loop of what is going on with their friends at Villa de Guadalupe (the nearest community).
They were asked to take initiative & fin out the dates of events etc, Alicia, Audelia & Dolores are the Consejo reps, they will advise the rest of the community “we need all of you to take responsibility to continue to work together to improve your living conditions, cisterns dry toilets & other things, if you dont want to that’s up to you, but you need to continue to participate to be part of ths, take account now, improvement in your life & living conditions is up to you, organise & participate together.”
We advised that funds for the cistern Project will be ready in January, Chela asked “what do we need to do next?” “decide which groups we work in” was the reply.
The roll had been called earlier & found that 3 were missing. Work groups were formed, including the appointment of a leader, & number 2 in each group, abaniles in each group & the co-ordinator for the whole Project (ie the person whom each group reports to, who in turn reports any issues to Saul – the regional co-ordinator).
One woman voiced her doubt about her husband being willing to help, & that she didnt feel she could volunteer him, Chela & Saul both explained this Project is for the benefit of all & therefore very important that everyone work together. The cistern needs not to be absolutely perfect (ie with expert masons) but just need proficiency.
There was a description of responsibilities, ie to attend each of the training days, to turn up on time, work in harmony, report issues to your group leader. The leader will work directly with the co-ordinator & the co-ordinator will report back to Saul for any issues regarding tech assistance, materials, deliveries etc.
Adela was voted Co-ordinator for the whole community.
There was discussion re the location for the training Pilot.
Debate was:
Primary School – 200kids, there for 6yrs, have wáter sometimes, other times are forced to drink from the river.
Kinder – 9 kids, there for 3 yrs, don’t have any wáter.
Decision was Primary School.
Meeting closed, & next planning assembly is 18 Jan 11am
