Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Hola desde El Salvador #7

Querida familia y amigos,

Greetings once again from El Salvador! I hope that all of you are enjoying the beginning of spring back in the States. We are still awaiting the rains here …

I’ve been keeping busier than ever, so here’s an update on what I’ve been doing:

-- Water Project:
To be completely honest, I am very, very discouraged on this front. After more than 6 months of requests for donation of the well, incessant phone calls, and personal visits to the appropriate government ministries in San Salvador, we have realized that they are not going to donate the well to the community. Without the security of title to the well, work on the project absolutely cannot proceed. This means that the community and I are back to square zero, completely on our own with project design and, even worse, on our own with project funding. We must locate a new source of water (preferably within the community), perforate a new well (which will likely be extremely expensive because the subterreanean water in the community is very deep … that’s why people don’t have hand dug wells), and redesign the entire technical folder. Then we must seek funding for the ENTIRE project, since the Mayor has flatly stated that there is no money for the perforation of another well and is not disposed to support a new project different from the one he designed – especially now that municipal elections are over and he is entrenched once again, safe in his office for the next three years, at least. In fact, he says that the community should have already begun work on the project, even though we do not have title to the well.

This means that we will have to seek much more funds than originally thought – an estimated $135,000 for the perforation of a deep well and water system infrastructure. Given that we haven’t even been able to secure the $20,000 for the water storage tank and distribution tubing in the first project, I’m really worried about how we’re going to do that. Even the Rotary representative from the North Sacramento club that we have been in contact with has not been encouraging, pointing out that the project is a very high cost for such a small number of beneficiaries. Because of the unfavorable “cost-benefit” analysis, she has not had any luck in garnering support from other Rotary Clubs. I understand that clubs want to help the most people possible with their donations – but I also understand that the needs of people in small communities are just as real as the needs of people in larger communities, where the per capita costs of installing a water system are less.

On the technical front, we have solicited the help of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) – USA for the location of a water source and perforation of a well within the community, studies of well capacity and water quality, and elaboration of technical plans for the water system infrastructure. Our application has been approved by the national organization and is now posted on the EWB website awaiting adoption by a chapter. Until we have these engineering studies, we really can’t move forward with formal funding proposals. I’m also planning to contact several Salvadoran universities to see if engineering students can work on the technical folder for our project as part of their social hours (other Volunteers have worked with University students in this manner).

But to tell you the truth there have been several times when I have been nearly in tears as everything I have fought so hard for and come to depend on -- the already-perforated well, the technical folder, hopes of funding from various NGOs and government aid agencies, hopes of support from the Mayor, and now even hopes of funding from Rotary -- has suddenly crumbled to pieces. After nearly a year and a half of efforts -- incessant phone calls to engineers and government ministries; long bus trips to Chalchuapa, Santa Ana, San Salvador; hours of waiting to meet with the Mayor, the engineers, government ministries with jurisdiction over the well; entire nights spent in the Peace Corps office assembling all our documentation and writing funding proposals (that's right, there have been nights when I have not even gone to the hostel in San Salvador to sleep but have stayed at the Peace Corps office all night trying to pull everything together) -- we are at square zero, with nothing, furthur back then when I came to El Salvador. No well, no technical plans, no budget, and really no realistic hopes of funding. In the end, no one has been encouraging about the prospects for funding a project even if we could get it designed. At the end of my own resources, I often try to turn myself to God for wisdom and strength and guidance -- only to find that I do not even have the energy to pray. Rising at 2:30 a.m. every single day to get my water takes its toll. I do it voluntarily, but the people of El Amaton have no choice.

I’m at the end of my own resources here. So I feel bad about using my email list this way, but I’m asking for all of your help – your contacts, your ideas, your inspirations – in three ways:

1) If anyone knows anyone in engineering at any university with an Engineers Without Borders chapter, I would really appreciate any contact information. This could increase the chances of the project being adopted and the studies carried out.

2) As far as funding goes, I have a feeling that the only hope we have is pulling together the money from numerous sources. We are planning to seek smaller contributions from as many organizations as possible -- churches, Rotary, Kiwanis, and I will also be making some inquiries to companies here in El Salvador. As such, if any of you belong to any organization – a church, civic group, professional group, community service group – that may be interested in helping to fundraise this project, please let me know. I have attached a "generic" cover letter presenting the project, which can be adapted to any organization or company you can think of that might be interested in supporting the project, and a detailed project proposal describing the community’s great need for water and the project we propose to carry out. (All technical and budget information is still preliminary… which is why I would like to move along the Engineers Without Borders application as quickly as possible).

3) If you are religious … please pray for my community, that their most basic human need might one day be met. I know in my heart that it is not God’s will that God’s children suffer such deprivation. Rather, it is God’s will that all people have the means to live healthy, satisfying lives – that all have their basic needs met so that they may fulfill their full potential as members of their families and communities. “For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit on your seed, and my blessing on your offspring” (Isaiah 44:3). Así sea. May it be so, for El Amatón. I do not know how God plans to work here in El Salvador, who God will use to pour water on those who are thirsty, but I have to believe that somehow a way can be found. I need your help to find that way.


Right now it’s hard to think about anything but the water project, but of course there are other needs in the community too.

--Home Gardens Project:
I’m working with a small group on the cultivation of organic, semi-hydroponic home vegetable gardens in the hope that this will reduce the incidence of fungi and diseases in the crops that we faced last year and economize the use of water. I’m a little nervous about all the somewhat complicated inputs, such as the nutrient solutions we must mix, but we’ll have to give it a try, keep good records, and see if it is feasible.


--Chicken Raising Project:
The chicken raising project is moving along well, with incredible enthusiasm from the 13 participating families (and many more have approached me saying that if there is a second stage of the project, they want in!). So far, my Ministry of Agriculture counterpart and I have held four trainings for participants to prepare them to receive their chickens. The first training was on Facilities – construction of chicken coops, nests, enclosures, feeders, and waterers. Next, we had a training on Animal Nutrition, including information on the elaboration of home concentrate recipes, planting of pasture, and cultivation of worms in worm composting bins (worms are an excellent source of protein for chickens). In the Management training, we reviewed the recommended program of vaccination and deparasitization before giving the participants the materials to build enclosures, chicken coops, and nests. Finally, we had a training on record-keeping of costs and production. With good care, in 5-6 months the chickens should be producing protein-rich eggs to contribute to the nutrition of the family, and possibly to sell in the community to generate income for medical care and school costs – and to incubate in order to produce chicks to pass on to more families! I myself plan to try my hand at raising at least two or three chickens (yes, I am a vegetarian – but at least here, where I know that the chickens are being raised in a healthy environment and not pumped full of antibiotics, I would eat an occasional hard-boiled egg.)

Chicken Raising Project: Constructing chicken coops (left) and nests (right)


-- Stoves Project:
Almost all the fuelwood-efficient stoves have now been built, and most people are really happy. Lidia and I make tortillas on her new stove using just a splinter of firewood, and Nina María beamed as she told me, “I cooked corn, and beans, and made tortillas, all on the stove … and now there’s no smoke in the kitchen!” The big challenge now will be to do lots of follow-up visits to make sure that people are using the stoves properly and giving them correct maintenance.


Improved Stoves Project: Geovanni constructing a stove (left);
Amelia using a finished stove to make tortillas (right)

-- School Tree Nursery and Reforestation:
The school tree nursery to reforest community water sources is now established, and there’s been a lot of frustrations. The teachers simply haven’t been very dedicated to ensuring that the students faithfully water the trees, and now two times dogs have rooted around the nursery and overturned a lot of bags with the tree seedlings (the second time was after the teachers had promised that they were going to fence the nursery so no more dogs would get in). But we do have some arbolitos (tree seedlings) to plant in community water sources and on farmer’s lands, and I’ve worked with the students and beneficiaries of the stove project to fill more bags with dirt and replant the bags that we lost. It’s kind of late in the season to be planting trees from seed if we want them to be ready to transplant right at the beginning of rainy season, but even if the transplant is a little later, with conscientious maintenance coordinated by the Water and Agriculture committees, the trees should still be able to thrive. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this time the teachers and students take care of the nursery a little more seriously, and I’ve enlisted the help of Water and Agricutlure Committee members to oversee the nursery’s maintenance. Although the nursery is just getting its start, last Saturday the Water and Agriculture Committees, some youngsters, and I began reforestation efforts by planting shoots of trees that reproduce vegetatively in community water sources.


The School Tree Nursery: Aroldo and Alexander planting madre cacoa
seedlings into bags (left); Me working in the tree nursery (right)


--School Classrooms and Library:
The school and library are almost done – all that is left to do is construct a “corredor” (an extension of the roof around the classrooms and library to provide shade and prevent rain from entering) and paint. Instead of the plain white-above-and-blue-below color scheme of the typical Ministry of Education school building, at least for the Ecological Library we’re planning to paint it with colorful murals of plants, animals, landscapes, and other nature themes. The books are already classified, equipped with spine labels and check-out cards, and ready to be placed on the shelves – and better yet, taken off the shelves and read! Once the library is established and things calm down a little bit with the projects I have going, I’m hoping to start a “Book-Buddies” type reading promotion program. After all, books don’t do any good just sitting on the shelves!


-- Life Planning Education:
I’m also teaching a Life Planning Education course called Como Planear Mi Vida (How to Plan my Life) to the 9th graders in the school. Basically, CPMV is a program to help youth define their life goals and learn to make responsible decisions regarding their family, community, and professional lives. It’s definitely needed – in this fatalistic culture combined with a marginal existence, just struggling to make ends meet and fulfill the most pressing basic needs, youth aren’t encouraged to think about their future or consider how the decisions they make today will affect their lives tomorrow. They’ve also never really had the chance to dream of what they could be – they aren’t even aware of the opportunities that exist or conscious that their life could be any different from what it is. In the U.S., kids are asked from the time they are three what they are going to be when they grow up. Here, all I get when I ask kids that question is confused looks. Without aspirations, youth have little incentive to take their studies seriously or postpone immediate pleasure to protect their health and achieve something greater. CPMV is designed to help the kids define and achieve their aspirations. But even with my conviction of the importance of CPMV, the classes have been difficult and somewhat awkward. Students aren’t used to participatory or discussion-based education and are very hesitant to share. We’ll have to see how things go as the class progresses. Hopefully, we’ll develop more trust and confidence as a group.


Whew. With all my work-related responsibilities, I haven’t really had enough time to just share with people – not to talk about any project or hand out any invitation or check on any compost pile or trash management effort … but there have been those special moments in the midst of the craziness, those few kind words or realizations about how much I’m learning about life here. I just wanted to share one of those moments with all of you:


A couple of weeks ago after dinner (I now cook and eat with Lidia, Melvin, and the boys), Melvin stood up, stretched, and said “Pues, ya comimos, gracias a Dios y a las mujeres que echaron las tortillas.” “Well, once again we’ve eaten, thanks be to God and to the women who made the tortillas.” He smiled at Lidia and me.

“And thanks to Melvin, who went to prepare the land and plant the seed and harvest the ears so we could have the corn to make the tortillas,” Lidia chimed in. Melvin laughed, his eyes twinkling.
“We all had our part, didn’t we? God took care of the most, and we each did our little part to eat this meal. It’s nice that way,” he said contentedly.

I sat in the golden light of evening, and thought, it is nice that way. How many people in the United States can thank the farmer who grew the wheat for their bread? Here, I share the fruit of the land with those who cultivate it – and sometimes I go along to help. There’s something satisfying about making tortillas from corn I helped plant or eating beans that I helped thresh or enjoying juicy tomatoes from a plant I raised from seed. And it’s not only the closer relationship between people and the source of their sustenance that I cherish here, but also the communal nature of agricultural work that creates a closer relationship between the people that share around the table as well.


Well, I think that’s all for now. As always, I love to hear news from home, what is happening in all of your lives. Thank you in advance for your thoughts and prayers on the water project.

Con amor desde El Salvador (With love from El Salvador),

Megan