More Drops

Taking a break from cistern building - Leovigilda in Zacango

Mixing cement by hand to build a dry latrine base


Continuing the "Drop by Drop" story that I posted awhile ago.....
A group of people went to Cualac on Wednesday to pick up the cement that the president had promised us for the dry latrines in Chiaucingo. After waiting around for awhile they were told that there wasn't any cement. They waited around some more, and then finally went home. Sunday morning I called the president's secretary and asked what was going on. She put me on hold for a bit, came back to the phone, and said that the cement was there now and ready to be picked up. So I called Aquilina in Chiaucingo and she, along with a group of men, headed off to Cualac again. The cement was there. But the dumptruck that was supossed to haul the cement to Chiaucingo was not. So they had to hire a truck....in the end, they made it back to Chiaucingo with 100 bags of cement from the municipal president.
(Sorry no pictures. I didn't go along this time.)

Yesterday afternoon we went to Chiaucingo to help with the material distribution. (Sorry again. I forgot the camera.)

This morning, Martin worked with the first group.

35 more dry latrines in Chiaucingo. With money from the local government. In my opinion, the people who want these dry latrines definitely participated in the work of getting (some of) the necessary materials.

Drop by Drop. Where will the next drops fall?

Well, I'll just quickly mention that on Tuesday morning Eric Gonzalez Santos stopped by the office. He works in the development office for the municipal president Luisa - here in Olinala. He said that they have received a number of requests for matching funds (to match MCC funds) in order to build cisterns. Evidently he helps president Luisa with her budget and he'd like to talk with me more, because they ARE interested. (YIPEEE!!!!) I've been talking to the groups who want to build cisterns, suggessting that they turn in requests to Luisa asking for matching funds - that way they are participating the fundraising process......and our money will go further. It takes time, I know. One step at a time.