Now that I have more or less adjusted to my site, I think the time has finally arrived to talk about projects. I know this feeling might (probably will) change as my two years wear on, but I think that my ADESCO and youth group are pretty organized. Many volunteers experience the exact opposite. Anyway, to the projects that I would like to realizar (we'll see how many I can actually accomplish in two years):
1) Guardería (children´s nursery)
When I first met my host brother and truly talked to my counterpart, I asked what projects the ADESCO had lined up and which project was the most important. After receiving the answer `un milagro´ and laughing for the next 5 minutes with both my host brother and counterpart, they quickly settled on una guardería. The town currently has one, but the organization that provided for and constructed the building placed it in a relatively low area. So, when it rains (and boy does it rain) the structure it totally flooded. After a few years of that, the infrastructure has pretty much become useless. In other words, the children from 2-5 years old really have no safe place as a day-care center.
As far as projects are concerned, this will probably be my largest in the community. A rough estimate for funds to build a day-care center would be, I´m guessing, around $15000. In El Sal, I would imagine raising that much money can be a pretty lengthy process, so hopefully we will begin fund-raising soon so that the town might have enough funds to begin construction by the time I leave.
2) Stoves
Currently, I am working with my ADESCO to find out the interest level for more efficient, smokeless stoves. As it is, most women throughout the community cook over an open fire inside their homes. The smoke mostly rolls around inside the house, eventually causing all sorts of respiratory infections/diseases. Also, the inefficiency of an open fire means the family burns through un monton de firewood.
Stove Team International builds portable cement stoves to remedy just this situation. However, each stove costs $32. For a family roughly making $150/month, $32 is a fortune. So, money needs to be raised for that project as well. If we as a community can lower the price to $20 by acquiring funds from outside sources (~$2000), I imagine interest in the stove would sky-rocket. Vamos a ver.
3) Letrinas
My community has around 185 families, 40-50 of which do not have a personal latrine. They are either forced to share with neighbors or simply do without (meaning feces may sometimes be left uncovered, etc). A basic latrine costs in the range of $50-75 each. Again that price is simply ridiculous for most families in my community. Money, again, is the issue.
4) Potable Water System
Luckily enough, my ADESCO and community have already petitioned for and received the funds for a water system from the local mayor. Because of that, and logically so I guess, the community will probably not receive funding for other projects in the near future (a water system can be incredibly expensive and mayors really don't have that much money to toss around). However, once this project is completed, I would imagine that a TON of intestinal illnesses will disappear.
5) Chickens and Veggies for all!
So this one is also sort of underway. The ADESCO has petitioned Centa/FAO (the ag department of the El Salvador) for help with the project. So Centa/FAO (if I understand this correctly) will provide the training, materials, etc for 30 families in the community. If other families would like to continue with the project, the first 30 are responsible for the training, and funds would need to acquired to purchase the materials, etc. However, the nutritional benefits from such a project are very much needed in La Palomilla. Unfortunately, many children suffer from malnutrtion due to lack of veggies and protein.
The rest of the projects, I guess, are pretty self-explanatory:
6) Computers for the School
7) Educational activities regarding health and nutrition
8) Water-system for the cancha (they really love their futbol)
9) Pave the calle principal (the amount of dust created by passing buses is incredible - and is just another floating particle with the smoke that creates respiratory issues)
