I think the most important thing that the groups can take from these classes are the confidence and know how to actually collect aqueduct fees and cut off water for those that done´t pay. It has been very rewarding and much work as I am working with 3 committees; my town has two aqueducts and I am also working with the town where I just finished building the aqueduct. Each week there is homework, and this upcoming weekend Valle will host about 30 visitors for the seminar.
This is a picture from the leadership day, we played a bunch of games to emphasis leadership and communication. This is Pata Grande, or Big Foot. They loved it one of the Valle committees won the tournament.
My Panama Verde group is still working. We decided to raise our vivero (tree nursery) off the ground so bugs would eat the leaves less. We cut down a bunch of caña blanca and built this table. It poured half way through the work.
These are the guys that built it and the baby trees in the black bags. We are currently trying to sell them as the make excellent wood for host posts. I always talk to people and tell them that planting trees can be seen as an investment and how responsible fathers (or mothers for that matter) should plant trees for each child, that way when the child is ready to build there own house that they have wood. Although the jungle can be thick where I live the real thick trees are getting farther and farther away.
This is me with the Honorable Representative. He is from my town and is the head politicó for our county. He is a very friendly guy but does not always provide me with much information. I look forward to working with him because he has many potential sources of money set up for various projects. The other day the two of us went to the Ministry of Health together to talk about a possible water project. I was very valuable because I feel like it legitimized me in the eyes of the Ministry.
The hydroelectric dam company AES celebrated in a big, expensive way the inauguration of the house the completed for the first relocated family. This house was built in a manner of a wealthier family in the Provincial capital, it was also completed with very few local materials and labor. All in all I heard that is costs around $40,000 to build and do to the high cost the dam company will no longer be building houses in the same way for the dozens of families that will have there towns flooded out by the new lake. This has been a huge issue in my town. Although the dam is not directly effecting my community it has indirect effects. I believe that the company has good intentions and has conducted serious social projects but the presence of a multinational corporation in an severally impoverished area will always have side effects. 
There were 3 newspapers there and a television channel. They killed two cows for food for all the guests. Many of which were trucked in from the communities directly effected. It was also weird because many of the guests worked for the dam company or their sub-contractor. They also brought in Panamanian traditional dancers and clowns. I think the clowns scared most of the people because not only are they not too familiar, but they also were scary looked girls. Seriously, there makeup, clothes and music really frightened me. 
Here is my host sister, who has just learned to say my name, playing with one of the massive playground balls donated by Camp Belknap.
On the way to the Volunteer Advisory Committee (I am the representative for Bocas) meeting I visited my friend Rob. He lives deep in the Native Reservation. After a 2 hours truck ride up in the mountains we walked for another hour in the beautiful country side. This is a picture of some of my best friends here. Melissa, Rob and Kevin.
1 comment:
Joe, looks like you're doing great. Call me sometime
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