June 18, 2015
The Santa Claus Rotary Club
Tempe Rio Salado Meeting Minutes ~ June 18, 2015
Members: Ben Eubank, Larry Horton, Corey Bruggeman, Patrick de Haan, and Karen Ingersoll et al Guests: Francisco Tort – Anthem Rotary Club Jared Leslie – Squaw Peak Rotary Club, Development Director for Esperanca 7:00 AM: Meeting called to order by President Larry. Invocation: Ben Eubank Pledge of Allegiance: Corey Bruggeman Attempted Four-way Test: Jared Leslie, Francisco Tort… umm, nice effort!
1) Continued discussion surrounding the grant issue for the orphanage in Mexico. While we all understand why the club does not qualify for a grant currently, we all felt it was handled inappropriately. The bottom line is that CXR has the FULL support of TRS in all of their endeavors. Not to be easily thwarted, Andrea Mahnke, along with several CXR members, has already been working on a Plan B for the orphanage project. Great job! (On a side note: After July 1st, the issue of grant qualification becomes a NON-issue.)
Francisco Tort Anthem Rotary Club
2) Andrea Mahnke has thrown her hat into the ring and submitted her video and application to attend the Rotary Young Professional Summit at UC Berkeley in August. Christina Ratto and Stephanie Babb have also submitted applications. To date, there have only been three applicants from District 5510… all three are from Camelback Crossroads. C’mon… that’s noteworthy! 3) SAVE THE DATE! *** Charter Night *** July 18th, 2015, 6:00 PM at the Eubank household. And what a night it will be! Not only will it be a changing of the guard, but we will be celebrating the entire club becoming Paul Harris Fellows! Really folks, this is a BIG Deal, so bring the family (yes, family), and your fun face… oh, did I hear someone say “fireworks”?
ONLY $20 This shirt is Laird Approved!
Karen had a blast for a girls/reunion/weekend in Santa Monica last weekend. She and her sister reunited with a cousin they hadn’t seen for 20 years. It was just like no time at all had gone by (crow’s feet notwithstanding)!
Larry is grateful to Pat for his help with all of the Treasurer stuff. And, he made is first call to Rotary International… successfully!
Pat celebrating with his Kiwanis Club’s 25th Anniversary. Happy to be part of such a great service club.
Corey was in Heber last weekend enjoying the beautiful weather. Had to bring in a backhoe to get a tree planted due to all of the boulders and such.
Ben is happy that Dona is home from South Africa, she’s doing well. He had a bad business week… dealing with multiple government agencies in building a surgery center. (Makes my head hurt just thinking about it Ben!)
Jared hiked with his brother down to Fossil Creek… they camped overnight and had a great time.
Have a wonderful week everyone… stay cool out there!
Larry announced that today was his last meeting as President. In this picture is he: A) Laughing because he’s happy to finally be free of being President B) Crying because he’s going to miss being President C) Thinking about where we can stick our camera
NEW RECORD: Ben answered his phone thirty-two times during the meeting
Karen expressed her opinion of the leadership the orphanage committee received from the District.
Francisco Tort Anthem Rotary Club
President Larry presents Francisco Tort with one of our Club banners.
HAVE A TERRIFIC WEEKEND!
Esperança envisions a world where communities across the globe, have the tools, training and support to achieve optimal health through access to: clean water, safe housing, nutritious food and disease prevention and treatment. Jared gave a very informative presentation on Esperanca, their history, and where they are today. They are currently working on projects in Nicaragua to provide 12 water wells, and are looking to their connections with Rotary for support and financial aid. They are working on coordinating travel to Nicaragua for those who want to visit the sites in February 2016. Francisco shared that Anthem Rotary has done several international projects and, with three grants under their belt, are assisting Jared with that part of the process. Other projects by Anthem Rotary include assistance to local kids known as couch surfers. These kids are cast-off’s and have no real home. Anthem is working with nine north valley high schools to provide these kids with toiletries and meal cards… and will soon provide clothing as well. * * * NOTE: THERE IS A DRAFT OF THE ROTARY/ESPERANCA WATER PROPOSAL ON PAGE 9 * * *
Improving health and providing hope for families in the poorest communities of the world through sustainable disease prevention, education and treatment.
Esperança envisions a world where communities across the globe, have the tools, training and support to achieve optimal health through access to: clean water, safe housing, nutritious food and disease prevention and treatment. Thank you Jared! And, thank you Francisco! You are both welcome back any time! www.WeTransformLives.org
PLANNED ACTIVITIES In a few short sentences, tell us your objectives for this global grant. The project seeks to provide safe water to the people who live in the rural village of Sarayal in the Department of Jinotega in Nicaragua through a water system. Villagers will also receive training to maintain the system and better utilize clean water. Who will benefit from this global grant? Provide the estimated number of direct beneficiaries. Sarayal currently has 51 families (301 people) who currently get their water from contaminated sources. These families have few economic resources. All are engaged in subsistence agricultural work, growing coffee, bananas, or grains; raising pigs or chickens; or providing unskilled labor on large farms. Where will your project take place? Sarayal, Nicaragua When do you anticipate your project will take place? From: February 1, 2016 Until: September 30, 2016 Outline your project implementation schedule. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7)
Surveying, system design, and contracting technicians and skilled labor: one month Organizing beneficiary work groups: one week Training: one month Community Education campaign: three months Acquisition and transportation of materials: one month Construction of system: three months Evaluation and final report: one month
SUSTAINABILITY What community needs will your project address and how were these needs identified? Provide any relevant data or survey results. Each year the Nicaraguan NGO AVODEC, in collaboration with the US nonprofit Esperanรงa, asks rural villages throughout the Department of Jinotega to choose two or three community leaders. These leaders make their way to Jinotega each June where they jointly decide what the priorities for the year will be. Clean water, safe housing, nutrition, and income generation usually top the list. Once the priorities have been decided, representatives from villages with those needs make a case to the other participants. Participants vote on which projects should receive priority, and AVODEC and Esperanรงa seek assistance funding those needs. A water system for Sarayal was a priority chosen by this body of community leaders. Sarayal is located on a high plateau without any rives or gorges nearby. Residents must drink stagnant water from two pools located about half a mile from the village. They are contaminated with human and animal waste, chemical pesticides and fertilizer from the nearby coffee plantation, and water-borne parasites. Cows, horses, pigs and other domestic animals drink directly from these water sources. The main problems seen at the nearest health center in San Isabel are illnesses caused by water-borne parasites, and diarrhea and parasitic illnesses are the leading cause of infant mortality in Sarayal. Detail how your project will address these community needs. A water system will be constructed, consisting of an electric pump powered by solar panels, a storage tank, and a gravitypowered distribution system that will deliver water to a metered spigot outside each of the 51 households in the community. The system should provide adequate water for 20 years, assuming a 3% population growth rate and use of 11
gallons per person every day. Nicaraguan law dictates that before a new water system is constructed, villages must form a Committee on Potable Water and Sanitation (CAPS). Sarayal has formed a CAPS and located a clean underground water source approximately 500 meters (about 550 yards) below the community. Each spigot is metered. Families will pay a small usage fee each month. This encourages water conservation and provides funds for both ongoing maintenance and system replacement in 20 years. Wherever possible, local materials are used so that materials for repair and replacement are readily available to CAPS members. In addition to the system itself, villagers will receive substantial training as detailed below. They will have the knowledge and financial resources to maintain the system and replace it in twenty years. How were members of the local community involved in planning the project? Does your project align with any current or ongoing local initiatives? In addition to forming a CAPS, all beneficiaries have agreed to participate in the water system’s construction. Once funding is committed, residents will be organized into work crews with each family required to commit to a certain number of hours, depending on family composition, health, outside commitments, etc. Crews will provide general project support, dig trenches, haul materials, install the pipelines, build the control station and reserve and storage tanks, and otherwise provide any necessary unskilled labor. The value of residents’ labor is estimated to be worth approximately US $6,100. The residents understand that improving community health is dependent on having and maintaining a safe water source. Describe any training, community outreach, or educational programs, if applicable, and who will conduct them. How will recipients be selected? The training program is extensive, and 10 separate training workshops will be conducted. Community leaders and CAPS members receive specialized training from AVODEC staff to help train other community members. The work crews described above receive training specific to their assigned tasks. Lessons learned from previous projects make the training extremely effective. For example, trained trenching crews average ten meters per man per day. In addition to construction techniques, all villagers receive training in subjects that will help them maintain their supply of clean water. These include community organizing, personal development, water conservation, sanitation, efficient water use and others. Training is conducted just after coffee harvest when residents have the most time available. CAPS members receive training on the ongoing operation and management of the completed water system. They must adhere to the National Water Law and the Law of Water and Sanitation Committees in order to receive federal tax breaks. A minimum of two CAPS members must agree to act as operating and maintenance technicians. They receive additional theoretical and practical training. Esperança and AVODEC have constructed dozens of water systems in remote Nicaraguan villages. They have developed an effective and thorough training program. Areas of Focus Water and Sanitation How will you meet these goals? By providing a water system that brings water from an uncontaminated underground source directly to a spigot located outside each house in the village of Sarayal. By providing training to villagers on water conservation, sanitation, efficient water use, etc. How will you measure your impact? 1) Number of people with access to clean water; Number of operating spigots; End of project; 301 2) Gallons of water available per person per day; engineer reports; end of project; 11 gallons per person per day
3) Number of families with at least one member who receive training on water; grant records and reports; monthly; 51 4) Survey from community leaders the on the health impacts of the area. 6 months after the completion of the system Disease prevention and treatment How will you meet these goals? By educating people about the importance of drinking safe water and adhering to proper hygiene. How will you measure your impact? 1) Number of people who attend trainings related to topics that affect health; grant records and reports; monthly; 51 people (1 from each household) Who will be responsible for collecting information for monitoring and evaluation? Staff members of AVODEC, Esperança and the Jinotega Las Brumas Rotary Club. Cooperating Organization 1) Esperança, www.WeTransformLives.org, 1911 W Earll Dr., Phoenix, AZ, USA 2) AVODEC, Jinotega, Nicaragua Describe your process for selecting this organization. What resources or expertise will this organization contribute? Esperança: Esperança has been working to promote improved health in the developing world, primarily in Latin America, since 1970. It has partnered with AVODEC since 2001. During that time the two organizations have worked together to provide hundreds of wells and dozens of water systems to rural villages in Nicaragua’s Department of Jinotega. Esperança provides project oversight, translation, training for AVODEC, and administrative resources. AVODEC: AVODEC is based in the city of Jinotega but provides services for people in the rural areas that surround the city. Together with Esperança, it has helped thousands of people in northern Nicaragua obtain safe water. Their experience training those who will benefit from wells and water systems and building those systems in challenging conditions has made them extremely efficient. SUSTAINABILITY Describe the role that members of the local community will play in implementing your project. What incentives will you provide to encourage local participation? While residents will receive no direct incentives, every household in the community must commit to receiving training and providing physical labor in order for the water system to be installed. Without that commitment, a different community on the existing list would receive the water system. Beneficiaries provide all unskilled labor, receive training to make the system sustainable, form and support a CAPS that meets the standards under federal Nicaraguan law, and maintain the system. All residents pay a small fee each month once the system is complete. This fee goes into an account to pay for maintenance and should provide the funds for a replacement system in 20 years. Identify any individuals in the local community who will be responsible for monitoring outcomes and ensuring continuity of services. How will you support these individuals to help them take on this leadership role? Sarayal has already formed a CAPS. Each CAPS is required to have a president, treasurer, secretary, head of operation and maintenance and community representative, although more members may join. These community leaders will be responsible for ongoing system maintenance and repair,plans and funds for system replacement in twenty years, and adherence to federal regulations. AVODEC will provide current members with specialized training to meet these needs. BUDGET
1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9)
Sanitary materials; contractor; equipment; C $176,402.90; US $7,056.12 Construction materials; contractor; equipment; C $204,635.00; US $8,185.40 Electronic pumping system; contractor; equipment; C $263,030.00; US $10,521.20 Skilled laborers; contractor; personnel; C $99,480.40; US $3,979.22 Tools; contractor; equipment; C $23,190.00; US $927.60 Training and Technical Assistance; AVODEC; personnel C $79,000; US $3,160.00 Didactic Materials for Training; AVODEC; Training; C $3,255.00; US $130.20 Transportation of Materials; Contractor; equipment; C $45,799.36; US $1,831.97 Management and Administration; AVODEC and Esperança; personnel; C $26,843.78; US $1,073.75
SUSTAINABILITY Describe the process for selecting these budget items. Do you plan to purchase any items from local vendors? Have you performed a competitive bidding process to select vendors? Do these budget items align with the local culture and technology standards? AVODEC and Esperança have more than a decade’s worth of experience building water systems in rural Jinotega. Budget items were selected based on this experience and through quotes. As far as possible, all items will be purchased from businesses located in the Department of Jinotega. If all items cannot be located there, purchases may be made from Managua or other areas of the country. Except for a small piece of item number nine, everything will be sourced within Nicaragua. Items one, two, and four will go through a competitive bidding process. Technology is kept to as low a level as possible since local CAPS members will be responsible for maintaining and replacing the system. Item nine includes administration and supervision in both Nicaragua and the United States, data collection in Nicaragua, and translation and reporting in the United States. Approximately $573.75 will remain in Nicaragua with $500 coming to the US. How will the beneficiaries maintain these items? CAPS members, particularly the two designated to perform routine system inspection and maintenance, will be trained by AVODEC as part of the project. The small fees collected from residents each month as determined by the water meters at each spigot will provide funds for replacement parts. All replacement parts should be available in-country, and most will be available within the Department of Jinotega. Who will own the items purchased with grant funds at the end of the project? The residents of Sarayal and their elected CAPS representatives will own the items.