As Lenny’s project moves to completion, it exemplifies a premise that we believe in: “A project is only the beginning of a process.” Once started, your initial goal may be reached, but your successes lead to more good things.
Lenny reports:
All of the pilas are in place, and most of the people have built roofs over the pilas to protect them from the sun, as I requested.
I have supplied everyone with 2 meters of tube to use as a drain. Yesterday, March 11th, the water and sanitation technician from CARITAS, a local NGO, visited the community and built a ¨plancha¨ for the pila in the school, and gave a great training class about pilas, health, and community organization.
The plancha is a concrete base that catches the water coming out of the pilas drains, and filters it directly into the drainage tube. It is also a nice block to stand on while using the pila. In addition to making the school´s pila more functional, it serves as a demonstration. The entire community came out to see how it was built, and many have been encouraged to build their own planchas.
The concrete pilas are only the beginning. Community involvement in the project brings better community organization. New construction skills are learned and better health practices are undertaken. An understanding of the benefits leads to further improvements. Boiled down to its essence, Lenny brings “inspiration”.
