Monte Christo - 10/08/2007

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preparations

Attach:D080_070810MapChimaltenango.jpg Δ | Chimaltenango

On the internet I found the contact information of cooperativa , meaning 'come inside' in the local Kaq'chiquel language. Katoki is situated in Chimaltenango, a small town close to the capital.

I phoned the office and in some steps I made contact with the director. I explained shortly what the project was about and he said that many farmers of his cooperation might be interested. He invited me to come to Chimaltenango to explain more, but he needed a week time to invite farmers. He proposed the meeting to be on a friday afternoon. I send him a mail with technical data and a link to the movie on youtube.

Next thursday he confirmed to have received the mail and it was really interesting. Fact was that he only encountered to three interested farmers, so he proposed to postpone the meeting a week. I agreed. Next week still there weren't enough farmers, so we postoned a week more.

Friday afternoon August the 10th would be the day. There would be at least ten farmers, also a nearby school would be included and I was very welcome. Maybe we could also look at some sites. That's why I proposed to rent a car to be more flexible.

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the presentation

In contrary of what I had expected (and been told) I could not rent a car in nearby tourist magnet Panajachel, so I rented a cab. The 10th I left with Domingo to Panajachel. The taxi was even later than we were, but in time we arrived at the office of Katoki. The director was not there, because he had an important appointment.

Attach:D038_070810OutsideSchool.jpg Δ | The school in Monte Christo

Dario, one of the school's masters took us to the school in Monte Christo, a hamlet of Chimaltenango some 5 kilometers in 30 minutes time away (in his all terrain car). Arriving at the perfectly maintained and very new schoolbuilding it soon became clear that there was only one farmer. Together with 10 schoolboys and another teacher we watched the video.

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Attach:D038_070810WatchingMovie.jpg Δ | Watching the movie

However the curtains were closed, the movie was very difficult to see, because of the afternoon sun. Halfway we collectively decided to get rid of the small beamer and try a television. This didn't work, possibly because of PAL (europe 24 frames / second) - NTSC (Asia and the Americas, 25 fps) incompatibility. Than Dario appeared with a big beamer, this worked perfectly. The audience insisted to start anew, so we did.

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Attach:D038_070810WathcingMovieMonteChristo.jpg Δ | Audience watching the movie

Additional reason was that they enjoyed the music and wanted to hear it again. During the movie there was a lot of laughter especially because of the 'sand sausages'. For the rest people were very excited about the pump and ease and cheapness of making it.

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Attach:D038_070810DomingoExplaining1.jpg Δ | Domingo explaining

After the movie I showed some concrete parts, a wooden joint and the sand sausage. Before I could ask if there were any questions, Domingo was already explaining in detail how the pump was made to the farmer. I was basically ignored, which I consider to be good.

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Domingo explained it very well and after that we talked about possibilities to start the work shop. I said that groups between 5 and 10 farmers would be ideal. Two groups would even be better, because we could work in shifts of half days; farmers have to take care of there fields. I said that the workshop would take two weeks, than we have to wait until the concrete is hard and than some days for installation. Dario said this was extremely interesting for the region, wrote it all down, and said he would pass it on to the director. I believe him.

I hoped to see some flowing water, but they said that it was already to late. Out taxi was still at the office, so we couldn't go ourselves neither. People of the audience stated that there would be enough rivers around, and that they would form groups for the workshops.

Why weren't there as many farmers as promised? Later I understood that friday afternoon is the time when people go to the market in Chimaltenango to buy their weekly supplies. I could not have known this. Maybe the cooperatives director didn't know this neither. In the future I should ask the question: the day you proposed for the presentation, is that a market day?

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about the school

Attach:D038_070810SchoolOverview.jpg Δ | School's patio

I did however receive a tour through the school. The building was donated by an Italian NGO some years ago. There are 90 students, 30 in every grade (from learning to write and count to practical education). The school is maintained by the students themselves. Although they don't live at the school, they live far away, so they grow their food, cook, and clean dishes.

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Attach:D038_070810Kitchen.jpg Δ | School's kitchen, made by students

All carpentry work is made by the students, they maintain the garden and repair electricity. There are classes in carpentry, metal, textile, gardening, and electricity. Much attention is being paid to equal inclusion of boys and girls.

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Attach:D038_070810GreenHouse.jpg Δ | School's green house

However the school looks like a catalogue model of development aid success, the school has several problems.

• The region is very poor, so many times parents think that it's better if a child earns 200 Quetzales a month than if it costs 100 a month. (I don't know if I should take this amounts literally or symbolically)
• The region also suffers from strong macho sentiments. Fathers say to their daughters: 'why would you study if you're going to marry anyway?'
• The school faces difficulties to maintain itself financially. Products sold from the students workshops, paying for the meals and working cost effectively helps, but not much.

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Nevertheless the school has additional programs.

• Children from the village that do not attend school are still welcome to have a meal.
• Widows (because of the civil war) of a nearby village received a course for tailor.
• On saturdays there are clases for parents. Mainly women attend these classes, men don't seem to be interested.

At five o' clock on the way back to Chimaltenango Dario excused himself for not having seen the entire movie, because he was busy. He had already worked for 11 hours that day, and wasn't ready by far.

At home I thought: stupid! why didn't I left the DVD there for other people to see? Lesson for next time. I could send one by mail.