Today, we built a check dam. We had hoped to have three or four volunteers that could work with us and see how the dams are built, but two canceled and the other two didn’t show up. No worries. Fortunately, one of the missionaries who is visiting from Georgia asked Enrique if he could help out with our project. We are immensely grateful for his help! The site we chose was located at the top of the road that ends below the 65,000 gallon tank. It was a prime spot with exposed PVC and deep cutting from erosion. As we worked, people gathered to see what we were doing. The owner of pulperÃa Ricardo, which was located across the street from the dam site, came out to check things out. At first, he told us that he could only help out a little because he was very busy, but I guess he was motivated by what we were doing and ended up staying with us and helping us dig and haul rock. Most endearing for us was the help we received from a group of about seven or eight children who lived in the area. As we began digging into the ditch, the kids stood above us, watching curiously. Mercedes asked two children standing nearby, a seven year-old girl and a chubby little four year old boy, if they wanted to help. Soon, all the children were running from one end of the street to the next looking for rocks, piling them into a wheel barrow we had borrowed from another neighbor, and dropping load after load by our work site. Their strength was impressive. We sincerely could not have gathered up as much rock in so short a time without their help. The entire process took about four hours, but we should be able to get the next one done in about two hours or so. We dug the dam trench, laid out the chicken wire, reinforcing it with rebar and placed long, large stones equally spaced along the trench. We have some great pictures of Josh Schwarzeneggering a few a baby boulders into their new home in the dam and children hauling rocks up the road.
It was very tiring work, but a check dam is now in place. The primary purpose of the structure is to slow down the water as it pours down the colonia valley during the rainy season. Hopefully, this will aid in reducing erosion cutting and help to cover up the exposed water line. We need to get together with either members of the patronato or LW4R to get updates on the effectiveness of the check dams. If it works, we can plan to do some more in future trips. If not, we’ll have to go back to the drawing board.
Later in the day, Mercedes went back to the colonia to work on the youth project. Unfortunately, Josh and McWane were a little undone by all the heavy lifting they had to do, so they stayed back to rest after a fairly brutal day’s work, which meant, unfortunately, that there won’t be any film footage of today’s photovoice project. The pictures that the kids are taking do not cease to amaze, nor does their ability to provide interesting analysis. Each week, Mercedes rounds the children up after a photo shoot to discuss the pictures they have taken and revise future plans with the kids. We learn A LOT about the colonia this way. One of the things we learned today through the kids’ pictures is that there is a house with a windmill on the roof that generates (though, apparently, cannot store) enough energy to power a television. In a country where electricity is 40-60 cents per kw hour (in Flagstaff we only pay 9-11 cents), that can potentially make a big difference. The kids are coming up with some interesting ways to use the photos and to transition to video. I look forward to what they come up with in the future.
From Mercedes:
Today was day four of the photovoice project. The first hour or two was rough because I was still trying to recoup my energy after a morning of really hard work under the sun. Their only instruction today was to go out and take pictures of the things that they like about the colonia. We split into two different groups and off we went. Karen Clark went off with me and my group.
Because I am neither Honduran nor a resident of the colonia, I want the topics that we focus on to be driven by the kids as much as possible. The challenge is helping kids access this information and think critically about their environment. I have tried to scaffold the exercises I have them do in order to train their eyes and make them think a little more about composition. I think it is working because the pictures they take get more and more interesting, as does their analysis. This weekend, I will have them choose their favorite pictures and do write ups on them. I had hoped to have them do that last week, but there just wasn't time.
I had not originally intended for children younger than 14 to be involved in the project, but I have a few children who quietly inserted themselves into it, and have become interesting additions. One little boy, in particular, a skinny little six year-old with a mean wink who haunts the neighborhood surrounding pastor Ubence's church, has started to become my second shadow. Everyone says the same thing about him: ese nino es muy travieso (that child is a troublemaker). But when I gave him a camera today and let him go free, I was amazed not only by how quiet and focused he became (Karen, Shannon's wife, commented about how serious his face got when he was taking pictures) but by the beauty of some of his pictures. One of my favorites is a picture he took of five children lined up at the counter of a soda/candy shop. The same was true for another little girl who has adopted herself into the group. Despite her young age, she has taken some truly beautiful pictures. Of course, these younger kids can't really verbalize the meaning behind these pictures. I just accept that they will take beautiful pictures and that the folks who view them will get it.
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