Now that the festival of Santa Rosa is over, the streets of Samne are once again deserted as everyone has returned to work on the chacra or in the city. Normal life has resumed as per usual. And like the tourists who so quickly came and left, we too are saying our goodbyes, as today is our last day. As we finish packing and prepare to catch the 1pm combi (actually 2pm PST, Peruvian Standard Time), I thought I would fill you in on the various potential projects we have encountered during these past three weeks.
1. El relleno sanitario - The landfill
Investigating the trash problem in Samne was the primary purpose of our trip, as we hoped to collect data and make preparations for the construction of a landfill next summer. Indeed we have discovered that the trash problem does exist; however as one usually finds in the field, plans often change, and the trash problem is one of many. (See the list of other potential projects below...) Through community surveying we have found that most people don't consider a landfill a priority, and a good number do not even know what a landfill is. Not everyone separates organic and inorganic waste, and (as we discovered ourselves) this leads to fly problems when trash is stored indoors. Thus for most people it is easier to dump their trash outside at communal dump sites, which are burned bimonthly. This ineffectual system is deeply ingrained into the mindset and daily routine of the people. Another hurdle that surfaced is obtaining the land for the project. Luckily Alan (the mayor) owns a sufficient plot far away from the river which could perhaps be used, and additionally the technical team found an impermeable clay region from which we could take soil for the landfill foundation. We have the tools but need more community support which would involve an extensive educational program, "capacitación" as it is called here.
2. El puente - The bridge
Currently Samne has two routes out of town: the bridge over the Moche River, which links to the paved road, and the long, winding dirt path down the mountain. For transportation of crops, tourists, and large vehicles, the bridge route is preferable. However the bridge's capacity is only 5 metric tons, according to Alan, and thus oftentimes farmers have to make multiple trips across to transport their entire harvest. Even so, when cars under the weight limit make their way across, the structure dips precariously, forming a kind of sine wave that makes you wonder how long it will last... Everyone in Samne agrees that a bridge project would greatly benefit the town, and it is the top priority of la Ronda Campesina, one of the community's most influential and organized groups. Alan however has said the municipality of Salpo has promised to build a new bridge for Samne. Other influential townspeople say that it is out of Salpo's jurisdiction to fund such a project. At this point our goal is to untangle this political web of confusion in order not to waste time considering a project that is already on someone else's agenda.
3. El sistema de agua en Samne central - Improving Samne's existing potable water system
Many people gave mixed reviews about the potable water system already in place in Samne. Some say they have water all the time; others complain that it breaks monthly and the water is cut. We are not sure if these complaints are a coincidence that coincide with the monthly reservoir cleanings, which require a short period without water. So although a good number of surveys indicate that improvement of the water system is important, we would need to further investigate what improvements are really necessary and which complaints are founded on miscommunication or lack of familiarity with the system.
4. El sistema de agua potable en Pitajaya - Potable water for Pitajaya
Pitajaya is a caserío of Samne, one of the small outer regions, located on the outskirts of the town. It is made up of 36 families, none of which have potable water but instead drink of the polluted Moche River. The people are very motivated and are willing to work hard to install the system with us. Currently there is another nearby caserío, Campo Nuevo, which may be gaining there own potable water system with the help of a Spanish NGO, Engineering Without Borders (they must have copied our name...). We have been in touch and may be able to tap into their water source since Pitajaya does not have a spring of their own. If Campo Nuevo does not install the system or if there is not enough water for both towns, we would have to resort to treating the river water, which would require more extensive research about the waste dumped by the upstream mining companies and other river pollutants.
5. Ambientes para el colegio - School facilities
Samne's primary and secondary school complex is beautiful. It was just renovated in 2009, and kids from all over travel to attend. Some of the old school structures remain, and the director hopes to convert them to additional classrooms, a chemistry laboratory, and library. They are also in need of an administrative facility, roof over the playground for sun protection, more computers, and Internet. Education is a priority for the folks in Samne, although some say improving the recently expanded school is not #1 on their list.
6. El sistema de desagüe - Sewage system
This project is on the top of list for many people. There is a public sewage system in place, but not everyone is connected and there is no treatment. However we spoke with the mayor and he said that the Otuzco municipality has plans to finance and construct a new system. During our visit to Otuzco we verified this fact with the chief engineer of works.
7. Cocinas mejoradas - Improved stoves
Although popular with the women of Vaso de Leche, we are not sure if there are enough families in need of better stoves to merit this project. People of Samne either use cocinas de leña (wood stoves) or cocinas de gas (gas stoves) or both. Some of the wood stoves need chimneys to direct the smoke away, although many are outside so a chimney isn't necessary. Many of the women have voiced their desire for more efficient stoves that burn less wood and maintain high temperatures. Melissa, a Peace Corps volunteer who met with us during the trip, has ideas she has offered to share regarding better stove designs.
8. Una planta de procesamiento de fruta - Fruit processing plant
One of Samne's biggest problems is the lack of work or economic opportunity. Nearly everyone leaves for their day jobs, unless they work in the fields. Even so, the crops are sold directly to market at a low price. By instead making products from these raw materials (i.e. pineapple preserves, pineapple juice, etc), there would be some work for the women and a possible way to bring more tourism and prosperity to the town.
9. Plaza de armas - Town square
Everyone wants a plaza de armas. It is a Peruvian custom for each town to have a community space, centrally located, to sit and gather and talk. During the festival, a woman approached us about a community fund that she and a group had been collecting for several years to build such a plaza in Samne. However there is no central location available, and the project would require land acquisition. Since designing a plaza does not require as much engineering as other projects, it may not be truly EWB-worthy, despite people's requests.
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