Team Monterey 4

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Practicum Director and Language Faculty: Adele Negro Student Leaders: Ryan Gonzalez Lucy Jodlowska Amy Holste Moore Robert Taggart Team Members: Rocío Corona

Heidi Correa

Hilda Diaz

Christopher Hanks

Sky Mehringer

Alexandra Ogden

Deborah Radilla

Elizabeth Romanoff

Jacqueline Spear-Cerda

Adam Stieglitz

Melissa Summers

Andrew Volkman

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Team Monterey 4 El Salvador 2010

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Table of Contents Preface by Adele Negro – Pg. 3

Translation and Management Team – Pg. 6

Capacity Development Team Final Report – Pg. 7

Infrastructure Team Final Report – Pg. 32

Production Team Final Report – Pg. 67

Environment Team Final Report – Pg. 114

Interpretation and Translation Team Final Report

• English – Pg. 139

• Spanish – Pg. 146

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460 Pierce Street Monterey, California 93940 USA www.miis.edu

PREFACE !!With this compilation of project reports, Team Monterey-El Salvador celebrates the completion of its fourth year of existence and collaborative work with our partners, Asociación Mangle and La Coordinadora del Bajo Lempa y la Bahía de Jiquilisco. At the same time, we are very pleased to announce the launching of Team Monterey 5 with the recent selection of its new student leaders Emily Hanks, Karin Orr, and Melissa Summers, who will help assemble the full TM5 team in early Fall in preparation for the January 2011 practicum. Previous TM reports have amply presented the vision, purpose, scope of work and deliverables constituting this practicum. What this year’s report particularly highlights, however, is a deeper level of maturity in the collaborative partner relationship. By now, TM participants have essentially become junior consultants in the programmatic implementation of La Coordinadora’s long-range strategic plans. The nurturing of effective, enduring grassroots leadership and the strengthening of sustainable livelihoods and environmental security for the people of the communities represented are principal goals. In this endeavor, we also look forward to working more closely with the staff of EcoViva (formerly FSSCA), whose guidance and long-established experience in relationship with the people of the Bajo Lempa have proven invaluable in facilitating and orienting Team Monterey’s work. As in previous J-terms, TM 4 included a broad spectrum of participants from the Institute’s policy and management programs. An exciting addition this year, however, was the involvement of two Translation and Interpretation students who took part as a linguistic team to assist their TM4 members with the more challenging communication aspects of the project work, described in detail in this volume. For the very first time since the inception of Team Monterey--and thanks to the support of Dean Renee Jourdenais and the teaching staff of GSTILE--our interpreter/translators-in-training were afforded the opportunity to receive degree credit for their participation. Equally exciting and innovative was the pilot participation of both first and second year student teams of Spanish language translators, editors and terminology managers, under the supervision of Professors Maria Sierra Cordoba Serrano and Uwe Muegge, whose indefatigable and superb work elevated the bar in terms of the excellence of the final products delivered. This is all the more significant because these reports in both English

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or Spanish are being increasingly utilized not only by our Salvadoran partners, but by a broad range of interested individuals and institutions, including government agencies, academic institutions, technical consultants, grant makers, incoming MA degree students, and of course Team Monterey participants. A particularly great debt of gratitude is owed this very dedicated and professional group of linguists, whose names are listed following this preface. Team Monterey project work this past January focused on four critical areas of priority needs indicated by our partners: organizational capacity building, both for their board of directors and the youth program student leaders; an infrastructure assessment of the recently implemented water distribution system in two vulnerable communities; the creation of a region-wide producers’ association to help enhance the productive and marketing capacity of small-scale farmers, livestock owners and craftspeople of the area; and a one-year assessment of the effects on coastal communities of the turtle egg harvesting moratorium imposed by the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) in February 2009. Each report provides recommendations that it is hoped will help La Coordinadora/Mangle advance their programmatic goals and, at the same time, establish a basis for greater project continuity with the next team. This year, post-practicum work following TM4’s return from El Salvador also included a first-time-ever exhibit of photographs by team members at the Pacific Grove Art Center. It was conceived as a means to increase awareness in the community-at-large of the unique relationship between MIIS and La Coordinadora, and at the same time a way to raise funds in support of Team Monterey’s work. Although no financial benefit was obtained, the array of people, places and moments captured in the photographs conveyed the richness of enthusiasm, insight, personality and commitment, which have made this experience transformative. Prominent articles in The Monterey County Herald and the MIIS Communiqué aroused widespread interest; over 700 people attended the inaugural event, including local members of the Salvadoran community, who were moved to find in those lovely visual memories a reconnection with their homeland. This initiative has launched a larger effort by Team Monterey, with the support of Provost Amy Sands, Dean Yuwei Shi, and the Advancement Office, among others, to devise and assure a longer-term model of sustainability for Team Monterey, not only as an immersive experience but also as a results-based development program. This is especially valuable at this time, given that incoming and prospective MIIS students have begun to express interest in seeing such programs be at the core of their Masters degree work. It would not be an exaggeration to say that many of us who have taken part in Team Monterey have felt profoundly changed by the encounters, relationships, and skills development we have engaged in with the people of La Coordinadora and the communities of the Bajo Lempa. Each of us has been privileged to witness a small part of that remarkable process which has been unfolding in this region of El Salvador for almost two decades, a process of resurrection and restoration from the devastations of civil war, natural and human-influenced disasters, and entrenched inequalities. With each

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successive team, we have deepened our understanding of what it means to practice participatory democracy and the cultivation of leadership. The quality of inspiration we draw from our counterparts and the motivation we find in ourselves to seek out new, more viable forms of collaborative commitment cannot be overestimated. Finally, I would like to recognize with enormous appreciation the members of Team Monterey 4, their thoughtfulness, good will, humor and stamina not only in bringing about this report, but in performing all the work that engendered it. A particularly heartfelt thanks and congratulations to outgoing leaders Amy Holste, Ryan González, Lucy Jodlowska, and Robby Taggart for their inimitable and indomitable style, capabilities and willingness to go the extra mile at every turn. Each project team has, of course, recognized the indispensable contributions of all those who worked with us in El Salvador; I will only echo those sentiments by saying that we owe what we have accomplished as Team Monterey to the unstinting commitment of our Salvadoran partners to engage with us so fully in this endeavor. Adele Negro Practicum Director and Language Faculty Team Monterey in El Salvador Monterey Institute of International Studies Monterey, California July 9, 2010

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Capacity Development for the Board of Directors (Junta Directiva) of Asociación

Mangle An Organizational Assessment

Monterey Institute of International Studies A Graduate School of Middlebury College

Prepared by: Ryan Gonzalez

Rocío Corona !

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Acknowledgements The Team Monterey El Salvador Capacity Development Team would like to thank all who have supported this project, both in the United States and in El Salvador. This project has been a tremendous opportunity for the team composed of Rocío Corona and Ryan Gonzalez to put into practice what we have learned through coursework in the Masters of Public Administration in International Management program at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. We are forever grateful for the support and confidence that all parties affiliated with Asociación Mangle have provided us, and which have contributed to our personal and professional growth. We would like to especially thank the following individuals: the members of the Junta Directiva (Antonio Amaya, Estela Hernández, Amílcar Cruz, María Elena Vigíl, and Dolores Esperanza Maravilla), program coordinators, technical and administrative staff of Asociación Mangle, the esteemed translators and interpreters Deborah Radilla Laureano and Hilda Díaz, fellow Team Monterey colleagues for their friendship and professional support, Adele Negro for her constant support, dedication and feedback, Professor Alfredo Ortiz and Nathan Weller for their selfless contributions of wisdom and expertise, and David Marroquín and Jacobo Rodriguez without whose support we would not have been able to do our work. ¡Muchísimas gracias a todos!

Introduction In the year that has passed since the previous Team Monterey of January 2009, El Salvador has undergone a historic process of political change that has had tangible effects on both Asociación Mangle and the communities it serves and represents. One of the most significant changes was the election of Arístides Valencia, former Executive Director of Asociación Mangle and key founder of La Coordinadora del Bajo Lempa, to the National Assembly as a representative of the Department of Usulután. Although Mr. Valencia's departure signified a set of new challenges for Asociación Mangle, it has given Mangle a more direct link to the government while also providing the organization with opportunities to develop its administrative capacity under a new management model. Nevertheless, the challenges now faced by Asociación Mangle’s Directiva have proven to be detrimental to the efficiency and effectiveness of its internal administrative operations. In all, these challenges are affecting the performance and the impact of the organization, which in the long term can harm its potential to become self-sufficient and sustainable. During Mr. Valencia’s tenure, the Junta Directiva's activities were consistent with their legally ascribed roles and functions as defined in Asociación Mangle’s organizational by-laws, while Mr. Valencia was responsible for most of the administrative and governance functions as the organization's executive director. His responsibilities included fund development, strategic planning, and institutional relations with governmental bodies and international foundations and organizations. With Mr. Valencia's departure, the newly appointed Junta Directiva has now assumed, or is attempting to assume, these responsibilities. Please see Appendix B for a concept map depicting the organizational structure of Asociación Mangle and its relation to La Coordinadora.

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Purpose The purpose of the Team’s capacity development project was to provide useful capacity development tools and frameworks which Asociación Mangle’s Junta Directiva could use as a point of reference for developing their administrative capacity. The aim of this project was to respond to areas or administrative functions that the Junta Directiva had identified as in need of strengthening within the organization. These areas were discussed with the Team Monterey leadership during a preliminary planning trip in July of 2009. The areas of concern that the Junta Directiva identified included the following:

• Internal controls and policies for both human resource management and financial management

• Mechanisms and policies for organizational fund development • Monitoring and evaluation systems for programs and projects • A clearer definition of the role of each member of the Junta Directiva

To address these areas of concern and interest, the Capacity Development Team reviewed literature pertaining to best practices for the management and administration of non-governmental and social purpose organizations. The team sought to provide tools and frameworks that would strengthen Asociación Mangle's ability to overcome their challenges while enhancing their ability to continually provide quality services and achieve impact in the communities they serve.

What does Capacity Development mean? In the process of building or developing an organization’s capacity, the framework within which the researchers or facilitators approach and understand capacity must be articulated to ensure the maximum value of the research and recommendations for both parties. Capacity, as defined by the Modern Language Association (MLA), is the “actual or potential ability to perform, yield, or withstand.”1 In the context of this particular capacity development project, capacity refers to the development or strengthening of Asociación Mangle’s ability to carry out its activities in such a way as to achieve the desired impact in the communities it serves. In addressing the areas of concern indicated by the Junta Directiva, capacity development has both internal and external components; these are discussed through the capacity 1.0 and capacity 2.0 frameworks which are described below:2 Capacity 1.0 – An Internal Focus

• Emphasis: Systems, procedures, processes, managerial orientation, and little or no stakeholder involvement

• Basic assumption: Strong management leads to better projects and programs

• Goal: Improve impact through excellence in such areas as human resource

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 "capacity." The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 20, Feb. 2010. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/capacity>. 2 IP 514, Managing Non-Governmental and Social Purpose Organizations, Instructor: Beryl Levinger, Lecture: Capacity Development 2.0 (2009)

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management, financial management, planning, and governance and service delivery

Capacity 2.0 – External Focus

• Emphasis: Impact through innovation, entrepreneurship, brokering, leveraging resources, adapting, and networking oriented toward complex, changing environments, with strong stakeholder involvement

• Basic assumption: Impact is optimized when systems, processes, organizational ethos, relationships, and activities are closely aligned with mission and with the priorities of the poor and powerless

• Goal: Disruptive innovation that challenges the status quo

It is important to note that capacity 1.0 and capacity 2.0 are contiguous skills and competencies that a high-capacity organization should strive to attain. Some of the core competencies for an organization exhibiting high levels of capacity include collaboration (both internal/external), adaptation (the ability to “sense,” learning from failures), boundary redefinition (utilizing the power of collective knowledge to overcome challenges), and democratic participation (decentralizing and distributing leadership).

Objectives The objectives of the Capacity Development Project included the following: 1. Develop an understanding of Asocación Mangle’s current administrative functions in order

to: a. Determine where administrative and organizational gaps exist b. Develop an administrative and governance profile for each member of the Junta

Directiva 2. Facilitate the creation of a mission and vision statement for the Junta Directiva in order for

the Directiva to then carry out this process with the organization as a whole (Asociación Mangle lacks a mission and vision statement as an organization).

3. Develop an understanding of the internal and external communication processes of the organization. In so doing, the team wanted to understand and document the way in which community needs are turned into organizational activity and subsequent program or project interventions.

4. Provide the Junta Directiva with meaningful administrative structures, formats and tools that take into account their organizational and overall context.

5. Facilitate workshops and deliver presentations on concepts within the capacity 1.0 and 2.0 paradigms, with discussion of administrative structures, processes and policies that would meet Asociación Mangle’s needs and would contribute to increased effectiveness of organizational management.

Cloud Computing and Theory of Change In addition to the capacity development project for Asociación Mangle, the capacity development project team and the Team Monterey leaders facilitated two additional workshops.

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The first, led by Rocio Corona and Ryan Gonzalez, was a cloud-computing workshop for the coordinators of the Organic Production Program, which provided an introduction to the utilization of google documents and calendar for greater collaboration and coordination. A free, web-based collaborative note-taking platform called EtherPad was utilized during the workshop as well. By the end of the session, the program coordinators were entering their events into a shared google calendar which each of them was allowed access to and could modify. Team Monterey leaders Adele Negro, Amy Holste, Lucy Jodlowska, Robert Taggart, and Ryan Gonzalez facilitated the second workshop. It was conducted for Asociación Mangle’s youth program and its coordinator, Tania Molina. The workshop provided an introduction to the logic model known as Theory of Change, which serves as the first step in establishing an evaluative framework. Third-year students of the program (aged approximately 16-22) were in attendance and participated in the design of a collective Theory of Change for their program. Participants were asked to share theiir vision of success for the program and were then challenged to operationalize this vision into the specific elements on which Theory of Change is built (preconditions and interventions). The document that was created was published on a google site accessible at the following url: 9((I/[[5=(&5\,$$,1&\'$-[5=(&['&I*&(@'[

Scope of Work and Methodology The capacity development project consisted of four distinct phases aimed at developing a thorough capacity assessment of the Junta Directiva as well as of the organization as a whole. This assessment process resulted in the development of optimized recommendations for administrative interventions as well as the creation and facilitation of workshops focused on components of public administration. The phases were as follows: Phase 1: Vision and Mission Development and Operational Structure Diagram 1.1 Vision and Mission Development An immediate need that sprang from the team’s initial meeting with the Junta Directiva was for a vision and mission statement for the organization as a whole, as well as statements tailored to the specific values and objectives of the Junta Directiva. An organization is “made up of people working together toward a shared goal.”3 The creation of a vision and mission statement would help shape and define the shared goals that the Junta Directiva and Asociación Mangle are working to achieve. The development of a vision and mission statement for the Junta Directiva would allow the members of the governing body of Asociación Mangle to develop a greater sense of connection to their individual roles and a deeper understanding of the motivations each of them had in serving the organization. This process would also allow each member to define his or her

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!3 Lusthaus, Charles et al., Organizational Assessment, A Framework for Improving Performance, Ch. 1 (IDRC, 2002), http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-23987-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html

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individual purpose and craft a collective purpose or set of core values. As stated in the literature reviewed, “everyone in the organization needs to understand the big picture. Thus, the leaders of the organization need to articulate, clearly and frequently, what the organization is trying to accomplish,” in order for the organization as a whole to function better and have a greater impact.4 Therefore, the creation of a vision and mission statement would provide a starting point for the organization’s capacity-building as a whole. In addition, the creation of a vision and mission statement establishes standards of accountability and transparency to which the Junta Directiva could be held, those standards being two key principles in any organization that contribute to good governance and the delivery of high impact services and interventions.5 In order to develop the vision and mission statements, the team facilitated an initial workshop that emphasized the importance of such statements and provided tools for their development. The team recommended that the Junta Directiva undergo a similar process to articulate the vision and mission of Asociación Mangle as a whole, using the input of all employees and volunteers alike. The workshop began with an explanation of the importance and centrality to an organization's existence of statements of mission and vision. This introduction included a diagram created by the team and titled Árbol de Propósito, “Purpose Tree,”which described the connection of purpose, mission, and vision, and framed specific questions that each statement should respond to. Essentially, this gave the Junta Directiva a better understanding of the differences between these statements and questions to reflect upon when creating their organizational statements. (See Appendix A.) The process in developing such statements began with an articulation of the Junta Directiva’s values. As stated in the literature reviewed, the “mission and vision of the organization have to be aligned with its values to make the organization successful.”6 Each member of the Junta Directiva was instructed to write the top three values that he or she believed the Junta Directiva should have. Once this was completed each member shared those values with the other members. As the values were read aloud, they were recorded and projected on a screen so that all members could refer back to them at any time. The next step was to have each member of the Junta Directiva write out his or her own personal mission statement as a board member, which would then be shared with the whole board. As each member read his or her personal mission statement aloud, it was again recorded and projected on the screen. After presenting their individual mission statements, the Junta Directiva was challenged to incorporate the values and personal missions that were created into the articulation of a collective Directiva statement of vision and mission. The personal mission

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!4 Behn, Robert, Performance Leadership: 11 Better Practices that Can Ratchet Up Performance, pg. 8 (IBM Center for the Business of the Government, Second Edition 2006, Managing for Performance and Results Series), http://www.businessofgovernment.org/pdfs/BehnReport2.pdf 5 IP519, Managing Public Organizations, Instructor: Mahabat Baimyrzaeva, Lecture: Values and Principles in Public Management (2009) 6 Baimyrzaeva, Lecture: Mission and Performance of an Organization (2009)

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statements that were created remained illuminated throughout this process so as to ensure that each member's individual contribution also was incorporated into the overall vision and mission statement of the Junta Directiva. The following are the vision and mission statements that were collaboratively created by Asociación Mangle's Junta Directiva: Vision: To manage technical and financial resources in order to become an organization that is democratic, autonomous, self-sufficient, exhibits solidarity, and is capable of producing a material and qualitative transformation of the communities of the Bajo Lempa- Bay of Jiquilisco. Gestionar los recursos técnicos y financieros para lograr una organización democrática, autónoma, solidaria, autosuficiente, capaz de producir la transformación, cualitativa y material de las comunidades de Bajo Lempa-Bahía de Jiquilísco. Mission: To execute the guidelines of the general assembly with transparency, as they refer to the management and administration of Asociación Mangle’s resources. Ejecutar las directrices de la asamblea general en cuanto a la gestión y la administración de los recursos de Asociación Mangle de forma transparente. *Note: It was not possible to complete a vision statement the same day, but it was finished the following day in the team’s next meeting with the Junta Directiva. The team recognized the need to clarify the different types of values, before the vision statement was completed; hence a brief explanation of the value categories was introduced to the Junta Directiva, as follows:

• Personal Values: the promotion of one’s own interests and well-being • Organizational Values: the promotion of the well-being and reputation of the

organization • Professional Values: the promotion of preferred professional values • Ideological Values: values based on certain beliefs

1.2 Operational Structure Definition and Creation of Diagram In order to assess the capacity of Asociación Mangle and more fully understand how the organization operates, the team reviewed the operational and organizational structures in terms of systems of communication, coordination, and decision-making. This aspect of the assessment was critical in that, “organizational performance can be improved if operational decision-making is closer to the actual sources of information. Second, people working in organizations are more likely to take responsibility for their actions if they participate in the decision-making process. Whether the structure itself is centralized, decentralized or participatory, it is clear that these aspects of structure are important to improving organizational performance.”7 Essentially, this understanding made it possible for the team to perform an organizational capacity assessment of Asociación Mangle and provide valuable recommendations. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!7 Lusthaus, 54

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The process of defining Mangle's operational functions and structure emerged through two meetings with the Junta Directiva. The first meeting consisted of an introductory session aimed at giving the team a deeper understanding of the functions and operational entities of the organization. As a result, the team acquired a greater understanding of the complex interdependence between Asociación Mangle and La Coordinadora. This component was very important for an understanding of the process by which community needs are transformed into organizational activity in the form of proposals, presentations, and ultimately projects. After this first meeting, the team developed a diagram, using c-map software, of these entities and processes. The second meeting was devoted to reviewing the preliminary diagram created by the team and obtaining feedback from the Junta Directiva. This participatory approach ensured that the diagram retained its accuracy and that the Junta Directiva took ownership of the diagram. Modifications were made on the spot as the Junta Directiva clarified for the team any misunderstandings regarding the organizational structure. Overall, this process translated into the documentation of how Asociación Mangle operationalizes its mission. Please see Appendix B. Phase 2: Needs Assessment and Data Collection The team carried out a needs assessment in order to perform an evaluation of the social problem or need that exists within a program or project.8 In this case, a needs assessment was a critical component in identifying the exact nature and scope of the capacity needs that the team would be helping to develop. The needs assessment involved not only a thorough understanding of the organization, but examined the context and the logic of the organization’s operations. Furthermore, the needs assessment allowed for an in depth assessment of the organizational capacity as a whole. The team sureveyed the full-time staff (including administrative and programmatic staff) in order to understand their perceptions of the Directiva’s strengths, weaknesses and areas needing improvement. Their perspectives and feedback gave critical insights into the organization's internal infrastructure and unique culture, and were key in helping shape the team's recommendations. The team relied on interviews, surveys, a review of internal documents and direct observations to collect their data. Two different surveys were developed: the first was designed for the members of the Junta Directiva and focused on identifying their specific needs, challenges, strengths, and weaknesses. The second was administered to full-time staff (both dministrative and programmatic), and had a twofold focus: the identification of strengths and weaknesses of the Junta Directiva, and their impact or influence, from the staff perspective, on the staff’s ability to perform their work. Individual interviews were then conducted with all members of the Junta Directiva, in order for the team to have an accurate understanding of the Directiva’s administrative functions. As the team progressed with data collection, it became clear that Asociación Mangle's accountant, Erica !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!8 Rossi, Peter et al., Evaluation, A Systematic Approach (Thousand Oaks, SAGE Publications, 2004), 40.

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Aquino, should also be interviewed, since it was discovered that she had additional administrative roles exceeding her responsibilities as accountant. This interview enhanced the team’s insight into the administrative capacity of the Junta Directiva and provided further cultural insights into the organization which will be elaborated upon in the Findings Section. The interviews, surveys and observations were documented by the team in a daily activity log. Observations were made in regards to the culture of the organization as well as the dynamics at play within the Junta Directiva. This was another critical component of the needs assessment, as “organizational rules and their enforcement govern the organization and create the organizational culture…[and since] organizations are socially constructed, their success or failure is governed by this interaction.”9 Lastly, the following internal organizational documents were collected as additional source of data for the needs assessment:

• Proposal for Administrative Reorganization of Asociación Mangle - “Propuesta de Reorganización Administrativa para Asociación Mangle”

• Strategic Plan of the Coordinating Comissión - Plan estratégico de la Comisión Coordinadora

• By-Laws of Asociación Mangle- Los estatutos de Asociación Mangle • External audits for the years 2004, 2006 and 2007 - Auditorias externas de los años 2004,

2006 y 2007 • Financial balance sheets and income statements - Estados financieros y balances

The most significant document to be collected was the “Propuesta de Reorganización Administrativa para Asociación Mangle,” which contained useful information and documents that the Junta Directiva could implement to address some of their administrative concerns. The contents of the Proposal for Reorganization include policies, procedures and regulations for administrative functions, such as financial and human resource management, along with specific administrative job descriptions. Phase 3: Data Analysis The methodology used to analyze the data collected from both the surveys and interviews was arrived at through a critical analysis of the patterns, trends and anomalies that emerged from the responses. As this study was heavily qualitative, the capacity development team analyzed the responses and created narratives for each data collection tool utilized. A summary of the information received and analyzed by the team includes the transcriptions and notes taken from individual interviews with each of the five members of the Junta Directiva, a completed survey by each member of the Junta Directiva, twelve surveys collected from the full time staff, and notes and a transcription from the individual interview with Erica Aquino, Asociación Mangle's accountant. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!9 Lusthaus, 2.

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Surveys and Interview Analysis Methodology For each survey distributed by the team , a framework was created to rank the theme or response that occurred most frequently in answer to each question asked. The ranking scale ranged from one to four, with one being the highest concern, and four being the lowest concern. From this ranking the team was able to identify and prioritize the specific areas that various individuals from the organization determined in need of support. When not enough data was gathered to identify a fourth trend, an X was given for the ranking. The team then analyzed the individual Junta Directiva interviews by extracting the main points, or “big ideas,” from which interview narratives were drafted to serve as a basis for reflection and recommendations. Please see Appendix C for matrix of interview responses. Each interview was recorded in written notes as well as on an audio recorder. The Junta Directiva interviews were collected and analyzed according to the following structure: Name: Role in the Junta Directiva: Administrative Functions: General Needs Addressed (by each Junta Directiva member): Challenges Identified: The interview with the accountant, which was confidential, resulted in the collection of qualitative data. In order to maintain confidentiality, the team exercised discretion as to the information collected, which was then incorporated as seemed fitting into the recommendations resulting from the capacity assessment of the Junta Directiva. 3.1 Narrative, Analysis of Surveys Survey Results for Junta Directiva Members The following is a narrative of the data analysis of the Junta Directiva member surveys, based on the frameworks created. (See Appendix D). An assessment of the Needs identified by the Junta Directiva indicates that various concerns were directly related to organizational systems. This in turn revealed that such organizational systems are inherently important to the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization’s administrative operations and organizational programs. At the same time, there was a concern with the overall lack of resources. This correlated with data collected on the Weaknesses identified by the Junta Directiva surveys, which pointed to externalities such as the economic crisis and natural disasters that constituted a Challenge which Asociación Mangle must contend with, and which presented barriers to receiving more resources. The needed organizational systems identified--which are inherently part of the operational structure of any organization--included: systems of communication, coordination, monitoring, evaluation, and internal controls (policies, procedures, regulations). Given the interrelationships between these systems, it is very important for an organization to establish them in such a way as to set accountability standards and overall good governance within the organization.

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Furthermore, the Challenges identified can all be correlated with these needed systems; for example, the lack of financial management and human resources corresponds to a lack of controls and coordination within these administrative functions. Moreover, identified Weaknesses showed a clear correlation with these Challenges and Needs. A lack of clarity within administrative roles, as well as the lack of administrative and technical capacity, can be considered the product of these challenges and needs. Lastly, the surveys provided a clearer description of the roles of each member of the Junta Directiva as seen from their individual perspectives, roles such as facilitators of development in their communities, managers of the organization, and promoters of self sufficiency and sustainability for Asociación Mangle. The Strengths identified by the Junta Directiva lay in their capacity for community outreach, community building, and the creation of partnerships. Overall, this qualitative data allowed the team to understand the depth of concern that the Junta Directiva had with respect to their roles and duties. What members of the Junta Directiva identified as their needs, challenges, and weaknesses, completely correlated with their own personal roles and values as members of the Junta Directiva. Survey Results for Staff An analysis of the staff surveys revealed specific Weaknesses that exist within the administrative function of the Junta Directiva, which have direct repercussions on the work of the staff. It is important to state that the Challenges and Weaknesses identified by staff were very similar to those of the Junta Directiva. These included the need for self-sufficiency and sustainability, which directly relates to the need for financial stability within Asociación Mangle. Further, the need for better administrative management of the organization and projects can be correlated with the lack of technical capacity and communication systems. In addition, a new concern emerged from these personnel surveys, which highlighted the lack of collective participation of the administrative staff in decision-making directly affecting them. One of the Strengths identified in the Junta Directiva surveys was reaffirmed in the staff surveys, namely that the Junta Directiva does indeed have the capacity to coordinate and communicate effectively within their communities, and has the requisite experience to do so. Additional strengths communicated by the staff indicated a culture of ethical standards and values, which can support an organization in its quest to attain its vision and mission. 3.2 Narrative, Data Analysis of Interviews Junta Directiva Interviews The Junta Directiva interviews were conducted to obtain a better understanding of the division between legal responsibilities and functions as determined by the Asociación Mangles by-laws and those of other administrative roles within the organization. An analysis of the responses from the interviews revealed that defined roles and administrative functions identified by the members correlated with their identified individual organizational needs. Overall, the challenges identified by the Junta Directiva members correlated with previous areas of concern that had already been signaled, such as the need to develop systems of project

18

coordination and management, and the need for resources to expand services to other communities. Other distinguishing challenges identified were the need for fund development for financial sustainability of the organization, better cashew processing equipment, a simple vehicle fleet management system, an organizational inventory system and, on a more personal level, the desire to learn English and acquire additional computer literacy skills. 3.3 Narrative, Analysis of observations made The observations made by the team led to some insight into the organizational culture of Asociación Mangle, which in turn allowed the team to gain a deeper understanding of how the organization operates both internally with staff and externally with relevant stakeholders. As stated in the literature, “it is the organization’s culture that gives life to the organization and helps make the realization of its mission possible.”10 These observations enabled the team to better understand values and norms, both organizational and personal, as well as certain perceptions and behaviors exhibited by the organization’s staff. The team was further able to understand the impact of these factors on organizational performance in achieving specific outcomes and the organization’s mission overall. The team's observations helped to provide a critical analysis of Asociación Mangle's culture, specifically the organizational motivations and participatory approaches to decision-making that had an impact on the way the organization operates. The general operating practices observed were those involved in participatory and collective work, where character values of collaboration and collective decision-making were emphasized. Nevertheless, on the basis of feedback gathered from the surveys and interviews conducted, the team questioned the extent to which collaborative and participatory processes were actually in place. It was observed, for example, that there existed a lack of communication and feedback mechanisms to the Junta Directiva from the staff with respect to decision-making; also lacking was a system of program-to-program communication and coordination. As a result of these gaps, various employees assumed unwritten new roles that at times took them away from what they were initially hired to do. Furthermore, the perceptions and behaviors observed within the Junta Directiva gave evidence that the organizational culture functions in response to the needs of the organization and not in terms of a strategic outlook on how the organization should function and operate. This could be seen in the current administrative duties performed by certain Junta Directiva members, which are only components of larger more critical administrative functions. Moreover, it was observed that several staff including Junta Directiva members have multiple functions and roles within the organization. This describes a culture of both teamwork and improvisation, where operations are carried out collaboratively to meet shared organizational goals and objectives, but not always in a strategic fashion. Phase 4: Presentation of Results and Workshop The final presentation to the Junta Directiva on Thursday, January 21, 2010 provided a description of the different types of capacity development that exist and their relevance to the !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!10 Ibid, 97

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capacity development needs of the Junta Directiva. It was during this session that the team introduced the concepts of capacity 1.0 and 2.0 and highlighted those areas of the organization’s operations which fit into these frameworks. The team pointed out that Asociación Mangle has a fairly well developed set of capacity 2.0 competencies but needed to strengthen their capacity 1.0 opportunity areas. The team then introduced three major aspects of an ideal structure for a non-profit organization (NPO), namely, governance, central administration, and program components. The team demonstrated the importance of establishing these internal structural components, as they enhance an organization’s ability to function efficiently and effectively, and at the same time deliver quality, high-impact services and programs. This idea is supported by professor Mahabat Baimyrzaeva in a lecture in which she asserts that “the way in which an organization internalizes and functionalizes its structure, determines how effective the structure is in helping the organization carry out its activities in meeting its goals.”11 After a review of the basic structures and key functions of the administrative component, and its effect on an organization’s impact, the team presented a summary of the results gleaned from the needs assessment. One key finding discussed was the need to link communication systems to coordination mechanisms or strategies within the organization. The team also unveiled the administrative reorganization diagram they created, laying out the administrative functions within Asociación Mangle which could serve as a reference resource for the Junta Directiva during subsequent strategic planning sessions. Monitoring and evaluation were included here as integral parts of the organization. In order to underscore the need for clearer administrative roles, the team presented a matrix with the Junta Directiva’s legal responsibilities as appointees to the board and their current administrative functions. This visualization was helpful in distinguishing between the legally ascribed governance roles Junta Directiva members have and their administrative responsibilities as employees of Asociación Mangle. Lastly, the team made a key recommendation regarding the administrative gaps that currently exists within the operations of the organization. It was recommended that the Junta Directiva as a collective assume the responsibilities of Executive Director in order to provide the support structure and fill the gaps that Arístides Valencia’s departure created within the organization. Overall Findings: To supplement the team’s findings, an organizational capacity assessment tool was utilized which drew on the data collected from the initial needs assessment. This tool gave the team a framework in which to measure organizational capacity and contributed to a more meaningful set of recommendations and overall findings. A thorough investigation of various organizational capacity assessment tools was performed and specific criteria for the selection of the tool were developed. The team opted to utilize the organizational assessment framework available in Institutional Assessment: A Framework for !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11 Baimyrzaeva, Lecture: Mission and Performance of an Organization (2009)

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Strengthening Organizational Capacity by Lusthaus, Anderson and Murphy, given its flexibility and adaptability. Note: Certain dimensions this tool can assess are aligned with traditional structures and norms of US nonprofit organization.. The team acknowledged that aspects of this tool were in need of modification in order for it to be utilized by Asociación Mangle, given their unique and innovative organizational structure and means of communicating and collaborating with the communities they serve. International Development Resource Center (IDRC) Organizational Assessment Tool Description: The framework encompasses the following areas:

• Measuring organizational performance • Understanding the organization’s external environment • Determining organizational motivation • Examining organizational capacity

The IDRC defines performance in terms of effectiveness (mission fulfillment), efficiency, and ongoing relevance (the extent to which the organization adapts to changing conditions in its environment). Assumptions present in the framework imply that certain contextual forces drive performance: organizational capacity, forces in the external environment, and internal motivation.12

The following diagram demonstrates how organizational performance is built upon strong foundations of organizational motivation, organizational capacity, and favorable conditions in the environment in which the organization is operating.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!12 Lusthaus, Charles et al., Organizational Assessment, A Framework for Improving Performance, Ch. 1 (IDRC, 2002), http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-23987-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html

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Source: http://www.idrc.ca/openebooks/998-4/#page-069 The team tailored the framework and utilized the organizational capacity component in more depth. Organizational motivation and the overall (internal/external) environment of the organization were components of the framework that were also referenced to support its assessment and recommendations.

Findings of Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool The following eight interrelated capacity areas were assessed according to the tool:13 1. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of strategic leadership in the organization:

• Leadership (managing culture, setting direction, supporting resource development, ensuring tasks are done)

• Strategic planning (scanning environment, developing tactics to attain objectives, goals, mission)

Finding: The leadership of the Asociación Mangle exhibit a cohesive set of common values and beliefs; howeve,r their ability to achieve goals and certain objectives is in need of development. This is due to an underdeveloped technical capacity and/or experience in administering a high-impact organization. Strategic planning exists on a programmatic and project level; however, a

22

clear organizational strategic plan is missing. The elements of such a strategic plan should take into account every aspect of the organization from the programs they operate to the internal processes of the Junta Directiva. In addition, the Junta Directiva’s relationship with theAsamblea (General Assembly), the administration, the organization’s financial management, and other important administrative functions should be reviewed in this process. Without an organizational strategic plan there is a clear lack of direction and overall governance in the organization. 2. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of financial management:

• Financial planning (operating expenses, a forecast of future monetary needs and requirements)

• Financial accountability (rules for member use of financial resources, transparent/verified system)

Finding: In reviewing the data collected, several areas of financial management were found in need of support or implementation. This included the implementation of proper financial controls within the organization, such as a budgeting process, procurement policy and communication between programs. Lacking these controls, Asociación Mangle could face potentialrisks of upward accountability (to donors) when seeking additional funding, as well as downward accountability risks with their constituents.

3. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the organizational structure within the organization: • Governance (legal framework, decision-making process, methods for setting direction,

external links) • Operational (roles and responsibilities, coordination of labor, coordination of systems)

Finding: It is important to acknowledge that Asociación Mangle operates as an open system with various actors involved in the governance structure. These actors include the General Assembly, which the Junta Directiva reports to on a yearly basis, and the communities represented by La Coordinadora. These mechanisms and structures are a strength of the organization in that they enable it to systemically identify community needs and turn them into organizational actions when resources (financial, technical and otherwise) permit. The internal administrative structure, on the other hand, lacks a clear decision-making process, which is due in part to the lack of adequate structures or mechanisms for the administrative staff to communicate with the Junta Directiva. In addition, the lack of clearly defined job roles and responsibilities within the organization contributes to an improvisational organizational culture, which in turn creates coordination and communication challenges within the organization. 4. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the organizational infrastructure:

• Facilities management (adequate lighting, clean water, electricity) • Technology management (equipment, information systems, hardware/software, library)

Finding: At an operational level, the organization appears to have the essential technological infrastructure in place. Through direct observation, it is noted that the organization is well connected (via-high speed internet connection) and has the equipment necessary for day-to-day operations. There is a need, however, for greater computer literacy training as there are many free, web-based tools (such as google applications, various social media and web 2.0 platforms)

23

which, when appropriately applied to the context of an organization, can facilitate a smoother communication process both internally among employees and externally with stakeholders. In addition, efforts are being made to implement meaningful controls with regard to the organization’s inventory tracking system, which would improve the overall organizational structure of its management system. 5. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the following systems, processes or dimensions of human resources:

• Planning (recruiting, selecting, staffing, orienting) • Development (performance management, monitoring, evaluation) • Career management (career development, training) • Maintenance (health/safety issues, gender issues, quality of working life)

Finding: Human resource management is an area for much-needed capacity development within Asociación Mangle. Currently, no human resource management entity or process exists. The team highly recommends that the needed mechanisms, procedures and policies be implemented to improve the management of human resources within the organization. Implementing these mechanisms will make possible the development of the “human capital” of the organization, i.e. the knowledge and skills that individuals bring to an organization. Focusing on the talents that individuals bring to the organization and aligning those talents with the positions the individuals hold, should make the work experience more meaningful and mutually beneficial for the employee and organization as a whole.

6. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the program and service management: • Planning (identifying needs, setting objectives, costing alternatives, developing

evaluation systems) • Implementing (adherence to schedules, coordination of activities) • Monitoring (projects/programs, systems for evaluating progress, communicating

feedback to stakeholders)

Finding: This was another priority area of capacity development identified by several individuals. As previously stated, the organization has certain mechanisms in place that give the organization direction, such as La Coordinadora’s strategic plan (which differs from the strategic plan for Asociación Mangle), and potential targets and objectives at the programmatic and project levels. Currently, a monitoring and evaluation process is lacking, which, when implemented, would provide the organization with meaningful feedback. This information is not only important internally for the organization, but also externally for stakeholders such as donors, beneficiaries, and other interested parties. By establishing an evaluative mechanism, the organization would in theory increase its accountability, and even more importantly, have the ability to frame its learning on the basis of both the successes and failures of its interventions.

7. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of process management within the organization: • Problem-solving (defining problems, gathering data) • Decision-making (creating alternatives, deciding on solutions, monitoring decisions) • Communications (exchanging accurate/vital information, achieving shared understanding

among organizational members) • Monitoring and evaluation (generating data, tracking progress, utilizing information,

24

changing and improving the organization)

Findings: Process management is defined as “the task of aligning and integrating the various practices and cultures of different segments of an organization through the introduction of common systems and operations that apply uniformly to all segments of the organization” (IDRC, 88). The data collected showed that these common systems and operations do not exist within the organization. Tasks and various other practices are commonly assigned on an ad hoc basis. Unfortunately, problem-solving and decision-making seemed to be more centralized than decentralized, as they should be in order to promote a more widespread culture of participation and organizational efficiency. This centralization is heightened by a clear lack of communication, most notably with administrative staff. Formal channels of communication (regular meetings, platforms for idea sharing)between the administrative staff and the Junta Directiva, as well as program-to-program, are not currently in place. The implementation of communication mechanisms would allow various ideas to be shared and would provide individuals the space to address their concerns or offer feedback to colleagues. Monitoring and evaluation, as expressed previously, are also areas of concern for the organization. 8. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of inter-organizational linkages:

• Networks (type, nature, appropriate membership, utility, coordination, cost-benefit) • Partnerships (type, nature, sustainability) • Electronic linkages (communication networks, information equipment, information

resources, people of all skills/backgrounds)

Findings: This area of capacity was not as thoroughly assessed, yet there were instances in survey responses and interviews that indicated the need for enhanced mechanisms and tools to develop inter-organizational linkages, and partnerships. This was primarily raised within the Junta Directiva in order to further develop the organization's impact, reputation, reach, and overall financial sustainability. Overall Findings How does the organizational capacity affect organizational performance? What are the overall strengths and weaknesses of organizational capacity?

The current organizational capacity of Asociación Mangle has larger areas of underdeveloped potential. These areas can be strengthened through increased, meaningful participation of diverse individuals within the organization, as well as through explicitly budgeted organizational time and resources for this process. Internal change and development are long-term and iterative processes that require flexibility and the willingness to "think outside of the box" so as to determine the combination of controls, procedures and participation that make sense and are functional for a given organization. The overall strengths of Asociación Mangle are exhibited in the Capacity 2.0 competencies and are quite innovative for the organization. This is evidenced by the operational processes that exist between La Coordinadora and the way in which communications flow to and from the communities. Although Asociación Mangle is very connected to the communities it serves, the overall organizational infrastructure, as exhibited in the Capacity 1.0 competencies, is in need of development.

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Recommendations After a thorough assessment of the data collected and an analysis utilizing the IDRC Organizational Assessment tool, the capacity development team formulated a set of recommendations. In addition to these recommendations, the capacity development team has created an online “Manual of Administrative Tools” for the Junta Directiva and employees to refer to as the organization undergoes this capacity development process. The manual is available online at the following url: 9((I/[[5=(&5\,$$,1&\'$-[5=(&[-*+:*1@&-*+,1&[ The recommendations are as follows: 1. It is recommended that Asociación Mangle devise adequate management systems in order to

facilitate appropriate and effective communication, collaboration and coordination. With these elements in place, it would achieve increased efficiency, more targeted and strategic collaboration, and the delivery of higher quality services and interventions. These elementts would apply to:

• Internal managing of administrative functions • Organizational operations internal and external (administrative and programmatic)

2. Implementation of proper administrative procedures and policies, specifically for financial

management and human resource management. It is recommended that the Junta Directiva revise as needed and implement aspects of “The Administrative Reorganization Proposal for Asociación Mangle” (“La Propuesta de reorganizacion administrative para Asociación Mangle”), a document prepared by Erica Aquino. It is specifically recommended that the Junta Directiva carefully review the following sections of the Proposal:

• Manual de Funcion (pg. 7) • Director Ejecutivo pg. 24 • Jefe Administrativo pg. 28 • Reglamento Interno de Trabajo (for the management of Human Resources) • Manual de Politicas Contables (for the management of finances) • Formatos: Annex • Solicitud de vehiculos • Solicitud de empleo

3. It is recommended that Asociación Mangle consider restructuring aspects of their administrative operations and functions through the designation of a manager or director for areas of concern, who could oversee the effectiveness and development of the corresponding administrative functions within the organization. The positions are as follows:

• Director of Administration • Manager of Human Resources • Coordinator of Organizational Promotion • Program Management Coordinator

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In the interim, it is recommended that Asociación Mangle develop the mechanisms and systems that would fulfill the roles that each of these positions exercize. The electronic manual will assist in elaborating upon the specifics of each of these positions.

4. It is recommended that Asociación Mangle implement mechanisms that foster participatory

practices within the organization. The team specifically recommends creating platforms for the administrative staff to participate in the decision-making process, which would in theory enhance their feeling of connection to the organization. The manual recommends various strategies and suggestions for implementing these mechanisms.

5. It is recommended that the Team Monterey leadership work with the Junta Directiva to

establish an internship position to assist in the implementation of the proposed administrative mechanisms and recommendations. Asociación Mangle should seek a student in the Masters of Public Administration in International Management (MPA) program, who preferably is in second semester and has initiated courses in the MPA program. Ideally this individual or individuals would have already completed the Development Project Management Institute (DPMI) at the Monterey Institute, as the skills obtained through that experience are invaluable tools for developing the organizational capacity of Asociación Mangle. This individual should also be proficient in facilitating technology and cloud computing workshops, including basic computing literacy skills for beginners and the utilization of google and blogging platforms

27

Appendix A Purpose Tree - Árbol de Propósito

28

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30

Appendix C Marco De Análisis de las Respuesta de la Encuesta para Personal Permanente

Preguntas/Escala 1 2 3 4

Logros Buena Reputación en las comunidades

Buen apoyo al desarrollo de comunidades

Buena coordinación y comunicación dentro comunidades

X

Retos Ser Autosuficientes y Auto- sostenibles !

Aumentar la ampliación de servicios en las comunidades

Mejor gestión dentro la administración y proyectos

X

Fortalezas Administrativas

Buen trabajo en colectivo Confianza entre comunidades y ellos mismos

Buena experiencia en trabajar con comunidades

Buena colaboración

Debilidades Administrativas

Falta de Recursos/ En Ser Auto sostenibles

Falta de Comunicación Falta de capacidad técnica

Falta de participación colectiva en funciones administrativas

Eficacia (Comunicación/ Coordinación

Promedio 4 X X X

Fortalezas para Personal Permanente

Buena creación de alianzas para promover oportunidades de trabajo

Buena Responsabilidad con sus trabajos

Buenas éticas de trabajo

X

Debilidades/ Repercusiones para Personal Permanente

Falta de Recursos (Esp. Para las comunidades) y para ser auto sostenibles

Aumentar comunicación Aumentar capacidad técnica

Implementar más control sobre funciones operacionales

!!!! !

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Appendix D !Marco de análisis para la Junta Directiva!

Escala/Tema Necesidades Retos Fortalezas Debilidades Rol 1 Faltan Recursos Gestión de

Financias / recursos humanos(general)

Cultura de trabajo inclusivo y de equipo

Falta de claridad en roles administrativos

Facilitadores para el desarrollo de comunidades

2 Sistema de Coordinación y Comminicación(ambos para los empledos como programas)

Sistema de gestión para proyectos

Buena Reputacion con Comunidad

Falta de capacidad administratva

Entidad de gestión

3 Sistema de Evaluación y Monitoreo

Desarrollo de capacidades dentro de la JD para nuevos cambios

Capacidad de Establecer Alianzas

Falta de capacidad técnica

Desarrollo para la autosuficiencia y sostenibilidad de Mangle

4 Implementación de sistemas de control (cuaderno blanco)

Desastres Naturales

Personal capacitado y compremetido

Crisis Económica=Exterior

!

Se construyó una escala para prioritizar las respuestas de la Junta Directiva correspondiendo a la relevancia de la pregunta/tema contestada. La prioridad se dio dependiendo de las tendencias y similitudes en repuestas de cada pregunta contestada. Escala: (1- Major Prioridad- 4 Menor Prioridad) Amarillo: Grandes enfoques para el desarollo de capacidad dentro de la JD que representan grandes oportunidades y necesidades

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!!!!!!!

The Infrastructure Team- The Impact of Potable Water

!!!!

Monterey Institute of International Studies A Graduate School of Middlebury College

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)&1=55*!G:--&#5!D@*-!G(=&,1=(J!

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Infrastructure Team Final Report Acknowledgements The Infrastructure team would like to thank the entire staff of La Coordinadora and Asociación Mangle for their invaluable time, flexibility, access, information, and logistical coordination that enabled our team to conduct our work. We are particularly grateful to Luis Orellana, the Infrastructure Coordinator, for providing us with a comprehensive overview of the water distribution system and all its facets. We would also like to thank Dina (last name?), the system’s manager and administrator, for her time and feedback, as well as for coordinating interviews with a wide variety of stakeholders, and accompanying the Infrastructure Team on a number of site visits. David Marroquin, our liaison and local representative, was invaluable in his facilitation of community meetings and household introductions, which enabled our team to conduct household interviews, for which we are very grateful. Additional thanks go to Carlos Quintalla, the accountant overseeing the Water Distribution project, for his assistance and access to critical financial and accounting information. The Infrastructure team would like to thank the communities of La Amistad and La Solidaridad for their welcoming reception, their willingness to devote time and energy to speak with the team, as well as for the honest and frank feedback received. Community leaders, Doña Paula and Doña Berta, were indispensible in their facilitation of access to the community members at large. Finally, our sincere gratitude goes to Adele Negro, our faculty and program director, as well as our translator and interpreter, Hilda Díaz, for all of their guidance and assistance. Executive Summary Asociación Mangle’s Infrastructure Program, in conjunction with Engineers Without Borders, designed, constructed, and began the implementation of a potable water distribution system in the region of Tierra Blanca in 2007. Though the scope of the system is to eventually provide potable water access to five rural communities, two of the five- La Amistad and La Solidaridad- have already obtained access and have been using potable water for over two years. The primary objective of the Infrastructure team’s study was to develop a baseline assessment as well as determine the impact of potable water on the two communities since its implementation, with a focus on four sectors: health, daily life, socioeconomics, and water usage. The intent of this objective was to evaluate the system holistically, investigate problem areas, and provide recommendations for the improvement of the expansion of the water system to the remaining three villages. Secondary objectives of the study included an assessment of community needs, determining areas of community interest for technical and professional training, and assessing the relationship of the communities with Asociación Mangle.

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Project Scope Objectives La Coordinadora (LC) and Asociación Mangle (AM) asked the Infrastructure team for assistance to devise a baseline assessment that would measure the impact of their project. The Infrastructure team interviewed key stakeholders and witnessed first hand how the water system is administered within the communities. In order to provide La Coordinadora with a well-rounded analysis of the project, the Infrastructure team aimed to achieve four separate objectives throughout its research:

• Measure the impact of potable water in La Amistad and La Solidaridad • Assess the need for future community infrastructure projects • Determine areas of interest for technical training • Assess the knowledge of and relationship between the communities and La

Coordinadora/Asociación Mangle. The primary objective was to measure the impact of the potable water distribution system (PWDS). Considering the complex nature of this task, the project plan was separated into four components: health, daily life, socioeconomics, and water usage. To measure the health impact, the frequency of diarrhea, parasites, and fungal infections, before and after the implementation of the water distribution system, were compared. Results of this component were recorded separately for adults and children. Effects of the water system on daily life and family dynamics were gauged by determining specific changes in the quality of daily routine since receiving potable water. Examples of these indicators include the amount of time saved from not having to retrieve water from a well and how that newfound time is utilized. Cultural change, implementation of the system, and issues such as cost and affordability were examined in order to gain the perspective of socioeconomic impacts of the potable water distribution system. The final indicator used to measure the impact of this system was usage and administration, including the different manners in which potable water is used, how it is disposed of, and what potential issues or problems arise throughout the administrative system and how they are dealt with. As a whole, the aim of this objective was to provide information that would allow for recommendations on ways to improve the water distribution system for current and future beneficiaries. Secondary objectives were also established in order to make recommendations in respect to future projects. First, it was important to gain perspective from community members about their needs. A general needs assessment was conducted in order to establish what different areas might need improvement within the community. Also, once it was established that the potable water distribution system created free time for its recipients, the Infrastructure team aimed to determine the level of interest for technical training among community members. The goal of this was to gain an understanding of ways to diversify and create new opportunities for income generation. Both of these objectives were accomplished by including direct, open-ended questions in the general baseline survey. Finally, the Infrastructure team included a portion of its survey to assess the knowledge and relationship of the community with LC/AM in order to learn

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more about the local community perspective. Goals The team’s goals became narrower in scope once its objectives were established. Primarily, it was important to have a full understanding of the different uses and practices of the PWDS, because each household exemplified its own techniques. For example, some households improvised a drainage system while others did not. It was necessary for the Infrastructure Team to differentiate between each technique and understand why only some households were benefiting from some sort of drainage system. This method of research led to a diversified approach, allowing for the infrastructure team to closely examine different areas of the PWDS, including but not limited to, system maintenance, administration, stakeholder involvement, and community and household practices. Gaining this inside perspective allowed for other predetermined goals to be reached. First, it would provide more beneficial recommendations to communities who have, or will soon have, access to the PWDS. Second, it would help identify different problem areas and communication gaps between homes, communities, and/or organizations. Both of these goals were fundamental areas of focus that lay within the scope of the original project. Background Faced with an array of challenges throughout its turbulent history, El Salvador is a country accustomed to dealing with hardship. Inadequate infrastructure impedes on development, leaving rural communities marginalized with basic human needs unmet. One example is the lack of access to clean water. According to The World Bank Group, 32% percent of the rural population in El Salvador does not have access to some improved water source. With a government either unable or unwilling to take on this problem, the responsibility falls onto civil society. Initiated by La Coordinadora, a large community organization representative of many local regions and villages, and its technical arm Asociación Mangle, the water distribution system was constructed with the efforts of several entities and spearheaded by the Clemson University-based Engineers Without Borders. Local decision-making processes with regards to service and delivery to specific households has resided and continues to reside within smaller community groups –some legal in scope- which include the Adescos, Grupos Locales, and village leadership. The Infrastructure Team discovered through surveys and numerous interviews that the Salvadoran Ministry of Health of El Salvador has legal authority to approve as well as terminate any community project that involves health implications and the usage of land. This authority rests within the public clinics, called Unidades de Salud, which are theoretically to be called upon to conduct an assessment of a given community project and grant approval for the project to be implemented. With no official approval having been granted for the water distribution system and despite threats to shut the project down, no action has been taken to hinder or halt development of the project. This is due to the fact that La Coordinadora and Asociación Mangle provide vital public goods and services to a large majority of the population in the Bajo Lempa.

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Before receiving access to potable water, the communities obtained water from artisanal wells, which are manually constructed by individual families, who dig in the ground until they reach water. Though widely used and still in existence, especially in communities that do not have running water, the artisanal wells are often shallow, and contain water that is undrinkable and in fact dangerous due to contamination from run-off and the lengthy usage of unsafe agricultural fertilizers. Salvadoran families, especially those residing in rural areas, experience high rates of kidney problems as well as death from kidney failure, a common condition strongly associated with water contamination from waste and animal feces, as well as from chemical run-off. Obtaining water from the artisanal wells involved making at least one arduous trip per day, though sometimes many more. Buckets of water must be pulled from the well itself, which may be a substantial distance away for families that do no have their own wells, any available containers are filled, and the heavy load is carried back home. This activity is physically taxing and quite exhausting, and most frequently performed by women, who carry containers of water on top of their heads. As a result many women suffer from sores, chaffing and calluses on their hands, as well as neck and back problems. The successful excavation, implementation and testing of the water distribution system in the communities of La Amistad and La Solidaridad, have put an end to the traditional fetching and usage of contaminated well water, at least for most members of the communities. Engineers Without Borders, along with a number of other organizations and the members of the communities themselves, provided the materials for and installed the main infrastructure of the system. La Coordinadora and Asociación Mangle purchased the well from a community member in La Amistad, and cleaned and revitalized it in order to connect it to the water distribution system. Individual households were responsible for excavating the land and installing the pipelines that served as the connections to their homes. A critical aspect of the new potable water distribution system, however, is that the system does not include a drainage mechanism. Water that is delivered from the main pipe and used for all household duties, including cooking, drinking, cleaning and washing, is disposed of by the families in a variety of ways. It is either emptied directly onto their properties, sometimes “to settle the dust,” next to their homes, or onto the lots of neighbors. It is also sometimes thrown directly onto the road and walkways around the houses. This factor has many health and social implications that will be addressed in more detail. Community Demographics The communities of La Amistad and La Solidaridad, the first two to benefit from the potable water distribution system, are unique in their structure and demographical composition. La Amistad is comprised of approximately thirty households and La Solidaridad forty, the vast majority of which are ran by women. La Amistad, the smaller of the two communities, is divided by a single large dirt road, with all of the families living on other side of the road. The housing units manifest different attributes and levels of development. Some are made of brick or cement, while others have walls made of tin slabs. Some homes have cement floors while others have dirt floors. Some of the families have a mix of both in their living compounds. The land is predominantly flat. La Solidaridad, on the other hand, is substantially larger, more spread out, and is located in areas of steeper land

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elevation than La Amistad. The presence of hills in this community is significant because it allows for more collection of run-off and stagnant water, especially during the rainy season. The lots that the families live on are modest in size, with all of the families living in close proximity to each other. None of the roads leading to or around the communities are paved. There is no sewage system of any kind, and the roads themselves are narrow, uneven and contain substantial amounts of stagnant water, animal feces, and garbage. Since there is no garbage treatment or collection, most of the families burn their trash in self-contained fires on their properties, usually on a daily basis. As mentioned above, the mixture of rain, especially during the rainy reason, as well as the constant presence of waste water that is regularly disposed of into the streets, fosters a near-constant presence of mud and stagnant water. Both, in turn, lead to an increased infestation of mosquitoes, foul smell, conflicts between neighbors, and general health concerns.

photo by Lucy Jodlowska Household Demographics Of the 35 households interviewed in the communities of La Solidaridad and La Amistad, 68.57% had a family size of 4 or more, and 80% of households had at least 1 child under the age of 13. The average daily wage14 per person in these households is $3.44 and individuals work an average of 3.5515 days per week. In most households there was only one income earner. Average household monthly income is approximately $140.62 including remittances; excluding remittances, average household monthly income is approximately $135.91.16 There were only 7 households that received remittances, and only 2 out of those 7 had remittances as their only income source. Table 1 shows the breakdown the income generation activities by percentages of the households surveyed.

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Table 1: Income Generation by Activity (Percentage) Activity Type Percentage Households

Participating in Activity Farm work 45.90% Washing clothes 11.48% Selling (vegetables, clothes, etc.) 9.84% Small store 1.64% Cleaning Houses 1.64% None 14.75% Remittances 14.29% Other (carpentry, construction, retirement) 11.48% Of all income generating activities, the most frequently reported was farm work at 45.9%. The people living in the communities of La Amistad and La Solidaridad have few opportunities for work, and primarily must find work in the sugar cane fields. Field work is seasonal and, therefore, very unstable. Often, there is not enough work for all those who seek it, and those who do obtain it frequently work 15 days straight, and then go weeks or months without another job. Furthermore, the farming industry, particularly sugarcane, is becoming much more mechanized. Due to mechanization and seasonality, the members of these communities are increasingly finding themselves without a steady income stream. Public and Community Health The issue of public health is now considered a high priority by the recently elected Funes government. However, it has been a topic of much contention among Salvadoran communities. Public health clinics, called Unidades de Salud, are the main centers for medical attention available to rural communities such as La Amistad and La Solidaridad. Operating on limited resources and providing very basic care, the health clinics are generally open from 7am to 2 or 3pm, with doctors and medical personnel attending to a substantial number of villagers, who form long lines and are not all able to obtain treatment due to the sheer volume of patients. In 2009, the new administration terminated the $1 service fee previously required from each patient seeking medical attention in the Unidades de Salud. While an important change and an improvement in the public health care system, the lifting of this service charge, along with other public health changes, has overwhelmed the Salvadoran public health care system with the increased numbers of medical-attention seekers who were previously unable to get care due to lack of funds. Community Health Workers Public health workers, otherwise known as Promotores de Salud, visit most rural Salvadoran communities, including the communities of La Amistad and La Solidaridad. The health workers are usually from the communities or regions they service and only have several months of training on basic medical attention. Their priorities lie in visiting families with pregnant women and small children, distributing vaccinations for children as well as household animals, keeping

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diligent records of community illnesses, birth and mortality rates, as well as providing families with information on sanitation, basic hygiene and trash disposal. The health workers also distribute anti-mosquito pills to be deposited in water containers and barrels to prevent mosquito-borne diseases, particularly malaria and dengue fever. Health workers’ services are fairly comprehensive and address many areas of health and household sanitation. However, due to the low ratio of community health workers per number of families, the Infrastructure team discovered substantial discrepancies in terms of which families were actually visited by the health workers. Some families reported having been visited at least twice a month, while others (mostly the ones with older children), claimed not to have been visited by health workers in months. The Infrastructure team’s main focus in researching the area of community health trends and health records among the rural communities was to analyze the variations in water-borne illnesses and their frequency before and after access to potable water. It was found that the main areas of current concern are mostly centered around other infrastructure related issues, specifically those pertaining to a fundamental lack of garbage collection and management. Water Distribution System Administration As of the first year and eight months of the implementation of the potable water system, each household was charged $3.50 per month for water access, which was rationed based on the time of day the water was available. In September 2009, Asociación Mangle chose to revise the administration of the water system because the previous billing system had become too costly for AM and was not sustainable. As such, a meter was installed in each household to measure its monthly water consumption. Each household was now charged for their water consumption at $0.10 per meter3 of water consumed plus a reduced base cost (cuota base) of $2.50. However, while households were informed of this change and of the decrease in cost, their bills, until recently, did not reflect the two charges; they only reflected the total amount charged. As one can imagine, this caused great concern among the households because they had been told that the base cost would go “down” but only “saw” their bill go up. They did not understand how the charges were broken down or why they were broken down the way they were. While 71.43% of households interviewed knew that their bill included a base cost, only 64% of those who were aware of the existence of the base cost knew what it was used for. As a result, a great deal of confusion was observed among the communities about how much they were being charged, and many began to feel discontented with the cost of water. Installation The main infrastructure (revitalization of the well, main pipelines, etc.) for the water distribution system was installed and paid for by Engineers Without Borders, a number of its partners, volunteers, and La Coordinadora and Asociación Mangle. However, each family was responsible for installing the connection from the main pipeline to their house and paying for the materials

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needed in order to do the installation. Based on the households surveyed, the average cost to households for the installation materials was approximately $36.89. However, this number tended vary greatly due to the fact that some peoples purchased their materials at the local hardware store as opposed to directly from AM, thus having to pay a marked-up price. Other families also chose to include their purchase of an individual meter ($20) in their total cost, which created a disparity in the numbers reported to the team. Figure 2 shows the percentage breakdown of how households paid for the installation materials. Other payment methods included donations or working in exchange for the materials, which amounted to only 4 out of 31 households. Figure 2: Payment Methods for Installation Materials

Cost of Water Initially, the households in La Amistad and La Solidaridad were charged a fixed price of $3.50 per month for water. The households were allowed to consume as many cubic meters of water as they desired while the water was on. AM rationed the amount of water consumed by having it turned on only during certain times of day. However, in September 2009, this system was changed because of exorbitant energy costs, which were rendering the system unsustainable. AM was not able to cover its fixed costs17 by only charging the households $3.50 per month. Furthermore, during the hours that the water was turned on, households were not rationing their own consumption, understandably because their monthly bill never changed. Each household was required to purchase a small meter to be installed on their property in order to measure the quantity of water consumed per household per month. The base cost was reduced to $2.50 per month and the charge per meter was at $0.10. The base cost continued to cover personnel and maintenance costs, but the amount charged per household for consumption went directly to cover the cost of electricity. In this way, Asociación Mangle would be able to recover all of its expenses and be able to maintain the system. During the first month of the new system, individual households continued to consume an exorbitant amount of water18 despite the fact that

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they knew they were being charged for consumption. It was not until the first bill arrived that they began to change their consumption habits in order to reduce the amount of their monthly bills. As can be seen in Table 36, the average cost of water has continued to decrease for the members of La Amistad and La Solidaridad (See Table 3)19. Table 3: Average Cost of Water20

Average cost of water (November 2009) $5.09 Average cost of water (January 2010)21 $3.00 The average monthly income per household in the communities of La Amistad and La Solidaridad was determined to be approximately $135.91. At $3.00 per month for water, this cost represents 2.22% of household monthly income in these communities. While this appears to be a relatively low percentage of monthly income paid for water, it must be kept in mind that the estimations of monthly income are approximate at best, due to the fact that most of the work available to these households is variable and unstable. When asked whether or not they felt that the monthly charges for water were fair, the majority of households indicated that it was a necessary expense, but that they often had to forego buying a certain food item in order to pay for water. Additionally, a large percentage of the households had purchased the materials for the water installation, including the meters, on credit from Asociación Mangle and were currently also paying those bills. Therefore, taking into account the fact that the price structure had recently changed, the following is a distribution of the answers respondents gave regarding whether or not they could afford water: Figure 4: Affordability of Potable Water

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Methodology Multidisciplinary Approach To successfully attain its objectives, it was necessary for the Infrastructure team to utilize a multidisciplinary approach. With a variety of actors, each having a stake and a wealth of knowledge on the status quo, it was important to learn from them before implementing the research aspect of the project. These stakeholders included program coordinator Luis Orellana, system administrator Dina Armina-Gómez, Carlos Quintanilla, the system accountant, public and private health officials, and local community leaders. Tour of Communities and Pump-House Once the Infrastructure team had a comprehensive understanding of the scope of the project, the team took a tour of the communities to see how the potable water distribution system worked. Communities yet to receive potable water were easily identified by the presence of women carrying water back to their homes. Communities with the potable water system each had a visible faucet, usually accompanied by water in the streets or in the patios. The team also visited the heart of the potable water distribution system, the pump-house, which was located within walking distance of both La Amistad and La Solidaridad. Interviews with Administrators and Coordinators Luis Orellana, the Infrastructure Program Coordinator, was the first administrator interviewed. Luis explained the basics of the water project, such as the administrative procedures and how the construction and piping system works. The second person interviewed was Dina (insert last name), the manager of the water system, who provided information about specific administrative procedures of the potable water system. She also coordinated logistics and set up a number of meetings for the team. In addition, she offered insight regarding problems, as well as ideas for topics to be incorporated within the survey. Dina informed the team that she was at its disposal for all three weeks and was willing to help in any way possible. For the rest of that week she set up appointments, assisted in scheduling a community assembly, and provided important information about the local context, history, and community dynamics. The last administrator interviewed was Carlos Quintanilla, the accountant for the water system. Carlos offered a comprehensive perspective on accounting and administrative procedures along with providing the team with financial statements. These statements allowed for the team to evaluate the system and offer sound recommendations on ways to increase administrative efficiency. Visits to Health Clinics and Interviews with Doctors/Health Promoters The team visited two health clinics in order to gain a better understanding of the local health care opportunities in Tierra Blanca and Bajo Lempa. The first clinic was privately owned and staffed by a small team of volunteers. The doctor in charge of the clinic advised the team of the private clinic’s preference to attend to fewer patients but to give them better quality care and discuss illness prevention strategies. He also acknowledged that access to potable water in the two rural communities improved the overall health conditions of the system’s beneficiaries.

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The second clinic visited was a state-run public clinic. During this visit the team interviewed the clinic’s sole doctor; however an administrative officer working for the government’s Ministry of Health also entered the room during the interview and interjected his feedback. The team’s intention was to ask similar questions and compare answers from the doctors of the private and public clinics to see how they differed, if at all. It was the impression of the team, however, that the doctor from the public clinic was unable to speak frankly because of the administrative official’s presence. Having witnessed the power dynamics within the public health care clinic, the team was able to incorporate this interview as a useful part of its research. The Infrastructure team also interviewed local health promoters. The government assigns a health worker to a specific region in the field to provide medical assistance for citizens who are unable to visit the clinic. Health promoters are trained to help with basic medical problems and are mostly accustomed to working with pregnant women and children. They are responsible for both human and animal vaccinations, ensuring proper water maintenance, as well as offering guidance on hygiene practices and other domestic issues. The health promoters provided the Infrastructure team with useful information on health problems in the communities where the team was working. This information, juxtaposed with the information provided by the clinics, provided the Infrastructure team with an overall impression of the most predominant health concerns in the region. Community Assembly The last objective of the Infrastructure team prior to drafting the initial survey was to hold a community assembly, designed to bring together the future interviewees for a preliminary, introductory meeting. The purpose was to introduce the team, offer information on the study and its intended objectives, and address any initial questions or concerns from the participants. This assembly turned out being very productive, as it created a comfort zone and initiated a relationship between the team and the community members. Afterwards, the team was able to interview Dona Paula, a community leader, as well as the community plumber, who was the main contact person in case any technical difficulties arose with the water system. Survey Design The Infrastructure team gathered enough information to draft a household survey after the initial interviews with the key administrative stakeholders were held. At this stage of the project, its scope began to grow as the team became aware of all the different aspects of the potable water distribution system. Besides asking questions directly related to water, the team would also need to obtain personal and health information, determine socio-cultural changes with before and after comparisons, and examine the role of women. The survey’s first draft was very comprehensive, but a pilot interview proved it to be too complicated. Before beginning household interviews, the Infrastructure team had to shorten, simplify, or omit many of the questions. This turned into a very lengthy and complex process, which included consultations with locals in order to identify and use common, widely understood terminology, avoid misleading questions, and make sure to include a range of both closed and open-ended questions were included.

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Household Interviews Interviews in La Amistad and La Solidaridad were conducted on a house-to-house basis. The Infrastructure team split up and conducted interviews in groups of two. David Marroquin, the team’s liaison with La Coordinadora, made introductions at each home before the survey began. After ensuring that team members were welcome into the homes, David then left the group alone, and the interview was conducted in privacy. Before each interview began, the interviewee was reminded that all information was confidential and anonymous. Most interviewees were willing to speak honestly and frankly about issues regarding their personal lives and how they have been affected by the potable water distribution system. In addition to conducting interviews, the team documented and photographed the water system and any quasi-drainage systems, as well as the physical landscape affected by stagnant or grey water.

photo by Ryan Gonzalez Preliminary Report/Recommendations; Presentation to Asociación Mangle The last days of the team’s work in El Salvador were spent preparing a preliminary report for Asociación Mangle. This consisted of a brief summary on what was accomplished, the methodology and process followed in order for the team to meet its goals and objectives, general observations, and preliminary recommendations based on the initial results from the survey. On the final day in El Salvador, the report was presented to Asociación Mangle, board and program coordinators, and community leaders. Assumptions and Results Throughout the various stages of the survey process it became apparent that the team had embarked on the project with certain assumptions and presuppositions that influenced both the process and the interpretation of the data collected. Each of these assumptions is highlighted below, immediately followed by the team’s findings and results. The team assumed that beneficiaries of the potable water system would understand what potable water meant, why it was healthier than well water, and that it was preferable to well water.

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Furthermore, the team believed that the communities would not hesitate to drink the potable water, and would harbor no doubts about the resulting differences they observed from the chlorination. However, when the water initially became accessible, many residents doubted its quality given the difference in color and taste resulting from the chlorination. The majority of respondents did not understand the health implications of potable water. While all appreciated the improved access, many did not believe that it was healthier than untreated well water. Some individuals distrusted the chlorination process and believed that the chlorine used to purify the water was toxic and led to kidney failure. As indicated by the occurrence of doubt (60% of respondents had doubts about potable water prior to installation) and the reasons causing that doubt, there appeared to be a lack of information, or a failure in the dissemination of information regarding potable water (See Table 5). Nevertheless, 80% of respondents now believe that potable water is safer than well water, while 17.14% of respondents believed it is not safer and 2.86% believe there is no difference. Table 5: Reasons for Doubt regarding the Safety of Potable Water Reason for Doubt Percentage of interviewees who had doubt

Different Taste 2.86%

Different Color (white at the beginning) 22.86%

Different Odor 0.00%

Fear of too much chlorine 25.71%

Potable water is unhealthy 5.71%

Well had been stagnant for a long time 3.00%

It was assumed that the health impact from the water distribution system would be easy to distinguish from impacts caused by other factors that had changed within a similar time frame. The consequent health impact of potable water would be dramatic, easily observed, and easily quantifiable. While there had been a notable improvement in the overall health of the families since the installation and usage of potable water, the team recognized that there had been a number of other recent changes that would also have affected their health. The residents of the two communities had been living in cardboard houses next to train tracks, without latrines or access to potable water roughly a decade prior to the team’s visit. After an earthquake in 2001 had demolished their homes, they were relocated to the area that would become the communities of La Amistad and La Solidaridad. LC and AM assisted them in building better quality homes. Within the past four years they were given compostable latrines, followed by access to potable water. All of these changes happened within an overlapping period and all entail a significant impact on the quality of life and health of the people. It was therefore exceedingly difficult to ascertain which of these changes was most influential in creating the drastic improvement to health that was observed throughout the two communities, and what specific impact the installation of the potable water system had. It was assumed that water-borne diseases, specifically caused by contaminated well water, would be the most prevalent health problems for the population in question and it was expected that these would have decreased significantly after the implementation of the potable water system. The team discovered a marked decrease in incidences of diarrhea and parasites, particularly among children under the age of thirteen, as noted by parents and health workers. However, the

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data did not reflect an equally significant decrease in other water related illnesses, such as kidney failure and fungus infections. Given the lack of available, concrete data and the uncertainty of the interviewees’ memory, the team chose to measure the impact by categorizing the changes as: “less,” “more,” “no change,” or “not applicable/relevant.” In this way, the team was able to gauge whether or not access to potable water had any significant impact on the health of the families in the communities of La Amistad and La Solidaridad. As can be seen in Figure 6, 31% of adults and 29% of children experienced no change or did not suffer (adults – 49%, children – 51%) from fungus infections before or after potable water. In the case of parasites, the team observed a reduction in occurrence. However, the team expected to observe a more significant decrease in occurrence than was actually the case. As can be seen in Figure 8, 43% of adults responded that they suffered less from parasites, and 34% of parents responded that their children experienced fewer infections from parasites. This also contradicted the expectation because children are generally more susceptible to illnesses, a greater decrease in infection rates for children would be observed. In the case of diarrhea, 49% of adults experienced fewer occurrences while 46% of children experienced fewer occurrences (See Figure 7). In all three illnesses, fewer than half of the households had experienced a decrease in infection rates. In particular, only 17% and 6% of adults and children, respectively, experienced lower rates of fungus infections after having access to potable water. Figure 6: Incidence of Fungus Infections

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Figure 7: Incidence of Diarrhea

Figure 8: Incidence of Parasites

It was assumed that the beneficiaries would have a clear understanding of the water system’s billing process. This was not the case, however. There was a considerable lack of general understanding about the water system within the communities. The majority of those interviewed did not understand the charges and fees on their bill or adequately comprehend the consequences of late or defaulted payments. As previously noted, there had recently been a number of changes to the administration of the water distribution system and its billing structure as well as a lack of communication to the beneficiaries about the changes. It was assumed that the women in the communities would occupy a social role that was secondary and subservient to the males, and that the community would be largely male

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dominated. However, in a large majority of the homes that the team visited the men were absent. The women were the sole wage earners and the heads of the household. Due to the considerable absence of men, or the lack of participation by those present, the women ran and maintained the community. They had built their own community centers, dug their own drainage ditches and installed the pipes for the water system in their own homes. They worked in the fields, raised the animals, and cared for the children. The women held community leadership roles and were undeniably the authority when it came to making decisions for the community as a whole. During the community meeting that was held to introduce the team and the project, the gathering was comprised entirely of women, while a few men lingered outside the building.

Community meeting with families from La Solidaridad and La Amistad. photo by Lucy Jodlowska The team assumed there would be a general understanding of the connection between hygiene practices and the resulting health effects. Yet, there was considerable variation in both the hygiene practices and the level of understanding about the consequences of such practices. In many cases either the children or the adults, or both, in a household were walking around the house and the yard without shoes during the interview. This posed a health problem due to the unsanitary conditions in which the majority of the people live. The floors of the homes were often made of dirt, and it was not uncommon for animals such as chickens, pigs and dogs to also wander freely around the house. Outside the house, in the yard, there was invariably a mixture of used water and animal feces. Some households maintained their yards more vigilantly than others so that the water and feces were confined only to a specific part of the yard, but others showed evidence of little maintenance. There seemed to be a lack of understanding about the health consequences of this exposure to dirty water and excrement.

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photo by Lucy Jodlowska The team’s understanding of a water distribution system was based upon the assumption that it would include a drainage mechanism. The most striking aspect observed was the lack of and dire necessity for a drainage system to evacuate the water used by each household. The used water was routinely collected in open ditches or receptacles where it became a potential breeding ground for mosquitoes. In some households, when the ditch or receptacle was full, it was emptied onto the patio or into the street. For some homes this is not a problem during the dry season because the water quickly evaporates. However, many homes and sometimes whole communities are plagued by puddles of stagnant water that run through their yards or in front of their houses, mixing with animal excrement and trash. The problems caused by this runoff and the lack of a drainage system is significantly exacerbated during the rainy season. When asked what they do with their used water, given the lack of a drainage system, 65.7% of the respondents indicated they throw it on their yard to control the dust (See Figure 9). It should be noted here that the survey was conducted during the summer season in El Salvador, which is a very dry time of year. The respondents did comment that, during the rainy season, disposing of the used water becomes a much more difficult process due to ground saturation and the lack of outlets for the water. Problems associated with stagnant water, such as dengue fever and malaria, are much more common and worrisome during the winter months. Given the problems associated with stagnant water and lack of drainage, the infrastructure team chose to survey respondents regarding their opinion with respect to the necessity of a drainage system.

A&+5!*+@!$(9&#!*+=-*15!*#&!5&&+!N&&@=+,!*+@!S*1T=+,!N#&&1Q!(9#$:,9!

N*-=1=&5]!9$-&5!*+@!51&&I=+,!W:*#(&#5\!!!

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Figure 9: Disposing of Grey Water

The significant variation among the personal water distribution and drainage system of the households was correlated with the amount of effort and funds that were dedicated to the installation and maintenance of the system. Most households accessed the water in a similar fashion. They would fill a large water basin directly from the tap and use it for all of the household needs, though sometimes there was a second tap in the yard used for showering. While this was fairly standard, the team observed far more variation in how the used water was disposed of. There were cases where the water simply ran off from wherever it was used in the yard, and cases where it flowed through a shallow open ditch to a hole dug at the edge of the yard. Often there were chickens, pigs and excrement mingling with the stagnant, soapy water in the ditches and the catch holes. Some houses, however, had used plastic tubing to create a rough-made drainage system that transported the water in a contained manner to a catch ditch that was covered and well maintained. In the communities where the majority of households regularly maintained their personal drainage systems there were minimal problems with standing water around the houses and in the streets. The team assumed that services and support from Asociación Mangle would be provided to people in the communities according to their needs, and that these needs would be the only deciding criteria. Throughout the interview process, it remained unclear what criteria were used in selecting who was to receive donated materials for the installation of the water system, who was considered for leniency in regards to late payments and termination of services, and who received other amenities and services such as new kitchens, stoves and home expansion/improvement. While some families with few young children and adequate income had received special hardship consideration when unable to pay their bills, other families who

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demonstrated obvious hardship - a lack of funds and insufficient means to provide for their families - were not given special consideration. Some families seemed to live in relative comfort, having received the majority of services and materials offered by Asociación Mangle, while other families lived in obvious need of assistance, yet had not received the same materials and services. It was expected that the greatest change reported by respondents in terms of the water system’s impact would be substantial health improvement. The most prevalent response that was highlighted by the majority of the households, however, was that the beneficiaries now had much more free time and their quality of life had improved. Prior to the implementation of the water distribution system, the families of La Amistad and La Solidaridad spent approximately 90 minutes per day (1.25 times per day)22 gathering water from either a personal or neighbor’s well.23 All households surveyed were very happy and satisfied with having access now to clean, potable water, and felt that it had a significant impact on their lives. Among the specific impacts mentioned, reduced stress received the most frequent mention at 31%, followed by more free time and more accessibility at 29% each, and not having to bother the neighbors anymore at 17% (See Figure 10). The concept of having more free time has a multitude of implications, none of which was lost on these communities. As can be seen in Figure 11, having potable water, and therefore more free time, has had a significant impact on the daily lives and incomes of the households surveyed. The members of these households now have more time to do housework and gather firewood for cooking (43% of respondents), more time to rest (37%) and more time to work and generate income for their families (31% of respondents).

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Figure 10: Greatest Impact of Potable Water

Figure 11: Use of Free Time

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Recommendations Income Generating Skills Workshops

The team recommends that Asociación Mangle offer a series of workshops to the communities in order to teach new income-generating skills that water recipients may utilize during their increased free time. When asked what the biggest impact to their lives had been since the installation of the water distribution system, the overwhelming majority of respondents reported that it was the increased accessibility of water and the resulting increase in free time. Many of those interviewed expressed great interest in learning new skills that would allow them to use this additional time in order to earn more money, given the opportunity to do so. Both men and women, whether they were heads of household or not, were asked what sort of skills or training they desired. The majority of the women (31%) said that they would be interested in learning how to sew, in order to make clothes not only for their family members but also to sell (See Figure 12). The majority of men (33%) said that they would be interested in learning how to be an electrician and 22% said they would like to learn anything that would allow them to earn more money (See Figure 13). Figure 12: Female Respondents’ Interest in Learning New Skill

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Figure 13: Male Respondents’ Interest in Learning New Skills

Communication Between Asociación Mangle and Water System Beneficiaries Given the considerable lack of understanding the team encountered in the communities regarding the water services, the fees, and the administrative procedures entailed, it is highly recommended that efforts be made to improve communication between Asociación Mangle and the beneficiaries of the services. While a letter of agreement was signed upon implementation of services, the beneficiaries frequently reported not knowing or understanding the details and facts that were stated in the agreement. It is therefore recommend that upon signing any future agreements, a member of Asociación Mangle meet down with the beneficiary to ensure that the agreement and the details of service are understood, including payment dates and processes, rates and fees, and the nature of the cuota base (baseline fee). Asociación Mangle should devise a checklist that would be used during this information session to ensure that all aspects of the service and the person’s responsibilities are covered in this meeting. Since many of the beneficiaries do not read, the agreement may need to be read and further explained to them. Additionally, it is recommended that recipients of the water distribution services be kept apprised of changes to the system and the functioning of the administration as it pertains to them. The recent and current changes taking place within the administration have caused confusion within the communities, especially among those who had an understanding of the original agreement and arrangement. In order to ensure that the people understand what happens with the system and what their duties and responsibilities are it is recommended that they be notified of changes in the administration that will affect them. While it may be too time-consuming to inform people individually, this information could be imparted at a community meeting, or to a community representative whose responsibility it would then be to pass the information along.

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Drainage System and Eventual Water Treatment System The team highly recommends the implementation of sanitary wastewater disposal practices, the installation of individual drainage systems, and eventually the pursuit of a mass drainage system for the communities that have access to potable water. One of the most salient needs the team observed during the evaluation of the water system was that of an accompanying drainage system. As a first step in addressing this necessity, it is recommended that during the installation process the beneficiaries be given help to install a drainage system and instruction on how to maintain it. The most functional personal systems observed simply employed a hose or tube that carried the wastewater from the place it was used to a catch basin or hole that was kept covered to protect it from mosquitoes. As long as the wastewater was transported in this contained fashion, and as long as the catch basin was emptied regularly, there were minimal problems with standing water around the house. However, while this solution may prove effective during the dry season in small communities, it provides no remedy for problems caused during the rainy season and will not suffice as a means of disposal for wastewater as the number of people using the system increases. In order to mitigate the problems caused by the mingling and inundation of rainwater and wastewater during the rainy season, it is recommended that Asociación Mangle help the communities to create a more extensive and comprehensive drainage system. Considering the current funds and resources available to Asociación Mangle and the communities, the team recommends as an immediate remedy, the adoption of simple, cost-effective approaches, such as a French Drain system.11 This system could be used to transport the community’s used water to an appropriate drainage site. If the funds or resources are available, the water from the drains could be channeled to a storage unit or area where the community or a designated representative could oversee and manage the disposal.

As a long-term objective Asociación Mangle should investigate the possibility of installing a more effective and permanent drainage system, as well as water treatment system. The construction and implementation of such a system would require the collaboration of several

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agencies, the means to build the infrastructure, and likewise the means to maintain it. However, as the communities continue to grow and as the water distribution system expands, the consequences of having inadequate drainage will become increasingly detrimental to the health and sanitary conditions of the people. Overwhelmingly, 82.86% said that a drainage system was absolutely necessary, while only 17.14% said it was not. Education About Potable Water It is recommended that that there be a community focused informational session about potable water to inform the beneficiaries about how the system functions and what potable water is, and what the health consequences of drinking untreated water are. This information will help the people to understand the importance of following the hygienic practices necessary to reap the full health benefits of their access to treated water. Many of the respondents the team spoke to did not fully understand the concept of potable water. They did not all understand that the water they were receiving from the system was healthier, or that the chlorine added to purify it did not have detrimental health consequences. Education About Water Treatment In order to avoid confusion over water treatment, the community should receive some sort of education or training about the procedures involved. The health care workers provide families with pills to put in their water that prevent it from becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes. However, they also supply chlorine pills to some families so that they may purify their own water when needed (as in the case of a power outage or other disturbance in the delivery of potable water that would lead them to use water from artisanal wells again). The team encountered confusion in the communities over which pill was to be used and when. This confusion and lack of understanding have potentially hazardous consequences that could be avoided if explanation and training were provided along with the pills. Proactive Education and Preparation in Communities Awaiting Water System The team further recommends that education about potable water, hygienic practices, water treatment and drainage systems begin taking place in those communities that do not yet have access to the water system. Proactive education about these issues could help to avoid complications or confusion once the people have access to the system and become beneficiaries with obligations to Asociación Mangle. Additionally, imparting the information prior to service delivery could potentially alleviate some problems associated with sanitation and lack of drainage that the communities may be currently experiencing. Strengthening of communication between LC/AM and public health clinics During interviews with potable water system administrations as well as the public health clinic, which is run by the Ministry of Health, it was noted that there exists a lack of communication and coordination between the two bodies with regards to the potable water distribution system as

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well as previous community projects. Though historical and political circumstances may have influence on the relationship between the two stakeholders, LC/AM provides the service delivery while the Ministry of Health, through the public health clinics, has legal authority over projects that affect community health. As it was conveyed to the Infrastructure Team, the public health clinics have knowledge of health trends, terrain and geological information relevant to ground water and wells, along with other demographical and technical data which they feel is essential to such development projects. Citizens and associations such as Asociación Mangle allegedly do not directly consult the public health clinic prior to initiating such projects and it is feared this could lead to potentially negative environmental impacts. On the other hand, community project organizers allege experiencing roadblocks, bureaucratic obstacles, and the imposition of being charged lofty fees when attempting to initiate community projects, all of which prove to be detrimental to the projects themselves. It is recommended that the stakeholders communicate an understanding of each others’ needs in an open forum or through a series of focus groups, where the two sides could discuss and communicate concerns and grievances to each other via a neutral facilitator. Suggestions for Additional Services During the survey and household interview process, the Infrastructure Team asked the families what improvements or modifications they would like to see in their communities. A large portion of the respondents (31%) said that, first and foremost, they would like improvements to be made to their homes. These included new walls, flooring, roofing, as well as additional rooms. Additionally, 14% of respondents would also like a park or recreation area for their children to play in (See Figure 14). Other suggestions included improvements in infrastructure, such as paved roads and a drainage/sewage system, as well as new financial and entrepreneurial opportunities. Figure 14: Suggestions for Other Services

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Needs-Based Distribution of Services Finally, it is recommended that Asociación Mangle assess household need as a basis to determine eligibility for services and consider hardship when dealing with an inability to pay (or to pay on time) for water services. Selection for receipt of services and consideration for leniency in application of penalties should be assessed strictly according to the circumstances the recipient is facing, his/her willingness to cooperate with Associación Mangle, and the ability of the association to provide aid or services. Eligibility for services and special consideration should be equitable and offered based on need, not on any other criteria. Conclusion Implementing a potable water distribution system that reaches a number of communities is a logistical and administrative challenge, and various elements have to be considered in order to guarantee the system’s success. Some of the most critical aspects include educating the communities with respect to the benefits of potable water, dispelling any preexisting health myths that may exist, and ensuring that the communities understand the administration and billing structure of a new system. Any changes to such a system, especially those involving financing or payment structures, must be clearly and expediently communicated to the beneficiaries. Furthermore, a cost/benefit analysis should be conducted to assess the dynamics of an increased number of water recipients, the necessity and numerical value of the cuota base and whether current administrative practices should remain the same, and whether hiring and training additional staff or plumbers to maintain the water system in the three additional communities would be necessary. Other important considerations include ensuring proper maintenance of the water system and water-related hygiene practices, as well as the critical issue of how to address the lack of drainage. The problem of stagnant water and increased possibility of mosquito-borne diseases must be addressed, either via improved draining strategies or communal decisions on where to dispose of wastewater. Nevertheless, the impact of potable water on the two studied communities has been overwhelmingly positive. Though still modest in health improvements, the quality of life has vastly improved, along with a decrease in stress and an increase in free time as a result of not having to make daily trips to gather well water. Also observed in many households was the desire to acquire new skills and improve the family’s income generation options. Many women expressed an interest in learning how to sew, make bread, and set up their own micro enterprises, while men expressed interest in carpentry, electrical work, and construction. Both sexes acknowledged that they would welcome learning just about anything “to earn money”. What the Infrastructure team’s findings point to is a series of socio-economic dynamics which present a picture of communities that desire and need further improvements in infrastructure and living conditions just as much as they need new income generating opportunities to further improve their quality of life. It is strongly recommended that future infrastructure projects focus

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on garbage and waste treatment and collection efforts. These are critical for community and family health as is the need for water drainage, an area that sooner rather than later should be addressed. Having said that, the Infrastructure team sees the above two areas, waste treatment and collection and an expansion of the water project to address water drainage and administrative improvements, as areas of future collaboration and continued partnership between La Coordinadora and Team Monterey. Should agreement on either or both of the above project proposals be mutually shared, Team Monterey is prepared to effectively transition into the next phase of project work.

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Appendix 1

Schedule of Activities

Week One: Monday, January 4, 2010:

9:30 AM – 11:30 AM: Meeting with the Junta Directiva of La Coordinadora and Asociación Mangle 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM: Meeting with Luis Orellana, Director of Infrastructure Program 2:30 PM – 6:00 PM: Tour of La Amistad, La Solidaridad and other communities in Tierra Blanca Met with Paula and Berta, community leaders for La Amistad and La Solidaridad

Tuesday, January 5, 2010: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Day spent defining project objectives and infrastructure program needs. Created work plan and timeline Began working on survey questions

Wednesday, January 6, 2010: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Meeting with Dina, water program administration supervisor. 2:00 PM- 6:00 PM: Worked on developing survey for meeting with the health clinics and doctors.

Thursday, January 7, 2010: 8:30 AM – 2:00 PM: Visited the private medical clinic and the Unidad de Salúd (public health clinic). Met with the doctors from both clinics as well as the Inspector of the Unidad de Salúd. 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Prepared for community meeting in La Solidaridad on Friday. Developed interview questions for Paula and Alex (the plumber).

Friday, January 8, 2009: 2:00 PM – 5:30 PM: Community meeting in La Solidaridad with the community members from La Solidaridad and La Amistad. Requested permission to visit each family in their homes the following week to interview them. Interviewed both Paula and Alex Week Two:

Monday, January 11, 2010: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Completed household survey 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Visited La Amistad and conducted first interview Interview last 1 ! hours

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Team determined that the survey was too long and needed revision 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM: Debrief and began re-writing survey

Tuesday, January 12, 2010: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Re-wrote survey, deleted unnecessary questions and added new ones. 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM: Tested survey by interviewing our host mothers 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Conducted 8 interviews in the community of La Amistad 7:30 PM- 9:30 PM: Debrief and designed template for inputting data

Wednesday, January 13, 2010: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Inputted data from surveys 1:30 PM – 5:30 PM: Conducted 9 interviews in the community of La Solidaridad 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM: Debrief and data input

Thursday, January 14, 2010: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Inputted data from surveys 1:30 PM – 6:30 PM: Conducted 9 interviews in the community of La Solidaridad 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM: Debrief and full team meeting

Friday, January 15, 2010: Parque Nacional El Impossible

Week Three:

Monday, January 18, 2010: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Inputted data from surveys 1:30 PM – 6:30 PM: Conducted 4 interviews in La Solidaridad and 5 interviews in La Amistad. 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM: Inputted data from surveys

Tuesday, January 19, 2010: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Inputted data from surveys and began outline for preliminary report.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010:

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Met with Luis, Dina and Carlos (accountant) 1:00 PM – 5:30 PM: Assisted with the release of baby turtles on the Bay of Jiquilisco 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Completed outline for preliminary report and began writing preliminary report.

Thursday, January 21, 2010: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Completed preliminary report. Two team members met with the health promoter from San Hilario

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12:30 PM – 6:00 PM: Visit to sugar cane mill in San Vicente 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM: Edited and revised preliminary report in Spanish

Friday, January 22, 2010: 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM: Final meeting with the Junta Directiva of La Coordinadora and Asociación Mangle Presentation on preliminary report and initial findings/recommendations

Appendix 2 - Master Copy of Final Survey (Spanish)

Full Survey questions Información personal

¿Cuántas personas viven en su casa?

1ª> Hay ninos de 13 anos o menos en su casa? ¿Qué tipos de trabajos hace usted para ganar dinero? Y su pareja?

2ª> hay otras personas en su casa que ganan dinero? (info on all working adults) ¿Cuántos días (promedio) trabaja por semana? Y su pareja?

¿Cuánto dinero gana usted (promedio) por día? Y su pareja?

Usted recibe remesas? If yes – cuanto?

Uso del agua ¿Tiene acceso a agua potable? S/N

¿Para qué utiliza el agua potable?

Cocinar

Agua para tomar

Lavar ropa

Limpieza del hogar

Bañarse/ducharse

Cepillarse los dientes

Lavarse las manos

Lavar los platos

Regar las plantas

Para los animales/ganado

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No utilizaba el pozo communal

Antes de que tuviera agua potable en su casa, ¿dónde iba a traer el agua?¿Cuántas veces al día iba a traer agua?

¿Cuánto tiempo le tomaba ir a traer agua (ida y regreso)?

¿Tiene un pozo artesanal en su casa?

Si tiene un pozo artesanal en su casa, ¿todavía lo ocupa? ¿para qué?

¿Qué hace usted con el agua sucia (ya utilizada)?

Tirarla a la calle

Tirarla a la par de la casa o en el patio

La ocupa de nuevo

Si utiliza el agua de nuevo, ¿cómo es que la utiliza?

Para regar las plantas

Para los animales

Otras_____

¿Los charcos o agua estancada es un problema en su casa? S/N

Si su respuesta es si, que problemas son los que causa?

Explain the drainage system a little bit, then ask question.

¿Piensa usted que un sistema de drenaje es necesario? S/N Los adultos en su casa llevan/usan zapatos o chanclas fuera y dentro de su casa? (observe what kind of floor is present: wood, tile, dirt)

Los ninos en su casa llevan/usan zapatos o chanclas fuera y dentro de su casa?

Instalación/mantanimiento del sistema de agua

¿Quién participo en la instalación del sistema de agua en su casa?

la familia

los vecinos

el fontanero

representantes de Asociación Mangle

otras delegaciones

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¿Cuánto dinero costaron los materiales y la instalación del sistema de aqua en su casa?

¿Cómo pago por los materiales para la instalación?

Efectivo

Crédito (ya pagado o todavía lo paga)

Otras maneras____________

De acuerdo a sus ingresos actuales, ¿le alcanza el dinero para tener agua potable? (Si o No)

23A> Si usted no paga el recibe al tiempo, que ocurre? 23B> Alguna vez le han cortado el aqua? (Si o No) If yes- Por que? 23C> Tuvo que pagar para prenderla de nuevo? (Si o No) If yes- Cuanto?

¿Sabe usted que su recibo incluye una cuota base? ¿Sabe para que se utiliza esta cuota?

24A> Alguien vino para explicarle para que se usa la cuota base? If yes- Quien? ¿Cree usted que lo que usted paga por el aqua en su casa es razonable?

Si o No. If the answer is no- Por que?

¿Qué tan seguido tiene los siguientes problemas relacionados con el sistema de agua?

Fugas: nunca rara vez algunas veces a menudo

Quebradura de tubería: nunca rara vez algunas veces a menudo

Presión de agua: nunca rara vez algunas veces a menudo

Problemas de medidores: nunca rara vez algunas veces a menudo

Falta de luz: nunca rara vez algunas veces a menudo

¿Otros? S/N, si su respuesta es si ¿qué es? y ¿qué tan seguido? _______ n r av am

Si tiene problemas con el sistema de agua, ¿a quien llama para que le ayude?

Nadie – yo o mi familia lo arreglamos

Mi vecino

El fontanero

El representante de la comunidad

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Otros_______________

Información sociocultural (hábitos de higiene, vida diaria, recibos y pagos del agua) ¿Cuál ha sido el cambio más grande en su vida desde la implementacion del agua potable?

¿Ha cambiado su dieta alimenticia con el agua potable? S/N Si su respuesta es si, explique como?

¿Cree usted que el agua potable es más saludable que el agua de pozo? S/N , ¿por qué?

¿Tuvo usted dudas sobre el agua potable por ser diferente en color, olor y sabor? Por que? Que tipo de dudas? Such as chlorine, water being white, etc.

Información sobre salud Adultos (14 años de edad o mayores) Desde que se instalo el sistema de agua , ¿qué tan seguido se han enfermado los miembros de su hogar de las siguientes enfermedades?

Diarrea: S/N? Más, menos o lo mismo que antes del agua potable?

Parásitos: S/N? Más, menos o lo mismo que antes del agua potable?

Infecciones de hongos: S/N? Más, menos o lo mismo que antes del agua potable?

Otras enfermedades Crónicas S/N? Más, menos o lo mismo que antes del agua potable?

Niños (13 años de edad o menores) Antes de la instalación del sistema de agua potable , ¿qué tan seguido se enfermaban los niños de su hogar de las siguientes enfermedades?

Diarrea: S/N? Más, menos o lo mismo que antes del agua potable?

Parásitos: S/N? Más, menos o lo mismo que antes del agua potable?

Infecciones de hongos: S/N? Más, menos o lo mismo que antes del agua potable?

Otras enfermedades Crónicas? S/N? Más, menos o lo mismo que antes del agua potable?

¿Existen otras enfermedades crónicas en su familias? Si su respuesta es si ¿cuáles?

¿Estas enfermedades surgieron después o antes de que tuviera agua potable?

¿Cuándo uno de los miembros de su familia se enferman que hace?

A cual clínica va cuando se enferma? (Publica, privado, fondo de emergencia)

¿Cuántas veces al año visita al medico?

38A> Le visitan promotores de salud? If yes, ask when/how often. 38B> Los promotores de salud visitan/vienen mas ahora que antes del cambio del gobierno el ano pasado?

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39. ¿Hay transporte para ir a la clínica? Que tipo? 40.¿Sabe usted de que con el cambio de Gobierno del año pasado, la atención medica y la medicina es gratis?

¿Ha cambiado la salud de su familia en los últimos dos años? Si su respuesta es si, ¿cómo?

Papel de la mujer (or head of household) Desde que tiene agua potable, tiene usted más tiempo libre? S/N

42A> Si su respuesta es si, ¿qué hace usted con su tiempo libre? Si usted tuviera la oportunidad de aprender otro oficio ¿qué sería?

Preguntas sobre Asociacion Mangle Aparte del proyecto de la distribución del aqua, ha tenido contacto con Asociacion Mangle? If yes- que tipo de contacto?

Ha tenido una experiencia positiva o negativa con Asociacion Mangle?

Sabe usted que hace Asociacion Mangle? (que tipo de proyectos tienen?)

Si pudiera cambiar algo o recibir mas ayuda o servicios de Asociacion Mangle, que tipo de servicios le gustaria?

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Team Monterey 4:

Production Program

Final Report 2010: Organization of Producers

Monterey Institute of International Studies

Robert Taggart Heidi Correa

Christopher Hanks Elizabeth Romanoff

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Executive Summary The relationship between the Monterey Institute of International Studies and La Coordinadora is continually strengthened through the commitments agreed upon within the Memorandum of Understanding signed in San Nicolas in January of 2009. This year marks the fourth year of Team Monterey project work in the Bajo Lempa and the Bay of Jiquilisco, and is the second year of collaborative projects between the Team Monterey Production Team and the Production Program of La Coordinadora-Asociación Mangle. During the three weeks of project work in the region between January 3 and January 23 of 2010, the Production Team of Team Monterey 4 (TM4) focused on the creation of an organization of producers. Through meetings with local community groups and cooperatives, and individual interviews of local producers, the Production Team determined that there is a need for an organization of producers that can provide local producers a place where they can voice their concerns and look for support for common problems faced in their respective communities. By organizing, local producers can strive for their common goal of strengthening their productive and marketing capacities for locally produced items. After two weeks of interviews and meetings the Production Team facilitated a workshop on January 20, 2010 for the purpose of introducing the concept of such an organization and to begin the process of creating the mission, vision and name of the organization. The workshop also provided an opportunity for those in attendance to begin the discussion of what requirements and responsibilities would be important for potential members of the organization. At the conclusion of the January 20th workshop, a follow-up meeting was scheduled by those present for February 10th to continue the creation process. The Production Team documented the information gathered during the interviews, meetings and the workshop and have included them in this report. Also included here are suggested requirements, responsibilities, and benefits of membership, a suggested organizational structure with specific job descriptions, funding options, and overall recommendations for the next stages in the creation process. This experience has provided the students of the Production Team with a “substantial professional experience that enhances aspects of both their academic pursuits and career aspirations,” as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding.

Introduction The Production Program of Asociación Mangle is based at the Xinachtli Production Center in Ciudad Romero, which is the headquarters for sustainable agricultural education in the region. The Production Program manages multiple projects that strive to improve the health and quality of living of the community while simultaneously reaching for the overall goals of food security and food sovereignty. To achieve these goals, the Production Program supports and encourages sustainable farming, crop diversification and rotation, the use of native seeds, and the application of non-chemical based organic fertilizers and pesticides. The Production Program’s Agricultural

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School, organized and administered by the agronomists at the Production Center, is the driving force behind community education for healthy and sustainable farming practices and has recently finished its third year of courses and workshops. Team Monterey worked with the Production Program in Ciudad Romero for the first time in 2009, when there two project groups, the Production Team and the Seed Bank Team, worked on separate, but interrelated projects, listed below:

• A survey of local producers to determine existing community production and distribution habits

• A survey of local producers to determine what types of seeds they currently purchased

and where they were purchased, and to better understand what other types of agricultural inputs were being used within the region

• A Geographic Position System (GPS) mapping project to record the location of the

current Asociación Mangle member farms In efforts to create a continuity of project work the 2010 Production Team examined the recommendations of the 2009 report, specifically regarding the creation of local markets, to further understand what aspects of project work would be the most helpful for our partners La Coordinadora-Asociación Mangle. The TM3 Production Team had recommended the creation of local markets to provide a location where community members could sell and purchase locally produced quality products. During 2009 La Coordinadora-Asociación Mangle organized four local markets, and participation has been increasing as community members have begun to understand the benefits of a local market. The recommendations of TM3 have aided in the organizing of local markets, and this year the Production Program requested further support to strengthen the organization of local production and sales. The Production Team of TM4 began project work on the ground on January 4, 2010 and initial meetings with Production Program coordinator Juan Luna and the program agronomists led to multiple project possibilities. In an attempt to strengthen local production and the sale of quality products it was determined that the skills and abilities of the TM4 Production Team would best be utilized to investigate the need to create an organization of producers and to facilitate the creation process.

Project Scope In July 2009, during a preliminary planning trip, Team Monterey’s Project Coordinator, Adele Negro, and its student team leaders meet with Juan Luna, coordinator of the Production Program, and other Production Program agronomists to initiate the process of project selection. Over the next six months the scope of some of the proposed projects changed, but overall five projects still needed further investigation, analysis and recommendations. Those proposed projects were:

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1. An expansion plan for the Xinachtli Seed Bank 2. An evaluation of impact of the Agricultural School 3. A business plan for cashew production, roasting, and distribution 4. A feasibility study for a subsidy system for local farmers 5. A needs assessment, and the creation of a proposal, for the formation of an organization

of producers The Production Team recognized that many of the above listed projects could be addressed and managed by an organization of producers; therefore, the development of a proposal for the formation of an organization of producers was selected as the TM4 project. The proposal focused on the organizational structure, the roles and responsibilities of the administrative body, and the benefits, requirements and responsibilities associated with membership. Aiding to create an organization that was representative of the diverse production in the area, the Production Team focused on all types of community producers, not solely agricultural producers. To maintain continuity between Team Monterey projects, the Production Team followed-up on TM3’s recommendations for local markets by assisting with the evaluation process of a local market held in Ciudad Romero on December 15th, 2009. The evaluation took place the second week of project work in January. The Production Team participated in this process with the intention of providing tools and techniques for a successful evaluation of future local markets, as well as assessing how the proposed organization of producers could play a role in the planning and organizing of future markets. The Production Team was also asked to organize a workshop with the purpose of providing tips and tools for community members on how to host their own workshops. Therefore, the Production Team devised and facilitated a workshop on how to give workshops, which was offered on the last week of project work, the afternoon of January 20th, following the presentation of the proposed organization of producers.

Methodology A project proposal was submitted to Juan Luna for review before interviews were scheduled with community groups, cooperatives and farmers. At the following meeting, Juan Luna, Leonides and the Production Team held a brainstorming session that led to a better understanding of the project scope, after which a work schedule for the following weeks was created. In order to create a framework for an organization of producers a general understanding of the needs of diverse producers in the region needed to be established. The Production Program agronomists organized meetings with local community groups and cooperatives so that the Production Team could investigate the current organizational structures, communicate the concept of an organization of producers to community leaders and conduct interviews with potential members. Juan Luna noted that twelve recent graduates from the Agricultural School had demonstrated leadership skills and could serve as the base for the organization of producers. It was agreed that these recent graduates would indeed be a strong nucleus for the group that would later participate in the creation process of the organization. However, there were concerns that a group of solely agricultural producers would only partially represent the diverse

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production in the region and would be detrimental to the long-term success of the organization. Therefore, interviews were conducted within different community groups and cooperatives so as to find a greater representation of producers in the area. Potential members were invited to participate in the creation process that was to take place on January 20th. Interview meetings were scheduled with the community groups of San Hilario, La Canoa, and La Limonera, as well as with the local cooperatives of Asociación Coopertiva de Aprovisionamiento, Ahorro, Crédito, y Consumo de Mujeres del Bajo Lempa “Marta Gonzalez” (ACAMG), the Asociación Cooperativa de Producción Agropecuaria Nuevo Modelo de Esperanza (ACPANME), and the Cooperative of Shrimp Farmers of La Chacastera. An interview was also held with Mexabel Marroquin, who, in addition to being a graduate of the Agricultural School, was recipient of credit from Asociación Mangle and from ACAMG, a vendor at the local market, and an archetype of local producers in the region. The Production Team created specific questions for each of the meetings and interviews (see Appendix). A schedule of the various meetings and interviews is listed below.

Table 1: Schedule of Meetings and Interviews Who Where Date Time Asociación Cooperativa de Aprovisionamiento, Ahorro, Crédito, y Consumo de Mujeres del Bajo Lempa “Marta González” (ACAMG)

Zamorán 1/11/2010 9:00 am

Asociación Cooperativa de Producción Agropecuaria Nuevo Modelo de Esperanza (ACPANME)

Nueva Esperanza 1/11/2010 2:00 pm

Mexabel Varaona Marroquín

La Limonera 1/12/2010 9:00 am

Cooperative of Shrimp Farmers of Chacastera

Chacastera 1/12/2010 2:00 pm

Local group of La Limonera Ciudad Romero 1/13/2010 2:00 pm Local group of San Hilario San Hilario 1/14/2010 9:00 am Local group of La Canoa Amando Lopez 1/18/2010 9:00 am Presentation of Organization

San Nicolas 1/20/2010 9:00 am

Workshop on how to give workshops

San Nicolas 1/20/2010 1:30 pm

SWOT Analysis For comparison purposes a Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats Analysis (SWOT) was conducted for each of the three cooperatives that were visited. A SWOT Analysis is a strategic tool used to analyze the internal factors, strengths and weaknesses, and the external

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factors, opportunities and threats, for a project or organization. The Analysis was used to create similar metrics for comparison between the different cooperatives and to provide a quick overview of their organizations.

Analysis of Cooperatives and Local Groups

SWOT Analysis of the Women’s Cooperative of Zamoran Official name: Asociación Cooperativa de Aprovisionamiento, Ahorro, Crédito y Consumo de Mujeres de Bajo Lempa “Marta González” (ACAMG de R.L.) (Cooperative Association for Provisioning, Savings, Credit, and Consumption for Women of the Bajo Lempa)

Table 2: SWOT Analysis of ACAMG Strengths: Weaknesses: -Micro credit system -Training programs -98% repayment rate -Bulk purchasing service -Two stores

-Lack of communication or partnerships with other local organizations -Lack of collection methods for defaulted loans -Lack of transportation for members to attend meetings and to distribute property -No branding -No member products sold at stores

Opportunities: Threats: -Expand loans to women for reasons other than for the purchase of livestock -Expand loans to include men -Create a brand to attract more clients -Improve transportation -Offer childcare services so that women who must look after their children have the opportunity to attend the meetings

-Lack of penalties for default loans -Natural disasters or cattle diseases -Traditional roles of men and women -Machismo

Interviewees: Blanca Estela Ramirez, president

María Elena, accountant María Santana Guevara, advisor and promoter Invited to meeting: María Elena

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Overview of the Women’s Cooperative of Zamoran Resettlement in the Bajo Lempa was beset by multiple challenges, including a diminished population of men. Traditionally, men held most of the skills, trades and land. Many women in the area had to confront a new reality: being the head of their households and needing to generate income to support their families. This need was met in part by the formation of Asociación Cooperativa Aprovisionamiento, Ahorro, Crédito y Consumo de Mujeres de Bajo Lempa “Marta González”, (ACAMG). The group began as an informal collection of 68 women in 1993 and became a legal entity in 2001. Requirements of membership under the new legal structure left only 31 official members. The women had no experience in forming a legal enterprise. They learned to build and administer an organization by trial and error over a long period of time, and received advice from other organizations. A group with only female members, like ACAMG, faces unique obstacles in El Salvador. In the beginning, the group had no office, so they held meetings under the trees. Also, in the early years of the group, some of the husbands and boyfriends believed that these women should not be involved in this group. Oftentimes, they would wait outside the office and take away loan money that had been distributed to the woman. The men want to control the money in their households even if they did not use it as responsibly as it could be. Even in the most benign circumstances women were stretched between traditional roles of caretaker of the home and their emerging role as entrepreneur, cattle rancher, and head of household. They were expected to be home and have dinner prepared, care for the children, and clean house regardless of any other enterprises they took on. As an organization that advises women in non-traditional aspects of daily life, ACAMG has often found its members dealing with issues of inequality between the sexes and attitudes of machismo. Structure Currently, there are 250 active members who represent 15 communities. The administration, structured in the standard format, is made up of 8 positions: president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, one support staff member (vocal), and three alternates. The organization maintains documentation on loans granted and the status of repayment. There is also a supervisory board headed by five women who oversee all the committees and ensure that everyone is fulfilling their duties and functions, in addition, there are two ACAMG representatives in each community. Membership Potential members must meet certain requirements before they are accepted as a member. A candidate must be a woman of at least 18 years old. She also must own land and live inside the zone. If she meets these requirements the representative of her community can invite her to join the cooperative. Members are required to pay a monthly fee of $2.86 into a savings account, which is utilized to grant loans to participating members. When a member leaves the organization her individual contributions are returned with a 4% interest. There are three mandatory meetings a year, which also serve as orientation for new members on how the cooperative works and how to effectively spend and repay their loans. The women of ACAMG primarily raise cattle and generate income from the sale of beef cattle, with a smaller amount derived from the production of pigs. The group is also working to increase production of dairy cattle. Approximately 50 to 70 women produce milk, most of which is

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consumed by the producing families. The limited volume of locally produced milk surplus is sold to ADIVAL (Asociación para el Desarrollo Integral de Valdejalón), a non-governmental organization which operates a cheese-making facility. There are also 15 women working on a corn project to improve the quality of cattle feed. The improvement of inputs for cattle farming is growing in importance within the communities because it is recognized that quality inputs lead to a higher quality of production. Dairy cows that receive a high quality diet produce a higher quality of milk that can be sold at a higher price.

ACAMG Areas of Focus Credit Farmers have few credit options and women farmers have even fewer. El Salvador’s banks recently became privatized, virtually ending credit to small farmers. However, the Agricultural Bank of El Salvador is the one bank that will still give loans to small farmers. Banks charge high interest rates that come with very high penalties for late payment or nonpayment. Farmers tend to distrust bank loans due to the fear that banks will take away their land if they cannot repay the loans. ACAMG is functioning well, with one of the highest incomes of all the cooperatives in the region. Their primary function is to extend credit service to its members. Members can apply for small loans to purchase cattle and inputs for raising cattle. Applications are submitted for approval to a committee that meets each month to discuss loan approvals and loan recovery potential of applicants. Once accepted, the member must then complete a training program for borrowers, on the process and importance of using and repaying loans. Additionally, the training serves to shape the mentality of members which, in turn, helps form organizational culture. The member must pay back the loan with a 12% interest rate in one year. In extreme circumstances, such as the loss of cattle due to disease, loan repayment options can be arranged. ACAMG does not penalize members for late payments on loans. Members who have missed multiple payments, or have suffered a hardship, will be visited by the supervisory committee in order to determine if the cattle (the capital) still exists. In extreme cases of hardship, ACAMG has worked with members to recover only the capital and waive the interest. The group has an impressive 98% repayment rate despite the complete lack of enforcement methods. Loans are generally in the range of $400 to $1000; in 2009 just over $20,000 was loaned. The organization meets yearly in February to determine the portion of profits generated by interest on loans outstanding that will be distributed to members and the portion that will be reinvested in projects. At the end of 2009, they held $10,000 in profit for both distribution and reinvestment. Supply ACAMB provides a bulk purchasing service to members, and purchases cattle supplies, school supplies and veterinary medicines, generally from Usulután or San Salvador, to sell to members. They make a small profit, but are still able to offer a lower price than other outlets. The goal is to

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secure products and make them conveniently available for members. They operate two small stores of veterinary products. They also sell seeds, fertilizer, milk and beans at their stores. However, members do not sell their own products in ACAMG stores. Education ACAMG helps the women to improve their pastures, improve cattle feed, build silos, transition to organic inputs, and diversify production. One of the main concerns of the organization is learning how to provide more and higher quality feed for their livestock. The cooperative also provides a limited mentoring program. An experienced member will accompany novices when buying and selling cattle. They teach them where and how to take cattle to market as well as techniques of negotiating for a better price. Needs Based on the above information that was discussed at the interview with the representatives of ACAMG, the Production Team recognized the following needs. Although the cooperative aids members with production, every producer is responsible for organizing their own distribution and sale of products. ACAMB recognizes the sales potential that local markets could provide, but does not organize or participate in any at this time. The cooperative would likely provide reliable vendors of beef and dairy products at local markets if markets were organized on a consistent basis. Other recognized needs of ACAMB are transportation, branding, legal counsel, and better communication between local organizations. Legal counsel is necessary for regular organizational operations as well as to provide members affordable legal advice for their personal needs. Legal aid is especially important for a women’s cooperative because of the inherent difficulties for women in Latin America to own property, buy and sell capital, and operate a business. Legal counsel could also help with ACAMB’s unofficial logo, which members do not use because the registration process tends to be complicated and expensive. The women of ACAMB need better transportation options both for product distribution and personal needs. The women often miss meetings because of transportation difficulties. The cooperative has at times used its truck to pick women up for meetings and to take members’ children to school. ACAMB is interested in an organization of producers because such an organization could aid in strengthening the productive and marketing capacity of ACAMB members.

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SWOT Analysis of the Cooperative of Nueva Esperanza Official name: Asociación Cooperativa de Producción Agropecuaria Nuevo Modelo de Esperanza (Cooperative Association for Agriculture and Livestock Production, New Model of Hope)

Table 3: SWOT Analysis of ACPANME

Strengths Weaknesses -Diversity of products -Able to add value by processing products -Processing plant -Community unity -Collective ownership of land -Approved by Ministry of Health -Some members obtained education through the agricultural school

-Unable to register their brand -Unable to address consumer demand -Lack of funds -Lack of transportation and distribution -Lack of marketing

Opportunities Threats -Marketing and selling their processed products -Obtaining a brand to sell at a national level

-Lack of nutritional education -Natural disasters -Tax on collective ownership of land

Interviewees: Antonio, president Soledad, supporting staff assistant Pilar, counselor Invited to meeting: Soledad

Overview of the Cooperative of Nueva Esperanza The Nueva Esperanza cooperative is one of the last true cooperatives established by those returning to El Salvador after the war. It is distinct due to its collective ownership of the land. Nueva Esperanza community members had a cooperative while they were in Nicaragua with support from the Sandinistas.1 When the community returned to El Salvador, its members wanted to replicate the success they had had with their cooperative in Nicaragua. Their new neighbors, the community members of Mata de Piña and Nancuchiname, helped them to acclimate. At that time, communities that remained in cooperatives had to pay a land tax. The government encouraged people to sell off their individual shares to avoid paying the tax and thus effectively disbanded many cooperatives in the area. But people did not know how to manage the land by themselves and no longer had access to capital that was distributed through the cooperatives; today, therefore, many parcels remain uncultivated or abandoned. By October 20, 1993 they had formed an official cooperative with 15 men and 15 women to govern their

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collectively held land. Today the organization boasts 101 members with a surprisingly larger number of women than men, 56 women and 45 men. Structure The cooperative is structured in the standard format, consisting of a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, one supporting staff member (called a vocal), and 3 alternates. There is also a supervisory committee of 5 members (president, secretary, 3 vocales), which ensures that contracts and regulations are honored. The meeting with the Nueva Esperanza cooperative included its president, Antonio; a vocal: Soledad; and the ex president and counselor, Pilar. Both Antonio and Pilar are graduates of the Production Program of Asociación Mangle’s agricultural school. Membership Membership in this cooperative is anchored in the concept of collectivism. Once a new member has applied and has been approved by the general assembly, he or she receives certain benefits, including a partnership guarantee, which outlines their responsibilities to the cooperative and the benefits that they are eligible to receive. The members are allowed to draw a salary, which the cooperative manages, and retain a certain percentage of the surplus of what they have cultivated. Each member receives two manzanas (a manzana is a measurement of area equal to 7000 m2). Members are allowed to do with their land whatever they deem fit but are not allowed to sell their share of land. An additional benefit is that each member over 60 years of age receives 5 bottles of milk each month. To join the cooperative a potential member must satisfy certain prerequisites, such as, “being at least 16 years old, be honest, not have too many vices, be willing to work, and pay dues of twelve dollars a year.”1 In turn, the administration of the cooperative has the responsibility of managing and paying salaries, as well as managing 573 manzanas of collective land. Membership Production The cooperative collectively owns 573 manzanas of land of which 60 manzanas remain forested, 70 are cultivated with sugar cane, 20 are planted with organic cashew trees and 25 are planted with organic coconut trees. The sugar cane alone generates around $50,000 to $60,000 annually. Approximately one third of this pays expenses, one-third is distributed to members, and one third is reinvested into the cooperative. The cooperative also produces artisanal (small-scale) volumes of milk, cheese, cashew seeds, cashew fruit syrup, cashew wine, hibiscus wine, coconut pulp (for juice), nance juice, coconut sorbet, and jams of various fruits. The cashew syrup is made from the fruit of the cashew tree, which is normally discarded in the process of collecting the cashew seed, and has higher vitamin C content than any commercially available fruit. There are also two types of cashew wine, one of which is normally served as an aperitif in El Salvador.

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Cooperative Areas of Work Supplies The cooperative generally buys its supplies from AgroInter and Deagri. The decision to use these companies is not based on price advantage but rather on the two-month credit line that they receive. Ingenio is another company that gives the cooperative a credit line for purchasing inputs and supplies. In this case it is a one-year repayment term, but a high interest rate is charged. Often repayment of these loans takes all of the income generated from the harvest. The cooperative makes some purchases in bulk and sells to members at a lower price than they could obtain individually. For example, the cooperative purchases sacks of fertilizer in bulk for $47 each. The sacks cost $55 in a typical resale store, and the coop charges $49 per sack to generate a small profit while providing lower cost inputs to its members. Value-Added Products The cooperative is particularly interested in adding processing capability to its raw products production. It seeks to add value to its productive capacity and generate more income. Twelve women in the cooperative hold the production process knowledge for most of the processed foods manufactured by the cooperative. The community has also received help from Brazilian and Argentinean engineers to make jams. In addition, the community was able to install a processing plant for their different products by soliciting help from Canadian organizations. Obstacles The leaders of the cooperative who met with the Production Team expressed many of the needs they had identified. They indicated a lack of capacity in regards to expanding their business, especially in the areas of marketing, branding, and processing of agricultural products. The members of the cooperative generally have knowledge of local farming techniques, but lack training in management, business, and legal skills. They expressed interest in having a brand or trademark, but underlined the difficulties of registering the brand. They hope to address some of these needs in order to gain market share and to find new sales outlets. They also hope to leverage branding to reach an international market. Lack of credit sources is also a continual problem in the area. Other obstacles faced by the cooperative are natural disasters (flooding and drought), dollarization (inflation), privatization of banks (lack of credit options), and free trade agreements including NAFTA and CAFTA (increased imports of competitor products). An important issue that emerged is health and nutrition education; for example most community members prefer to buy a coke rather than a natural juice, even when the juice costs less. There is rampant kidney failure in the region, in adults as young as 20 years old. When asked why the cooperative had not worked with other cooperatives in the area, the leaders highlighted a general lack of trust between local groups. Each group tends to hold to its commitment to reaching its own goals. There was much interest on the part of the leaders of the Nueva Esperanza cooperative when an umbrella organization, that can coordinate the many cooperatives in the region, was proposed as a potential road for these communities to create greater opportunities and unity.

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SWOT Analysis of the Cooperative of La Chacastera Official name: Shrimp Farmers Cooperative of La Chacastera !

Table 4: SWOT Analysis of La Chacastera Strengths Weaknesses -Organic shrimp farming techniques -One of the few shrimp cooperatives in the area -One of the most cohesive/bonded cooperatives in the area

-Not a legal cooperative -Emigration of members to the U.S. -Lack of collateral to obtain funds -Lack of sales outlets -Lack of transportation and distribution

Opportunities Threats -Improving relationship with La Coordinadora -Obtaining a new pumping system -Adding value to shrimp

-Natural disasters, like hurricanes -Depletion of mangroves -Expropriation of land -Over fishing, siltation -Additional environmental regulation -Shrimp disease

Interviewee: Don Jose Invited to meeting: none Introduction In communities on the Bahia of Jiquilisco, people rely on resources from the sea instead of on agriculture as is the case in the Bajo Lempa. One of the sources of livelihood in this area is shrimp farming. The cooperative of shrimp farmers located in the community of La Chacastera was established in 1996 in order to improve the shrimping sector, improve the quality of their product, make the farms as natural as possible, and improve the lives of shrimp farmers.!!The shrimp farmers’ cooperative has faced several obstacles in the past. It suffered damage from two hurricanes, Mitch in October of 1998, just 2 years after the formation of the organization, and then Stan in October of 2005. The combined effect of these storms has left several of the organization’s ponds filled with sediment. After Hurricane Mitch, the organization used the $25,000 loan, received from international aid organizations, to clean some ponds; however, Hurricane Stan sifted in even more ponds. At that point several delegations from 5 countries, including the United States and Spain, donated money to La Coordinadora for the purpose of restoring the functionality of the ponds. The shrimp farmers believe that La Coordinadora, while acting as a broker, handicapped the project by distributing a large portion of the money to other projects. !!The Production Team arrived for the interview with the shrimp farmer’s cooperative in a climate of suspicion. The shrimpers believed that Asociación Mangle was responsible for the recent ban on the extraction of marine turtle eggs and other marine resources. They thought that the Production Team was part of Asociación Mangle, and feared they were working to shut down the

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shrimp business. Soon after the interview began, the shrimp farmers voiced their concerns. After the Production Team explained the concept of the organization of producers and asked the shrimp farmers what their level of interest might be, the interviewees became more relaxed and eager to participate in the interview. They commented very graciously that they were happy they had not been forgotten and hoped that it was not the first and last visit made by the Production Team or other delegations. It is also important to note the large percentage of members that attended this meeting as compared to other meetings with cooperatives. There were 16 out of 26 members, including 5 children, in attendance, an indication of their strong dedication to the cooperative and to each other.!!Structure!The cooperative began with 15 members and grew to a membership of 36. Currently, however, there are only 26 members because some families left for the United States. Although the organization is structured as a legal cooperative, it has not met all requirements to be legally registered. The group is organized in the standard format of 8 members consisting of a president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary, supporting staff member (vocal), and three alternates. The president generates funding and the vice-president serves as a liaison with other delegations. There is also a supervisory committee of 5 members. La Chacastera is the only community comprising the cooperative. The administrative personnel documents in a daily log what is produced from the shrimp ponds and which member contributed labor that day. The days and hours worked are recorded, as well as the number of pounds of shrimp that the member has caught. !!Membership!A new member must be recommended by 5 members in order to join and must complete a 6-month probation period. Members, called “socios,” must satisfy certain requirements and conform to certain responsibilities. They must work and participate actively in the cooperative in such activities as cleaning hatchways and attending meetings, they also enjoy certain rights, one of which is receiving a portion of the profits from what is produced. !!Member Production!The farm consists of 11 ponds; however, only three are in use. They produce at a quantity referred to as artisanal, meaning smaller-scale quantities than large industrial operations. They typically produce 8-10 quintals each month, valued at approximately $200 per quintal (one quintal is equal to 100 pounds). There are two fishing seasons each year, limited to 2-3 months each. !!Areas of Cooperative Focus!!Artisanal Farming!The cooperative works to produce as naturally as possible and to limit its environmental impact. Shrimp farms typically use “concentrate,” a manufactured feed product. The use of concentrate requires constant pumping of water with electric or gas powered pumps, which cause a build-up at the bottom of the pond that increases the growth of bacteria. Cooperative members decided not to use concentrate in their production because of the environmental damage that it causes-this despite the fact that shrimp grown with concentrate often grow larger and sell at a higher price per pound than naturally fed shrimp. They only use nets with large holes to catch only large

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shrimp, in order to protect the young shrimp and help maintain sustainable populations. They also work with local organizations to replant mangrove trees around the edges of their shrimp ponds.!!Obstacles!The cooperative needs more avenues to sell its products. It claims to be able to farm and harvest more shrimp than its members currently do, if there were a reliable way to sell it. Due to unreliable distribution options, the shrimp produced is usually sold among members and people in the community. The cooperative is also exploring opportunities to sell in other markets and to restaurants, and to process the shrimp to provide a value-added product such as cooked shrimp or consommé. !!This cooperative has very limited credit options. It does not own the land, which in turn leaves it without collateral to secure a loan. In the past, due to hurricane relief funding, it was able to secure a $25,000 loan to clean some of the ponds. According to the farmers, they paid back the loan, including interest, in 3 months. !!The cooperative indicated that its primary need is for a pump system. A 24-inch pump system would cost $17,000 used and $25,000 new, with an additional cost of $60 to $70 per 6-meter segment of 24-inch diameter piping. They hope to obtain a pump to maintain water levels during the hottest and driest seasons of the year. The combination of low water levels and the hot sun cause fish and shrimp to die. A pumping system would allow the group to have higher yields while better protecting the health of stocks.!!

Community Group Meetings The decision to present the concept of the organization of producers to three trial local groups was born out of the importance of the “socialization” of ideas. Since illiteracy is a common reality among the older generations, the socialization of ideas through word-of-mouth, using local groups as the point of dissemination, is crucial for organizational function. The three trial local groups were Zamoran–La Limonera, San Hilario, and La Canoa. !Given that the first local group meeting in Zamoran–La Limonera was organized for the purpose of evaluating the local market held on December 15th, 2009, there was limited opportunity to obtain community opinion about the idea of an organization of producers. However, two recurring issues during the evaluation were how to sell efficiently and how to encourage community members to buy local products. The Production Team was able to present the idea and receive feedback from three community members: Gonzalo, Santo Velasquez, and Miguel Hernandez. All local groups displayed a general interest in the organization of producers, though there was some uncertainty as to how the organization would involve and affect them. The extent to which politics affects activities and relationships between cooperatives and organizations in the zone was also brought to the attention of the Production Team.!!The second local group visit to the community of San Hilario was fairly successful. The former president of Asociación Mangle, Luis Ramos conducted an evaluation of the local market in the same way as it was done in Zamoran–La Limonera. The Production Team noticed that the method of evaluation of the local markets was passed down verbatim to the local group, which

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reinforces the importance of socialization of ideas through local groups. Although more time was allotted to the presentation of the organization of producers, as compared to Zamoran–La Limonera meeting, the concept was not fully understood. Nevertheless, some members showed interest, and understood the importance of strengthening the commercialization of local production.!!The third local group meeting with the local group of La Canoa was the most successful. The local group more readily received and understood the concept of an organization of producers. They saw the organization of producers as a potential solution to many of the challenges they face as producers in the region, among which are ways to produce and consume organically and to distribute and sell their products. They were also very aware that by working together they would be able to set fair prices. A solution echoed throughout the meeting was that education had to be an aspect of the organization, primarily with women and children. According to Juana Hernandez Martines, a member of La Coordinadora’s administration, remittances from relatives in the United States make it possible for many people to have a little extra income to buy items like televisions and radios. This directly affects mothers and children, who prefer to watch and listen to programming on television and the radio, and ignore household chores like investing time into planning and preparing meals. To compensate for the lost time mothers will use the extra income to buy convenience foods, which is detrimental to the health of families. Overall, the local group of La Canoa was very receptive and interested in beginning an organization of producers, and many volunteered be a part of the initial planning meeting for the organization.!

Analysis of Local Market Evaluations The Production Team had the opportunity to attend two evaluation sessions of the local market that took place on December 15th, 2009. A list of those local producers who were to sell products at the local market was recorded by the Local Group of Zamoran–La Limonera and can be seen in the Appendix. An official evaluation session of the market was held in Ciudad Romero and included participation from the Production Program agronomists and the local group of Zamoran-La Limonera. A second impromptu evaluation session occurred at a community meeting in San Hilario.

Local Market Evaluation: Local Group of Zamoran–La Limonera At the first evaluation of the local market in Ciudad Romero attendees were assigned to groups and asked to answer three basic questions about the local market. In addition, attendees also were asked to judge six aspects of the market as “bad”, “average”, or “good”. The three basic questions were:

1. Is the local market useful? Why? 2. To whom does the market belong? 3. How many people in your local group participated in the local market?

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The six aspects of the local market judged as bad, average, or good, were:

1. The location 2. The date 3. The number of participants 4. The variety of products 5. The level of participation of the local groups 6. The publicity for the event

After the groups discussed and recorded their responses, they were then brought back together to present their opinions to the whole group. The information was recorded by Juan Luna, the coordinator of the Production Program, on a whiteboard in the front of the room. Below, Table 5 shows the evaluation tool used at the evaluation session, with each of the groups’ responses indicated, where A is average, B is bad, and G is good, for each of the listed parameters.

Table 5: Local Market Evaluation Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5

Parameters A B G A B G A B G A B G A B G Location X X X X X

Date X X X X X Number of

Participants X X X X X Variety of Products X X X X X

Level of Participation by the Local Group X X X X X Promotion of Event X X X X X

After all the groups had presented their finding, it was decided that the market had been an “average” market overall. This process worked well in determining the overall success of the market; however, it did not efficiently allow for determining why the groups thought each of the parameters were “Average”, “Bad” or “Good”. For example, there was no discussion with the whole group of the reason why Group 2 thought the location was bad. Such a discussion could have given them the opportunity to target problem areas for improvements at the next local market. Strengths of the evaluation session:

• Provides a forum where community members and participants can share their experiences • Small groups can evaluate different topics at a greater pace, allowing everyone ample

time to share their opinions Holding a meeting to evaluate the local market is a very important step in understanding what is successful, unsuccessful, and what must be changed to improve future markets. Over twenty

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people attended the session and gave feedback about the market held on December 15th, 2009. Working in small groups improved the efficiency of the evaluation process and allowed for an increased amount of feedback. Though the evaluation meeting took most of the afternoon, the group realized that more time was needed to discuss and plan the next local market; it was therefore agreed that the next planning session would be held on Friday, January 15th. Areas for improvement:

• Establish a fixed date and time for the evaluation session • Create clear and concise evaluation questions and criteria • Seek out and record the constructive criticism from participants at the evaluation meeting

A couple of aspects of the evaluation meeting could be improved upon for future evaluations. The meeting had originally been planned for the morning of Wednesday, January 13th, but only a few days before the meeting it was rescheduled to the afternoon. Organizing meetings in advance and not changing the date and time previously decided upon are important factors for consistency and good attendance. It was mentioned by numerous people, including one of the agronomists, that the meeting time change had caused fewer people to be able to attend the meeting. In order to have a successful evaluation, it is also very important to create clear and concise evaluation questions and criteria. The local group of Zamoran-La Limonera recognized that some of the evaluation questions posed by the facilitators at the evaluation meeting were vague and difficult to understand and answer. For example, the people attending the meeting were asked to rate the date of the meeting as being bad, average or good. But the date of the meeting could have been understood to mean the day of the week, Tuesday, or the date of the month, the 15th. By making the questions more specific, the answers will be more relevant. One of the most important aspects of a local market evaluation is to identify tangible ways to improve the market in the future. This was missing in the evaluation that took place in Ciudad Romero. People were expected to indicate whether they thought the market was “bad”, “average”, or “good”. However, only a few were asked to explain why they rated the market as “bad”, “average”, or “good”. Though there were some follow-up questions, their responses were not recorded and presented to the group as a whole; therefore, this valuable feedback was lost. Appropriate follow up questions could have been: Why was the market bad? What could be done to improve it? Why was the market good? What was your favorite part of the market? These questions were not standardized during the meeting, and for that reason the evaluation did not provide all of the solutions to the presented problems for the next local market.

Local Market Evaluation: Local Group of San Hilario The second local market evaluation attended by the Production Team was in San Hilario. The meeting was originally planned in order for the Production Team to introduce the concept of the organization of producers to the local group in order to gage the interest of the community members in joining the organization. It was also intended to judge whether any of the community representatives in San Hilario would be good candidates for the administrative body of the

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organization. However, considering the local market evaluation session had just occurred in Ciudad Romero the previous day, Luis Ramos, the former president of Asociación Mangle, saw fit to utilize part of this meeting in order to further evaluate the local market held on December 15th, 2009, using the same evaluation tools used the previous day. Many of the questions asked at the local market evaluation in Ciudad Romero were repeated in San Hilario. The Production Team was impressed by the ability of the leadership of La Coordinadora to disseminate information. One important contribution the Production Group made to the meeting in San Hilario was performing a live survey to determine when the people at the meeting would be able to attend a local market. Since a common complaint about the previous local market was that it had been held on an inconvenient day, the Production Group felt it was important to test-run a live survey in order to generate a well-defined answer to the question “What day and time would the community representatives of San Hilario be able to attend a local market?” A Monday through Sunday calendar was written on a chalkboard and the participants were asked to raise their hands for each day of the week they feel was convenient for them; they were told they could raise their hands an unlimited number of times.

Table 6: Design of Live Survey Times Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Morning 8 – 12am

Midday 12 – 3pm

Afternoon 3 – 6pm

Evening 6 – 9pm

Totals The exercise was quite challenging, as the Production Group had split up each day into morning, midday, afternoon and evening. The community members attending the meeting had been used to having markets all day, so they were not completely comfortable with either choosing the time of day that was most convenient for them, or raising their hands for multiple times of day. Another important factor making the exercise less successful was that the people attending the meeting were in one large group, not divided into smaller groups. In one big group, power dynamics among community members came into play: one person dominated much of the conversation, shouting out which day would be best for the market, and pressuring other people to agree. Others may have been too intimidated to contradict her opinion. In the end, the group collectively voted for the market to be held all day on Saturday. Sunday was the second choice for the market, and nobody seemed to support a Tuesday market, which had been the day selected for the previous one. The greatest strength of the evaluation process that was observed during the meeting in San Hilario was the speed and accuracy with which information was passed from the meeting in

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Ciudad Romero to the meeting that took place in San Hilario the following day. The exact questions asked in Ciudad Romero were repeated, in the same fashion, in San Hilario. This is generally a strength of La Coordinadora because it demonstrates that information transfers very easily in three directions: (1) from community to community, (2) from community leaders to representatives and (3) from representatives to community members. However, the Production Team recognized that information does not flow as easily up the chain, from community members to community leaders and then ultimately to the administrative body of La Coordinadora and the program coordinators. This is reflected in the lack of constructive feedback that the leaders of the local groups and the Production Program received about the local market in the evaluation sessions. !

Needs Assessment The Production Team, through meetings with the Production Program specialists, community groups, and aforementioned local cooperatives, recognized a number of needs that currently exist in the region, which are detailed below. Based on these needs the Production Team determined that the creation of an organization of producers would be the first step in devising solutions for the many problems that community members face. An organization of producers would be able to manage and carry out solutions to some of the following problems and challenges:

• Insufficient number of stores or markets for consumers to purchase locally grown food on a regular basis

• Inadequate locations for producers to sell locally grown produce on a regular basis • Food distributed and sold by picacheros (door-to-door salesmen in pickup trucks) usually

comes from San Salvador, Usulután, or even as far as Guatemala, and is generally not produced organically and is believed to contain high levels of harmful agricultural chemical residues

• Money spent on food is not spent locally and is therefore not supporting local production • Coyotes (local purchasers) and picacheros determine the price at which products are

bought and sold in the community • Major health problems such as kidney failure, industrial exposure, and other diseases are

common occurrences; many believe that they are caused by the over use of agrochemicals in the region

• Although many nutritious foods including fruits, fruit juices, vegetables, and nuts are produced locally, many people in the community frequently consume processed food and beverages that are not part of a nutritious diet

• A lack of information-sharing regarding the harmful use of pesticides and chemical inputs for agricultural products is observed throughout the region

• There is no registered brand or distinctive labeling to differentiate products produced locally and sustainably from those produced outside the community

• Special skills that people in the community have, including graduates of the Agricultural School, are not being taught to other community members

• There is a lack of transportation for producers and consumers to get to local markets !

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Launch of the Organization of Producers Following the interviews and meetings with the local groups, cooperatives and various local producers, the Production Team facilitated the presentation of the organization of producers during the last week of project work on January 20th, 2010. This included guided activities for the creation of the organization’s mission statement, membership requirements and responsibilities, and possible names for it. An outline of the day’s activities, a list of those who were present, the worksheets used during the presentation and the work completed by the group doing the meeting can be seen in the Appendix. In all there were 31 people present: 6 Team Monterey members, 3 agronomists from the Production Program, and 22 producers from 13 different communities and at least 3 cooperatives, that together represented a wide variety of production in the region. It was noted that, for the first time, the Women’s Cooperative of La Limonera participated in a meeting at the offices of Asociación Mangle in San Nicolas and were excited to be a part of the creation process of the organization. For those who were present, the concept and the importance of the creation of an organization of producers were presented by Juan Luna and Leonides (last name?), and the Production Team facilitated the activities and group work. The Production Team was impressed with the overall understanding of the concept of the organization on the part of the participants, the passion that they demonstrated for the creation of an organization of producers, and the overall quality of work that was produced. For the activities, the Production Team divided all the participants into four separate working groups with a Production Team facilitator in each group. The first two activities focused on creation of the requirements and responsibilities of membership in the new organization. Following each activity the small groups would present their work to the rest of the participants. It was surprising to note the variety of responses on the one hand, and the similarity of tone and understanding in what they came up with, on the other. The resulting proposed requirements and responsibilities of members are included in the Production Team’s recommendations for the organization of producers and, as pointed out by one participant, will grow and change during the subsequent creation process of the organization. The next set of activities was aimed at creating the mission statement for the organization and possible names for it. Once again, many quality suggestions and responses resulted from the discussion. This activity, however, was intended only as a starting point for a longer process of mission creation and name development. A list of all their input and feedback was documented and distributed to each participant, so that they could report back to their respective local groups regarding the work that had already begun. Before adjourning the meeting, the participants decided to hold a follow-up meeting on February 10th, 2010 to continue the creation process for the organization of producers.

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Workshop on How to Give a Workshop The afternoon session on January 20th consisted of a workshop on how to give workshops, again facilitated by the Production Team. A few of the morning participants were unable to stay, but a large majority remained for the presentation. It was mentioned by Juan Luna during the first week of project work that many community members were experts in a specific skill, and that their fellow community members could benefit from learning these skills from one another by means of an educational workshop. However, the problem is that many of these talented community members do not have the experience of running an educational workshop. This is also the case for those who have graduated from the Agricultural School, and sharing with their fellow community members the lessons learned at the Agricultural School is part of the contract they enter into in order to attend the Agricultural School. Considering that local producers and graduates of the Agricultural School were both present at the presentation for the organization of producers, at the request of Juan Luna, the Production Team facilitated a workshop on how to give a workshop to those present. The first step in the workshop was to emphasize the importance of transferring skills and information. The importance of teaching people by having them practice a skill rather than telling them was also emphasized. The approach during the workshop was to teach basic steps that could be applied to the transfer of different types of skills. 1. Preparation- The first step is for the facilitator to obtain the essential supplies and equipment in sufficient quantity so that the skill can be demonstrated, taught, and practiced. Preparation also means that the facilitator should have carefully thought through a manner in which to teach the skill so that the learner can understand its usefulness. 2. Explanation- The second step is to introduce the skill by giving an overall explanation on its function and utility. This step also serves to describe the skill in a simple and complete way. The learners should become aware of the importance of putting the skill into practice. 3. Demonstration- This step allows the facilitator to show learners how to utilize the skill. All steps involved in performing the skill should be demonstrated slowly and clearly, and repeated. 4. Practice- The fourth step allows the learners to try out the skill under the direction of the facilitator. Learners should be able to practice the skill several times, in order to feel comfortable with it. It was emphasized during the workshop that not everyone learns at the same speed; some will be quicker than others. 5. Application- The final step gives learners an opportunity to demonstrate the skill to the facilitator or someone else. A percentage of the time was allotted to each of the steps: explanation is 10 percent of the time, demonstration is 25 percent of the time, and practice is 65 percent of the time. This ensures that learners will become more proficient at the skill.

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Throughout the workshop, participants were enthusiastic about becoming facilitators of skills. Two women volunteered to teach skills to the group; one demonstrated to makes cheese and the other showed the group how to make pineapple vinegar. Participants also felt that it was important to add a sixth step to the process: evaluation, which is important to improve the workshop being given. At the end of the workshop the Production Team requested that participants take the outline of giving the educational workshop and apply it in their respective communities by offering a workshop on one of their skills or abilities.

Recommendations

Organization of Producers An analysis of interviews with several cooperatives and of the needs assessment leads to the conclusion that an organization of producers aimed at the creation of sales outlets for the entire Bajo Lempa region would be the solution to many of the challenges previously noted. The purpose of this organization is to create a structure through which producers of the region who use its services can also control the organization. These producers would finance and operate the services for their mutual benefit. Working together, they would be able to reach their objectives instead of attempting to reach them alone, which would be very difficult. By providing the services members deem necessary, the proposed organization could provide them with many benefits, such as increased income and a healthier lifestyle. Although the agronomists from the Production Program of Asociación Mangle volunteered to facilitate meetings during the first phases of creating the organization, ultimately the organization should exist and function outside of the structure of Asociación Mangle. The administrative body of the organization of producers should also strive to establish and maintain alliances with cooperatives and other groups working in the area in order to facilitate communication between all organizations and their people. NOTE: The role of the Production Program of Asociación Mangle will be paramount in the beginning phases of the creation process, but as the organization begins to grow in leadership and numbers, the Production Program should step back from this organizational role. The Production Program, however, can offer other services to members of the proposed organization of producers by way of discounts from the Xinachtli Seed Bank and through the Agricultural School, both of which are discussed further in the recommendations section under Membership Benefits.

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Organizational Structure

Figure 1: Organizational Hierarchy of Cooperatives Due to the legalities involved when a new organization is registered, the Production Team had to be flexible in designing a new organizational structure. Figure 1 represents the positions that must exist and be filled within every cooperative or organization. The problem encountered with the above structure, however, was that functions for each role were ill-defined. Some roles had overlapping functions while others had no function at all. In keeping with the legal structure of organizations, it was decided to create job titles and function that the organization could use internally. The structure, where the green boxes represent internal job titles, would be as follows:

Figure 2: Modified Organizational Structure with Defined Job Titles To avoid confusion among roles and increase the efficiency of each administrative member, specific functions were assigned. However, in the formation of the actual organization, the creating body can modify any position and function to meet the needs of the organization.

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President The President will represent the organization’s mission and vision, and will serve as its spokesperson. He/she must also recognize critical problems, and take the initiative to solve them. The President should facilitate meetings by drawing up the agenda and maintain order during the meetings. Vice President of Production The Vice President of Production will ensure that all members are on the path to producing organically and/or sustainably following good practices. He/she is responsible for verifying that members are indeed complying with the membership requirement of sustainable production. It is his/her responsibility to document and track all progress in this area while encouraging a diverse range of products. The person in this position will work closely with the Vice President of Membership. Treasurer The treasurer will be in charge of all organizational funds. He/she will oversee membership fees and loans to members. An additional responsibility will be to create new avenues for the generation of funds. Secretary of Communications The Secretary of Communications will be responsible for documenting meetings and distributing pertinent information to all administrative members. He/she will organize all logistics for meetings, including the location of the meeting, inviting those who are expected to attend, and the date and time of the meeting. It will be the duty of the Secretary of Communications to communicate with the leaders of the local groups on decisions made by the organization. Supporting Staff Member: Vice President of Membership The Vice President of Membership will be the chief recruiter of the organization. He/she will be responsible for ensuring that potential members employ good practices and auditing the practices of current members. This responsibility also includes bringing before the administrative body any violation of the member’s contracts for the purpose of determining if to revise or revoke membership. The Vice President of Membership will work closely with the Vice President of Production. Alternate Member: Vice President of Publicity The Vice President of Publicity will be responsible for developing and maintaining a brand that will serve to identify members empowering sustainable and organic practices. He/she will also develop relationships with other agricultural or production organizations, such as cooperatives. The Vice President of Publicity will promote the organization and its events through various methods, such as fliers, radio, or public announcements. Alternate Member: Vice President of Education The Vice President of Education will recruit participants outside and inside the organization for different workshops. He/she will organize new workshops that are requested by members as well as contract the facilitators and design the schedule of workshops. Since workshops will be used

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for publicity of the organization as well, the Vice President of Education will work closely with the Vice President of Publicity. Alternate Member: Vice President of Local Markets The Vice President of Markets will expand the communities currently involved in local markets, secure market locations and provide better service to vendors and consumers that attend the local markets. He/she will also seek and/or create new outlets to sell members’ products. Legal Advisor The Legal Advisor should be well versed in the laws pertaining to the creation of an organization and brand usage in El Salvador. He/she will also be able to provide counsel to individual members.

Membership Benefits Branding A brand name, registered directly under the organization of producers, will be available for use on approved products generated by organization members. The brand will only be available for use by members once the vice-president of production has observed and certified their production techniques. Certain products may need organic certification to qualify for brand use. Some fees may apply to certain promotional materials, such as banners or product labels. Advertising The organization of producers will provide advertising and promotional material related to the brand, as well as for local markets and special events. Promotion may include radio, flyers, loudspeaker, billboard, newspaper, magazine, and television media. These efforts will be the responsibility of the Vice President of Publicity. Funds for advertising efforts may be generated from brand usage fees. Seed bank Products and services of the Xinachtli seed bank, operated by Asociación Mangle, will be available to members at a discounted rate. It will also be the responsibility of the Vice President of Production to aid in the expansion and administration of a network of seed banks. A catalog of available seeds and inputs will be provided at each location. Discounted Production Inputs The organization of producers will manufacture and distribute various organic and natural fertilizers, herbicides and pest control products. Members may purchase these products at a discount as compared to the general public. Agriculture School Membership will help a member to meet entry requirements for the Agriculture School and provide networking opportunities that can improve chances of being nominated for attendance.

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Economies of Scale Members producing within similar sectors will gain stronger supplier power similar to union protection. Members will have more power to infiltrate new markets and negotiate and compete with picacheros, brokers and other intermediaries. Economies of Scope Membership allows producers to specialize and build a comparative advantage against competition without sacrificing diversity within the organization. Purchasing Power The organization of producers will generate purchasing power by acquiring bulk quantities of those production inputs needed by members, who may purchase individual quantities from the organization. A small fee will be included that will go to the general organizational fund. Organic Certification The organization of producers will work toward providing an organic certification for its members. This certification will not be registered at a national level and will only be recognized locally, but will likely follow internationally agreed upon standards such as those of USDA Organic or QAI (Quality Assurance International) in order to eventually make possible international exportation. Organic certification will be available free of charge to members. Certain products will require organic inspection before the brand name may be attached. This falls under the supervision of the Vice President of Production. Transportation and Distribution The organization of producers will work to provide limited distribution of products, primarily to achieve the goal of increasing participation at local markets and improving regional diversity of products within the Bajo Lempa and the Bay of Jiquilisco. The transportation and distribution will be the responsibility of the Secretary of Communications. Micro Financing A portion of funds generated by the activities of the organization of producers’ will be deposited in an account managed by the Treasurer. Members qualify for use of these funds under emergency circumstances. Other uses may include input purchases, infrastructure development, skill building and expansion activities. Members are required to repay all borrowed money and an additional interest payment. Approval of loan, repayment schedule and interest rates will be determined by the Treasurer and approved by a majority vote of the board of directors. Education Education and skill building may be provided on any topic where there is a community need. Some initial workshops to be considered may be on production techniques or capacity building; for example, how to make cheese or organic fertilizer, or on management and accounting practices. Workshops designed to increase productivity and build capacity will be free to members. Workshops will be organized by the Vice President of Workshops, who will facilitate scheduling and help determine the topics to be covered. Note: Some workshops will be free to the public and will serve as a membership recruiting activity.

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Network with other organizations The organization of producers will actively work to generate strong relationships with other Bajo Lempa organizations, associations, cooperatives, and businesses for mutual benefit. Outreach efforts will be the responsibility of the President, the Secretary of Communications, and the Vice-President of Publicity. Local Market Members are strongly encouraged to participate in the planning of and vending at local markets hosted by the organization of producers, Asociación Mangle and local groups. Members who have been approved to use the brand will be able to use promotional materials and branding during these events to differentiate their products from others within the communities and especially from vendors from outside the community. Legal Counsel The organization may make legal counsel available to members. It is recommended that the organization include members on the board of directors with significant knowledge of legal matters, who will assist the organization with legal registration of the organization, branding, etc. Members would also have access to this service for personal matters. Services may be offered free of charge or for a small fee. Environmental Consultation Members will have access to a member of the board of directors who specializes in environmental matters. This environmental consultant will aid producers in determining environmentally responsible methods of production. The environmental consultant will also have a voice in the development direction of the organization of producers takes in the region.

Membership Requirements Requirements of membership must be met before a candidate is eligible for membership. The founding participants should identify community members who will be strong assets to the organization. The potential member can then continue to work toward meeting the requirements, at which time, the organization will vote and admit the new member. Some recommended requirements, which can be modified as needed, are as follows:

1. Must be a producer in the Bajo Lempa and Bahia de Jiquilisco regions. • The candidate can produce or raise any type of agricultural product or livestock.

Also eligible for membership, are community members, including artisans, who perform value-added processing of raw materials produced in the region. Members must live and carry out their productive activities in the Bajo Lempa or the Bay of Jiquilisco areas.

2. Must have begun the process of and be committed to becoming an organic producer

within a reasonable time period. • The organization will inspect the potential members’ farm and/or production

facility and work with the potential member to develop an individual transition

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plan. The plan will focus on environmental sustainability as the producer transitions to sustainable practices. Production practices should match the standards used by the Agricultural School of Asociación Mangle, including avoidance of chemical inputs and diversification of production. The plan should be completed within 1 to 3 years.

3. Must commit to work with other group members to promote the organization in local

communities through regular committee meetings.

4. Must complete orientation activities that inform the members of what the organization expects and the benefits the member can receive.

5. Must pay a membership fee.

6. Must have completed an introductory workshop on sustainable production and/or be a

graduate or participant in the Agricultural School (if applicable).

Responsibilities of Members Member responsibilities are those activities and characteristics that must be continuously exhibited during membership. Some suggested responsibilities are as follows:

1. Actively seek and mentor new members. • Each member has the obligation to seek out new members and to recommend

strong candidates to the organization for membership. Each member should also search for informal opportunities to aid, support and mentor new members.

2. Educate other producers and the community about the importance of organic and

sustainable production. • Education of both producers and the community is crucial to promote and expand

organic production in the area. It is also extremely important for the protection of the environment and improvement of public health in the region.

3. Participate in the group in an ongoing manner: attend meetings on a regular basis, a

schedule of once a month is recommended, except in the case of hardship.

4. Participate in organizing and vending at the local markets. • Each member should assist with the organization, operation, and/or cleanup of the

local markets according to a schedule that is suitable for each member. Vending at the market should be viewed, not only as an opportunity to increase sales, but as an obligation of each member.

5. Contribute to and expand the Xinachtli Seed Bank. • The seed bank will be available to all members who wish to borrow seeds to plant

their crops. In order to borrow the member will generally be required to pay back

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seeds at a one to three ratio. For example: If the member borrowed one pound of seeds, then following harvest, the member must return three pounds of seeds.

6. Fiscal responsibility.

• A member who has utilized the credit/microfinance program of the organization of producers must repay all borrowed money and interest, according to the organization’s repayment schedule.

Funding Opportunities Funding is necessary to make possible the operation and expansion of the organization. Funding will increase the value that the organization provides to members. The following are possible funding options for consideration by the organization of producers:

1. The organization can require membership fees. An initiation fee for new members or an annual fee schedule can be implemented.

2. Local markets organized by the organization of producers can provide numerous funding opportunities. One option is to charge fees to venders at the local markets. For example, the local group may charge $0.50 per week for a vender to attend and sell at a local market. A discount rate of $1.00 per month (4 weeks) can be offered to increase repeat attendance.

3. Raffles may be held at the local markets. A raffle would involve selling tickets to all

attendees at the market. A portion of the proceeds would be given as a prize to the winning ticket, while the remaining profit would be distributed among organizations that are responsible for the organization of the market and the raffle.

Other opportunities for funding exist that have previously been mentioned, such as:

• The sale of products purchased in bulk by the organization • Interest payments on microfinance loans • Membership fees • International aid organizations

The Treasurer will seek out opportunities to acquire outside funding to support all organization activities. Grants should be sought from international organizations with an overlapping or comparable vision and mission statement. Special attention should be paid to finding grant funding for special projects.

Fundraising Projections from Local Markets The Production Team recognizes that local markets could be a potential source of fundraising for the organization of producers or even for the local groups that host them. A two year projection of possible income was created based on fees charged to vendors at local markets for their sales space and selling raffle tickets to attendees. Utilizing the First Chicago Method4 for valuation,

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the Production Team developed best case, base case, and worst case scenarios and assigned probabilities. Vendor and consumer attendance growth rates were estimated in order to provide an idea of their attendance at local markets over the next two years. Starting points for estimation were based on the data provided by the Production Program on vendor and consumer attendance. At the December 15th, 2009 market there were 20 participating vendors and over 50 consumers in attendance, and these numbers were used as the base case scenarios for estimates. It is assumed that the organization of producers has the authority to charge vendors for participation at local markets. If this authority is not within their powers, the projection could also be used by the local groups to generate funds. The local groups indicated interest in having a local market on a regular basis, but currently only monthly markets seem feasible. It is hoped that weekly markets and ultimately a permanent market will be created. Therefore, income projections for both monthly markets and weekly markets were created.

Monthly Market Projections Income from fees charged to vendors

Using the attendance numbers provided by the Production Program, of both consumers and vendors at the local market held on December 15th, 2009, the Production Team was able to calculate estimates of vendor and consumer participation growth at local markets. Using the First Chicago Method for valuations, the best case scenario took February 2010 as a starting point with 30 vendors and over the next two years grew it to 70 vendors total, by December of 2011. The base case scenario started with 20 vendors in February 2010, the number of vendors that were present for the December 15th market, and reached a total of 40 vendors by December of 2011. The worst case scenario started with only 10 vendors in February 2010 and did not have rapid growth, ending in December of 2011 with only 15 total vendors. Taking into account the occurrence probability of each scenario, the Production Team determined that the local market would see growth in participation from about 20 vendors in February 2010 to 45 vendors in December 2011. These are just estimated participation numbers, however, that may be used to determine possible income generation from charging vendors $1 to sell their products at each market.

Table 7: Vendor Participation Projections

Best (25%) Base

(60%) Worst (15%) Total Vendors February 2010 30 20 10 20 Vendors December 2011 70 40 15 45 Projected total vendor attendance at 22 markets over two years 780

Between February 2010 and December of 2011 there will be a total of 22 monthly markets with an estimated total vendor attendance of about 780, approximately. The Production Team

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estimates that if over the next two years, each vendor is charged $1 to sell products at each of the monthly markets; a total of $780 will be raised through vending fees by the end of 2011. Income from a raffle A raffle can be organized as another form of income generation from the local markets. A few options exist for raffle prizes, one of which would be to collect an item from each vendor who is willing to donate and the winner of the raffle receives a bag of products. A second option is to sell raffle tickets and the winner receives half of the proceeds. However the prize options are handled, a projection was created on the basis of local market attendees with a three case scenario for attendees as well as for raffle ticket sales. Once again, attendance numbers from the December 15th, 2009 market, provided by the Production Program, were used as a starting point for projections and the following scenarios were determined.

Table 8: Raffle Ticket Projections Best (25%) Base (60%) Worst (15%) Total Attendees February 2010 75 50 25 55 Attendees December 2011 200 100 60 120 Projected total attendees for 22 markets over the next two years 1,830

As reliability and marketing of local markets increase, so will consumer attendance. The Production Team estimates that there will be 55 consumers who attend the market in February of 2010, and that number will grow to 120 by December 2011. Over the specified two year period, there will be 22 markets, and the Production Team estimates that there will have been a total of 1,830 attendees. It is understood that not all of these attendees will purchase raffle tickets, but some will purchase more than one; therefore the Production Team created three scenarios based on the probability of attendees purchasing raffle tickets. The Production Team estimates the best case scenario of one raffle ticket sold per attendee has a 25% probability of occurring, a base case scenario of three tickets sold to every four attendees has a 60% probability, and a worst case scenario of one ticket sold to every four attendees has a probability of 15%. Based on these numbers and projections, it was estimated that of the 1,830 attendees, about 1,360 raffle tickets could be sold. If raffle tickets sold for $0.25 per ticket, a raffle could generate about $340 over the next two years.

Table 9: Possible revenues from a monthly local market Source Total income from February 2010 – December 2011

Vendor Fees ($1 per vendor per market) $780 Raffle ($0.25 per ticket) $340 Total projected revenue for the next two years $1,120

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On the basis of these estimations, the Production Team estimates the sale of raffle tickets for a quarter and a vendor charge of $1 at local markets could generate about $1,120 over the period of two years.

Weekly Market Projections Income from fees charged to vendors With regular markets as a goal, the Production Team generated projections for weekly occurring markets. The assumption was made that vendor participation in local markets would be 10% less for weekly markets than for monthly markets, due to the regular occurrence of markets. With weekly market projections, the same strategy of probabilities and the three-case scenario model was implemented.

Table 10: Vendor Fee Projections Best (25%) Base (60%) Worst (15%) Total Vendors February 2010 117 78 39 80 Vendors December 2011 273 156 59 170 Projected total vendor attendance at 88 markets over the next two years 3,050

These numbers are based on weekly markets over a two year period. The group estimated that the total number of vendors participating at weekly markets each month will grow from 80 to 170 over the next two years. Implementing the same three case scenario formats with associated probabilities, the group determined that if each vendor was charged $1 to participate in the local market, a total of about $3,050 could be generated within two years. Income from a raffle It was assumed that with weekly markets, attendance would be slightly lower. Therefore, projected attendance at weekly markets is 10% lower than the attendance at monthly markets. Using the same projected growth rate scenarios presented previously the Production Team determined that total attendees at weekly markets each month would grow from 205, which is about 50 attendees per market, to 465, which is a little over 100 attendees per market, within the next two years. These figures are based on weekly markets and represent the total number of attendees during each month.

Table 11: Raffle Ticket Projections

Best (25%) Base

(60%) Worst (15%) Total Attendees February 2010 293 195 98 205 Attendees December 2011 780 390 234 465 Projected total attendees for 88 markets in the next two years 7,130

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If the same logic that was used for the monthly raffle income projection is applied here, the best case scenario of one raffle ticket sold per attendee has a 25% probability of occurring, a base case scenario of three tickets sold to every four attendees has a 60% probability, and a worst case scenario of one ticket sold to every four attendees has a probability of 15%. Based on these projections, the Production Team estimates that if $0.25 raffle tickets are sold at each of the weekly markets over the next two years, approximately $1,315 that could be raised.

Table 12: Possible revenues from weekly markets Source Total income from February 2010 – December 2011 Vendor Fees $3,050 Raffle ($0.25 per ticket) $1,315 Total $4,365 On the basis of these estimations, the Production Team estimates the sale of raffle tickets for a $0.25 and a vendor charge of $1 at local markets could generate about $4,365 over the period of two years.

Membership Fee Collection Membership of the organization was projected to grow over the next two years at a best case rate of ten new members per month, a base case rate of five new members per month, and a worst case rate of two new members per month. Probabilities were assigned to each scenario: the best case was given a 25% probability, the base case a 60% probability, and the worst case a 15% probability. Utilizing the First Chicago Method, the Production Team determined that there will be about 125 members in the organization by December 2011. Based on the previously mentioned growth rates, the group estimated that if members paid a $1 per month membership fee, within two years’ time $1,420 could be collected through membership fees.

Total Fundraising Projections: Monthly and Weekly Based on the occurrence of either monthly or weekly markets, the Production Team estimates the following fundraising opportunities: By charging vendors $1 to sell at each market, organizing a raffle and charging membership fees for the organization of producers, the Production Team estimates that the organization of producers could generate $2,540 for monthly markets and $5,785 for weekly markets over the course of two years’ time. These funds could then be used for other purposes within the organization.

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Table 12: Total fundraising estimates based on monthly markets Source Total income from February 2010 – December 2011 Vendor Fees ($1 per vendor per market) $780 Raffle ($0.25 per ticket) $340 Membership fees ($1 per month) $1,420 Total projected income over two years $2,540

Table 13: Total fundraising estimates based on weekly markets Source Total income from February 2010 – December 2011 Vendor Fees $3,050 Raffle ($0.25 per ticket) $1,315 Membership fees ($1 per month) $1,420 Total projected income over two years $5,785

Local Markets and Local Market Evaluations The Production Team has compiled a list of recommendations to improve future local markets based on meetings in Ciudad Romero, San Hilario and La Canoa, as well as information gathered through individual interviews. Each recommendation, with accompanying explanation, is as follows:

1. Make the market permanent • Perhaps the most important recommendation for the local market is to make it

permanent. The local market should not be thought of as a special event, but rather as a recurring event. It is fundamentally necessary to create a sense of stability and confidence within the community in regards to the market. The market should take place in the same site, and at the same time each week. It should eventually rotate to other communities throughout the week. An option to consider for the future would be to have the market everyday of the week and rotate through seven different communities. This gives vendors an opportunity to have access to consumers on a dependable schedule and would allow the same vendors to go to other communities, thereby diversifying product availability.

2. Expand publicity, advertise early and in more communities • Advertising the market frequently and in advance, at least two weeks, is crucial to

consumer attendance. Consumers need sufficient time to organize their schedules so as to be able to attend the market. It gives them time to inform their family and friends and organize a ride. It also allows them to plan what they will purchase at the market and avoid buying those products from picacheros in the meantime.

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3. Limit the timeframe of the event to only a half-day, either the afternoon or morning • Keeping the market limited to a morning or an afternoon is advisable so that

producers do not have to give up their entire day to be at the market. If the market is held in the afternoon, for example, farmers can go to their fields in the morning and pick fresher produce instead of having to prepare the previous day.

4. Track how many people come to the market • It is important to know how many people from the community attend the market,

and to get their feedback on what they liked, what they disliked and what they would like to see changed about the market. A survey for people attending the market is included in the Appendix.

5. The organizers should conduct a survey of when the market is more convenient for producers and buyers: which day of the week, and what time of day (morning or afternoon)

• In order to have the best market possible, with the most vendors and the most buyers, the a survey should be conducted of community members and representatives to find out when the market would be most convenient for the majority to attend.

6. Choose a location that is suitable to the market needs, preferably somewhere with shade • The Production Team heard complaints in regards to the location of the December

15th market. One complaint was about the lack of shade during the hottest portion of the day, even though a canopy was provided by Asociación Mangle.

7. Have water available at the market • Having water provided or for sale at the market would help to keep people at the

market for longer periods of time rather than having them leave early due to thirst.

8. Have trash and recycling containers available • Trash and recycling containers would speed up the post-market cleanup and

would keep the market nice for late arrivals.

9. Supply more transportation to vendors and buyers • Transportation is one of the major challenges for many sellers and buyers who

want to attend the local market. Expanding transportation for both groups to and from the market will help increase the number of people who attend, thus making the market more successful overall. This may not be feasible in the short-term, but is a good long-term goal.

10. Set competitive prices at the local market • It was noted by attendees at the last local market that the prices for certain

products were much higher than the prices of the picacheros, and sometimes those of the local store. While it may not be possible to undercut the prices of the picacheros, it is important for vendors to offer fair and competitive prices in order to be successful at selling their product.

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11. Allow participation of local vendors as well as vendors from outside the communities

• Allowing vendors from all communities, including vendors from outside the communities is an advantage for expanding and diversifying the market. A fee structure could be set to encourage consumers to purchase locally grown products. However, competition will be a benefit to vendors and consumers.

12. Provide promotional material (ex: flag, banner, eventually a brand) to members of the organization to differentiate between organic or local products and those that are not.

• Providing promotional material, even without an officially registered brand or organization name, could lead to increased sales for members of the organization of producers. Flags and banners could be used to draw attention to vendors. For example, a uniform flag could indicate organic producers, or a banner could be placed at the stand of each who is a member of the organization of producers.

13. Include fundraising activities like raffles at the market

• Fundraising activities like raffles can provide for services such as transportation, space rental, tables tents, and cleanup. They also provide entertainment and incentive for people to attend, possibly for a longer period of time.

14. Consider games and activities at the market • In addition to music and prepared foods, other activities, games and entertainment

could be offered to increase attendance. If consumers are encouraged to attend for longer periods of time, sales of prepared foods and drinks will increase.

Obstacles It is common for new organizations to face trouble spots and be the most vulnerable during the first few years. The following are potential obstacles that a new organization of producers might encounter:

1. An unclear mission. Producers should not form a new organization just for the sake of forming one or for power control; a clear mission statement must be articulated along with distinct objectives and goals.

2. Poor planning. Well-defined plans are needed for reaching said goals and fulfilling the

mission statement.

3. Lack of member commitment and leadership. In order to be successful, the new organization must have support from a broad base of members. Also, the support of people who are experienced in leading and organizing a group is important.

4. Lack of financing. Although they may have projections, most new organizations are

underfinanced due to high startup operations, the need to complying with regulations and

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delays. It is quite common for the first months or years of work to be unprofitable; therefore, sufficient financing is crucial in this period.

5. Inadequate communication and transportation. A new organization needs to keep

financiers, suppliers, members and the community well-informed. Therefore, a lack of information can create a lack of interest in the organization. The leadership must decide with whom and how communications are to be maintained. Transportation will also be a critical issue for members with regards to attendance at meetings and local markets. It is suggested that a vehicle be purchased for the organization, which might solve or avoid some of the possible difficulties.

Conclusion Following three weeks of project work, the Production Team would like to reemphasize the importance of a strong organization that focuses on the strengthening of the productive and marketing capacity in the Bajo Lempa and the Bay of Jiquilisco. Following multiple meetings and interviews, it was determined by the Production Program, the Production Team, and the local community groups and cooperatives, that an organization of producers was necessary in providing communities with sales outlets for their local, healthy, and sustainable products, with the goal of increasing production, improving health, and bolstering the local economy. Jose Roberto Moreno, an agronomist for the Production Program, mentioned at the local group meeting in Amando Lopez, “the problem is not producing, we are all excellent producers, but it is finding a place where we can sell what we produce. That is the problem.” These words were repeated time after time during the course of project work. With the growing popularity of local markets and the organization of producers at the beginning stages of creation, the Production Team is confident that sales locations will continue to grow, and with them, production. The communities in the Bajo Lempa and the Bay of Jiquilisco demonstrate a strong character of autonomy and self sufficiency. It is the hope of the Production Team that the Monterey Institute of International Studies and La Coordinadora-Asociación Mangle will continue to strengthen their relationship as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding, through continued collaboration. The Production Team presents this report as a guide for the continued process of organizational development for the organization of producers, and for the expansion of healthy and sustainable !

!!!!!!

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Appendix

Actividad para crear la organización de productores

A. ¿Qué deben ser los requisitos para ser un socio de la organización? Por favor, dar dos requisitos: Ejemplo ______Ser un productor en el Bajo Lempa _________________________________ 1. _________________________________________________________________________ 2. _________________________________________________________________________

B. ¿Qué deben ser las obligaciones o responsabilidades de un socio de la organización? Por favor, dar dos responsabilidades:

Ejemplo __Compromiso continuo con la producción orgánica y la sostenibilidad ambiental._ 1. ________________________________________________________________________ 2. _________________________________________________________________________

C. Por favor, contestar las siguientes preguntas: ¿Cuál es el propósito principal de la organización?

____________________________________________________________________________

Completar esta frase:!!Nosotros somos _________________________ del Bajo Lempa. Tenemos el propósito de!

! ____________________________________________________________________________!!!

D. Por favor, en su grupo, crear un nombre para la organización que implique la participación de toda clase de productor. ¡Sean creativos y diviértanse!!

!_____________________________________________________________________________!

El trabajo de los participantes por la presentación de la propuesta para la organización de productores, el 20 de enero de 2010Requisitos para ser socio: 1. Tener tierra para cultivar; 2. tener la capacidad de producir en todos los rubros; 3. tener buenas prácticas y mostrar responsabilidad en el trabajo; 4. ser mayor de edad; 5. haber iniciado el proceso de producir de forma orgánica; 6. tener que pasar por un proceso de capacitación, o por la Escuela

Agrícola, o tener ya el conocimiento de cómo producir orgánicamente;

7. pasar por un taller de orientación;

Responsabilidades de los socios: 1. Asistir a capacitaciones y poner lo aprendido en práctica; 2. producir con tendencia a la disminución del uso de productos

químicos; 3. solidaridad y comunicación adecuada, así como asistir a reuniones y

talleres; 4. mantener una diversificación, escalonamiento y producción

constantes; 5. apoyo a otros socios; 6. cumplir con los requisitos; 7. participar en las actividades de la organización; 8. asistir a los mercados locales y talleres de capacitación; 9. dar talleres y estar motivado a llevar una vida sana. Un nombre para la organización:

Productores los perlas de la brisa marina del Bajo Lempa El grupo de productores de esperanza del Bajo Lempa Unión de productores sostenibles del Bajo Lempa Asociación de productores y productoras del Bajo Lempa Brisas Marinas del Nuevo Despertar del Proyecto Nuevo Modelo de

Productores y Artesanos Unidos del Bajo Lempa y la Bahía de Jiquilisco.

El nombre elegido debería incluir los productores del Bajo Lempa y la Bahía de Jiquilisco e incluir todas las clases de productores y productoras. Misión de la organización:

Somos productores y productoras, lo que incluye a todos los sectores de producción del Bajo Lempa, y pretendemos producir orgánicamente, así como comercializar localmente para contribuir a la buena salud de los habitantes de las comunidades.

Somos un grupo de productores diversificados con la identidad social del Bajo Lempa. Nos proponemos mejorar las condiciones de vida de las familias de la región mediante el fortalecimiento de una organización para lograr una producción sostenible.

Somos productores orgánicos del Bajo Lempa que tenemos conocemos el tipo de producción que existe en la zona para obtener un mejor precio a través de la comercialización, así como para incluir a todo tipo de productores/as.

Somos los productores del Bajo Lempa y tenemos como propósito cultivar, producir, educar, vender y promover los productos locales y producidos en una manera sana y de alta calidad. Nuestra misión debería ser comprensiva de todas clases de productores y productoras de la región y dar su propósito principal. La próxima reunión del 10 de febrero de 2010 Tarea para la próxima reunión:

Antes de la próxima reunión tendrán que completar las siguientes tareas:

Comunicar la propuesta de la organización a sus grupos locales; identificar personas que quieren presentarse como candidatos para los

puestos de la Junta Directiva y explicarles que tendrá lugar una votación en el transcurso de la próxima reunión;

ponerse en contacto con los socios potenciales.

Taller sobre cómo dar talleres

La importancia de socializar las ideas y dar talleres

Cómo dar un taller:

a. Cuando uno imparte un taller a otra persona o grupo de personas debería fomentar la participación;

b. La gente aprende mejor cuando está participando de forma activa. Pasos:

1. La preparación: i. Es muy importante saber cuántos participantes estarán presentes;

ii. asegurarse de que se tienen los materiales necesarios para impartir el taller y para que los estudiantes o participantes puedan aprender al hacer;

iii. Diseñar un esquema que describa los pasos que se tienen que dar para conseguir el conocimiento técnico que se enseñará.

2. La explicación (10 % del taller) i. Explicar por qué es importante aprender estos conocimientos y destrezas;

ii. Explicar todo de la manera más sencilla posible. 3. La demostración (25 % del taller)

i. Demostrar la técnica a los estudiantes o participantes. 4. La práctica (65 % del taller)

i. Hacer que los estudiantes o participantes ¡practiquen, practiquen y practiquen sin cesar!

5. La aplicación i. Que los estudiantes o participantes les demuestren a otros lo que acaban de

aprender. 6. La evaluación

Consejos

-Asegurarse de que el grupo de estudiantes sea pequeño:

a. enseñarles despacio para que entiendan bien; b. animar a los estudiantes con comentarios positivos y evitar comentarios negativos; c. permitir que lo/la evalúen a uno/a sus estudiantes para asegurar que el próximo

taller mejore; d. es importante aclarar la hora y la duración de actividades:

i. Establecer un límite de tiempo; ii. notificarlo a los participantes antes de empezar la sesión y no cambiarlo;

iii. es muy importante que la sesión evaluativa sea breve y concisa para evitar que los estudiantes pierdan todo interés.

Los participantes en el mercado local, 15 diciembre 2009

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=+#>,('",+2) !! !!)) :-#*%$!G(+-$(! =(&'->-0!"$4C61->-&0!B(.-!

)) :-#*%$!D%I6-! 9/('%!%$!D6%1!

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)) J$K#6>!:-#4-*(! B(.-!

Los participantes de la reunión de miércoles, 20 de enero 2010

La Reunión de Miércoles - 20 de Enero

Nombre Comunidad Número de Teléfono

1 Maria Santana Guevara Zamoran 26347939

2 Blanca Estela Ramirez de Clave Zamoran 26347939

3 Ana Francisca Martinez La Canoa 75702053

4 Maria Orbelina Marquez La Canoa 75316999

5 Trancito Enrique Florez San Juan Letran 75904675

6 Solidad Guardado Nueva Esperanza 9536572

7 Pilar Martinez Nueva Esperanza 79185744

8 Martir de Jesus Leiva Mario Numero 2 75682299

9 Eusebio Ortiz Amanado Lopez 26437259

10 Delmy Josefina Viera San Hilario 75402781

11 Francisco Jabier Delgado Los Ensallos

12 Nicolas Hernandes Martinez Los Ensallos

13 Leonidas

14 Blanca Rubenia Villalobos El Marillo H2 74845956

15 Rosa Miro? Escalante El Marillo H2 72009513

16 Carmen Arguita Amando Lopez 75284185

17 Mario Martinez Amando Lopez 26322871

Juan Luna Ciudad Romero 72101414

18 Jose Leonidas Ciudad Romero 77976939

19 Jose Roberto Moreno Las Mesitas 75813425

20 Luis Ramos Programa de Organizacion 72300800

21 Armando Selva Ciudad Romero 75214998

22 Jose Ofelio Herrera Isla de Mendez 77319531

Preguntas para los organizadores del mercado local, 15 diciembre 2010

1. ¿Trajeron los vendedores mesas para sus productos? 2. ¿Cómo llegaron los vendedores? 3. ¿Cuántos vendedores planificaron participar en el mercado? 4. ¿Cuántos en total estuvieron? 5. ¿Había cualquier razón porque los que planificaron estar no estuvieron? 6. ¿Registraba alguien la variedad de productos que estaban a la venta al mercado? 7. ¿Tienen suficiente productos los vendedores para poder participar en los mercados cada

mes? ¿Dos veces al mes? ¿Cada semana? 8. ¿Había comida preparada a la venta? 9. ¿Había música? 10. ¿Estuvieron los vendedores desde la mañana hasta al final del mercado? 11. ¿Más o menos cuantas personas asistieron al mercado? 12. ¿Cuáles fueron los productos que se vendieron más? 13. ¿Había algunos productos que estuvieron a la venta por muchos vendedores? 14. ¿Había productos que no fueron comida a la venta? 15. ¿De cuáles comunidades fueron las personas que asistieron al mercado? 16. ¿Saben como las llegaron? 17. ¿Quién estuvo encargado de recoger la basura después del mercado? 18. ¿Había recipientes para la basura y el reciclo? 19. ¿Había quejas sobre el mercado? 20. ¿Había complementos sobre el mercado? 21. ¿Qué sugerencias tienen para mejorar el próximo mercado? 22. ¿Por qué escogieron martes, 15 de diciembre para el día del mercado? 23. ¿Estuvieron los niños en escuela? 24. ¿Cuándo decidieron que el mercado sería aquel día? 25. ¿Cambiaron el día del mercado durante la planificación? 26. ¿Quién se encargo del mercadeo para el mercado? 27. ¿Qué tipo de mercadeo había? 28. ¿Cuál fue el proceso de informar los miembros de la comunidad? 29. ¿Estaban involucradas otras organizaciones de la comunidad en la planificación o

mercadeo del mercado? 30. ¿Cuántas reuniones tuvieron antes del mercado? ¿Dónde? Quiénes asistieron? 31. ¿Les designaron papeles distintos a los organizadores? 32. ¿Cuántas comunidades fueron informadas sobre el mercado y cuándo? 33. ¿Informaron vendedores personalmente sobre el mercado? 34. ¿Pudieron asistir al mercado todos los vendedores que quisieran? 35. ¿Había obstáculos en la planificación del mercado? 36. ¿Había una persona en el mercado por la mañana para ayudar y dirigir los vendedores? 37. ¿Había un lugar específico designado por cada vendedor, o podían vender sus productos

donde querían? 38. ¿Por cuánto tiempo duró el mercado? 39. ¿Sienten ustedes de que el horario del mercado, 8 a 3, fue muy largo, muy corto, o

perfecto? 40. ¿Llegaron los vendedores antes de que empezó el mercado?

Entrevistas para los referentes y los grupos locales Una Introducción:

Formamos parte de un grupo de estudiantes quienes están aquí trabajando con la Coordinadora y Asociación Mangle como consultores. Hemos firmado un convenio y es la cuarta vez que nuestro grupo ha venido acá para trabajar. Nosotros estamos trabajando con el centro de producción de Mangle y estamos investigando la posibilidad y necesidad de formar una organización de productores aquí en el Bajo Lempa. Ayer tuvimos una reunión con la cooperativa de mujeres en Zamoran y la cooperativa de Nueva Esperanza, ahora queremos hacerle algunas preguntas sobre su experiencia trabajando con las varias organizaciones en la zona. Antes de empezar queremos presentarnos para que podamos conocernos mejor.

1. ¿Por cuánto tiempo ha sido granjero? 2. ¿En su finca que cultiva? 3. ¿Han cambiado los tipos de cultivos que usted siembra ahora después de haber asistido a

la escuela agrícola? 4. ¿Ha cambiado o mejorado el tamaño y la calidad de su cosecha después de haber asistido

a la escuela agrícola? 5. ¿Por qué quiso participar en la escuela agrícola? 6. ¿Qué ha sido lo más útil que aprendió en la escuela agrícola? 7. ¿Está usando las técnicas que aprendió en la escuela agrícola? ¿Como cuáles? 8. ¿Ha ensañado las técnicas que aprendió en la escuela agrícola con otras personas? Si la

respuesta es sí, ¿con quién? Si no, ¿por qué no? ¿Cómo? ¿Dónde? 9. ¿Qué obstáculos ha enfrentado con respecto a la agricultura sostenible? 10. ¿Con que organizaciones o programas en el Bajo Lempa participa? ¿Hay otras que

existen en esta área? 11. ¿Ha notado usted que hay competición o conflicto entre las entidades? 12. ¿Tiene usted una forma de crédito extendido? ¿De cuales organizaciones? 13. ¿Cuánto interés cobran? 14. ¿Si nos permita, puedes compartir con nosotros cuánto dinero pidió prestado? 15. ¿Ha tenido usted problemas cumpliendo con los pagos? Si… ¿Había alguna forma de

multa? 16. ¿Para qué usó los préstamos? 17. ¿Hay retos trabajando con varias organizaciones? 18. ¿Qué piensa usted de todas estas organizaciones? 19. ¿Ha tenido una mala experiencia con alguna de ellas? 20. ¿En su opinión, cuales son las necesidades de las comunidades aquí en el Bajo Lempa, y

piensa que las organizaciones proveen soluciones para estos problemas? 21. ¿Estaría usted interesado en unirse a alguna organización para educar a miembros de su

comunidad sobre lo que ha aprendido y ayudar a organizar mercados locales?

Preguntas para las cooperativas

1. ¿Cuándo se formó la cooperativa? 2. ¿Por qué se formó la cooperativa? 3. ¿Cómo se formó la cooperativa? 4. ¿Quiénes decidieron formarla? 5. ¿Cómo generaron los fondos para formar la cooperativa? 6. ¿Cómo los generan estos fondos actualmente? 7. ¿Cuántas personas forman la cooperativa? 8. ¿Cuántos miembros forman el núcleo de la organización y de que se encargan? ¿Cuáles

son los diferentes papeles? 9. ¿Qué comunidades de Bajo Lempa son representadas en esta cooperativa? 10. ¿Cuáles son los requisitos para hacerse miembro de la cooperativa? 11. ¿Cómo contribuyen los miembros a la cooperativa? ¿Pagan para ser miembros? 12. ¿Cuáles son algunos de los beneficios que les ofrece a la membrecía? 13. ¿Qué obstáculos han enfrentado durante la existencia de la cooperativa? 14. ¿Cuánto dinero genera la cooperativa al ano? 15. ¿Cuántas libras de camarones venden cada mes? ¿Y cómo lo documentan? 16. ¿Cómo documentan sus ganancias? 17. ¿Sólo venden sus camarones acá o hay otros lugares o personas a que los vende? 18. ¿Tienen acceso a transporte para llevar sus productos a otras comunidades o mercados? 19. ¿Tienen una marca o logotipo? ¿Cómo lo consiguieron? 20. ¿Estarían interesado en unirse a alguna organización que le proveyera beneficios como….

Una sello de calidad, distribución y mercadeo?

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The Impact of the Ban: One Year Later An evaluation of El Salvador’s ban on turtle egg harvesting and its

socio-economic impact in the Bajo Lempa

Monterey Institute of International Studies A Graduate School of Middlebury College

Prepared by: Amy Holste

Alexandra Ogden Jacqueline Spear-Cerda

Andrew Volkman

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Acknowledgements This research project would not have been possible without the support, dedication and collaboration of many partners, colleagues, and friends. The spirit of partnership and unwavering dedication of La Coordinadora and Asociación Mangle to their work enabled this project to take shape and fulfill its key goals and objectives. We thank our esteemed colleagues and project coordinators Walberto Gallego, Oscar Carranza, and Carlos Barahona, for welcoming us with such professional and personal warmth, for sharing their expert knowledge and valuable insight, and for the facilitation and coordination of meetings and project logistics during our three weeks in country. We are also extremely grateful to Jose Douglas Chica Hernandez and Rigoberto Antonio Silva Nuñez, members of La Coordinadora’s Youth Leadership Program, for accompanying us during the interviews and dedicating their time and energy to ensuring successful data collection and communication. Their collaboration, insight, and positive attitudes were a welcome and valuable contribution. Our guides and drivers, David Marroquin and Jacobo Rodriguez Zelaya, were also indispensable resources and trusted partners. We thank them for their patience, confidence and adept logistical competencies. We extend heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to our expert translators and interpreters, Deborah Radilla Laureano and Hilda Diaz. The results of this endeavor are directly related to their hard work, dedication, and guidance as both linguistic and cultural counsel. Lastly, we’d like to extend thanks to all of the turtle harvesters, nursery caretakers, and community leaders who graciously welcomed us into their communities and openly shared their thoughts, opinions, and concerns with such sincerity. We hope that the information provided in this report will aid in their continued pursuit of economic development and social justice.

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Executive Summary The Bay of Jiquilisco in southeast El Salvador provides important nesting and foraging habitat for four species of endangered and threatened sea turtle populations. In February of 2009 the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources in El Salvador (MARN) issued!*!+*(=$+S=@&!I&#-*+&+(!-$#*($#=:-!$+!(9&!9*#<&5(=+,!$N!5&*!(:#(1&!I#$@:'(5!N$#!&'$+$-='!,*=+\ The intent of the ban was to strengthen national conservation efforts for the four species of threatened marine sea turtle species that nest and forage on the beaches of El Salvador. These species include the Hawksbill, Olive Ridley, the Green, and the Leatherback. However, new regulatory frameworks do not take into account local impoverished areas and the socio-economic incentives to exploit this biodiversity. In January of 2010, four graduate students from the Monterey Institute of International Studies, as Team Monterey participants, conducted primary research to assess and evaluate the impact of the government ban on the turtle egg harvesters of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula one year after implementation. Key project objectives included an evaluation of the socio-economic impact on the turtle egg harvesters and their communities, an investigation into the possible emergence of a black market for the sale of turtle eggs, and a preliminary assessment of options for alternative sources of income. Target communities were located on the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula, home to over 400 turtle harvesters and their families and the location of key nesting beaches for all four species of sea turtles. Over a three-week time frame from January 3 to January 23, 2010, 89 harvesters were interviewed, representing 12 local communities, and three site visits were made to local markets. Research findings show turtle egg harvesting continues to represent a significant source of income for harvesters and their families and is used to support basic needs such as food and household expenses. Additionally, fifty-five percent (55%) of respondents reported either very limited or no alternative opportunities for income generation in their immediate area. The alternatives that do exist hold similar potential to be unsustainable in the long-term or present a considerable degree of financial and technical start-up costs. A moderate black market was found to exist within the regional markets of Úsulutan and Zacatecoluca. Overall, the first year of the ban on harvesting and selling turtle eggs has not shown a considerable socio-economic impact on the communities of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula. This, however, can be directly attributed to the presence of emergency funding. During its first year of implementation, the ban has been successful in limiting the supply of turtle eggs to local markets. A sizable change in the supply chain - from historical market channels to strategically established turtle egg nurseries supporting conservation efforts – has taken place. However, the implications for the future of both conservation efforts and most importantly, socio-economic viability of the communities of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula, are of concern. Should the 2010 nesting season move forward with an absence, or very retracted level of funding, there is strong evidence to suggest that turtle egg harvesters will be incentivized to decrease supply to the nurseries and increase supply to black market channels. The lack of short-term and immediate alternatives reinforces this prediction and exacerbates the unintended consequences of a well-intentioned regulatory statute.

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Recommendations include a continuation of direct payments for sea turtle eggs to the egg harvesters via the nurseries throughout the 2010 nesting season. Additional recommendations include further development of alternative and supplemental sources of funding to support on-going direct payment programs through the turtle egg nurseries; additional analysis of the emerging black market; a feasibility study on viable opportunities for alternative income generation; exploration of in-situ conservation strategies; and an initial feasibility study to inform possible implementation of a formal performance payment conservation incentive agreement within the Bay of Jiquilisco region.

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Project Background Sea turtles in El Salvador The Bay of Jiquilisco is El Salvador’s largest protected area, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and Wetland of International Importance under the 1971 Ramsar Convention.1 Representing outstanding biodiversity of high ecological significance, the Bay of Jiquilisco also provides important nesting and foraging habitat for four species of endangered and vulnerable sea turtle populations. These species include2:

• Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), categorized as critically endangered with a decreasing population trend by The International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red list (IUCN), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species List (CITES) and the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA)

• Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), categorized as vulnerable with a decreasing population trend by IUCN, CITES and the ESA.

• Green (Chelonia mydas), categorized as endangered with a decreasing population trend by IUCN, CITES and the ESA

• Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea). Categorized as critically endangered with a decreasing population trend by IUCN, CITES and the ESA.

Sea turtles play a vital role within marine and coastal ecosystems, helping to strengthen their ecological health and in turn, the quality of life for human populations that depend on them. Through activities such as grazing on sea grass beds, sea turtles increase key nutrient volume and productivity of coastal habitats. Due to their highly migratory nature, sea turtles also contribute to important nutrient transport between marine habitats and coastal zones3. Unfortunately, over the past 200 years the populations of sea turtle species have drastically declined. Key threats include incidental capture in commercial fisheries, loss of nesting habitat, pollution, and direct take in the form of egg harvesting and exploitation of adults for meat and the commercial sale of shells. The Bajo Lempa and San Juan del Gozo Peninsula The Bajo Lempa region of El Salvador represents over 80 coastal and inland communities in southeast El Salvador, located around the Bay of Jiquilisco and along the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula. (see map in Appendix) Like many developing societies in coastal areas, local populations rely heavily on natural resources for their livelihoods. For generations many families in the Bajo Lempa region have relied on harvesting and selling marine turtle eggs as a critical income-generating activity. El Salvadorans are accustomed to eating turtle eggs as an aperitif or perceived stimulant and eggs are considered a common form of protein. A study conducted in 2009 by Team Monterey showed that 11% of all egg harvesters relied on turtle egg harvesting as their primary source of income. For the remaining 89% of harvesters, egg harvesting represents an essential source of secondary income - sometimes the only economic activity available during certain seasonal timeframes4. The majority of income generated is used in support of basic needs, such as food and household items. Lack of

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alternative options for sustainable and diversified income generation exacerbates the dynamic between economic self-sufficiency and conservation goals. Historically, sea turtle conservation efforts in the region have consisted primarily of establishing strategically located incubation sites or turtle nurseries near key nesting beaches and coastal areas. Established nurseries in Isla Mendez, Isla Montecristo, Corral de Mulas II and El Icaco – all on the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula - have functioned periodically over the last several years during the high nesting seasons. In addition to acting as incubation sites, funded nurseries purchase turtle eggs directly from harvesters at a competitive market price. Harvesters have also been encouraged to donate a portion of their collection to the nurseries for conservation purposes – typically representing one dozen eggs per nest or approximately 12 out of every 100 eggs.5

However, funding for nursery operations and conservation payment programs is limited. Past conservation efforts have received support from various local and regional organizations, the El Salvadorian government, and international non-governmental organizations; however, efforts have lacked consistency and coordination and have typically focused on either one species in isolation or one or two nesting beaches at a time. The Ban In February of 2009 the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources in El Salvador (MARN) issued!*!+*(=$+S=@&!I&#-*+&+(!-$#*($#=:-!$+!(9&!9*#<&5(=+,!$N!5&*!(:#(1&!I#$@:'(5!N$#!&'$+$-='!,*=+\ The intent of the ban was to strengthen national conservation efforts for the four species of threatened marine sea turtle species that nest and forage on the beaches of El Salvador. However, the new regulatory frameworks do not take into account local impoverished areas and the socio-economic incentives to exploit this biodiversity. Official governmental actions such as bans and seasonal restrictions serve to further reduce endemic sources of income for local coastal communities. Since the institution of the February 2009 ban, an important source of income in local communities has become threatened. As an interim solution, emergency funding was provided from the Fondo de la Iniciativa para las Americas El Salvador (FIAES) and NGOs, such as Friends of the Earth-Spain and the Foundation for Self-Sufficiency in Central America6, to support conservation efforts during the 2009 nesting season (July-December). Funds were utilized to support the operation of four egg incubation sites, which included paying nursery staff and the purchase of locally harvested turtle eggs from harvesters during the high season. Nurseries offered a competitive market price of $US3.00 per dozen eggs. Eggs were then incubated and cared for until they hatched, at which time the newborn turtles were released into their natural habitat at nearby oceanfront beaches. Biologists from Asociación Mangle estimate that over 150,000 newborn turtles were released in the 2009 nesting season as a result of the nurseries’ activities.7 Unfortunately, emergency funding is not expected to continue into 2010. It is under these circumstances that El Salvador is faced with the interrelated challenges of economic development and biodiversity conservation. The biological significance of sea turtles and the important social role of these animals and their eggs as a source of protein is widely accepted. However, the debate over proper use, strategies for conservation and pathways to creating sustainable livelihoods for local communities continues.

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Research conducted in January 2010 by Team Monterey 4 builds on the 2009 research effort conducted by Team Monterey 3, which established a profile of turtle egg harvesters and created a comprehensive market study of the sea turtle egg supply chain prior to the ban.8 Results and information from the January 2010 effort will help inform decision-making as it relates to the protection, conservation, restoration and management of sea turtle populations. Additionally, this study will help inform the development of viable economic incentives for sea turtle conservation in key local coastal communities.

Project Scope & Methodology Project Scope The core goal of this project was to evaluate the impact of the government ban on the turtle egg harvesters of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula one year after implementation. Key project objectives included:

1. Evaluation of the socio-economic impact on the turtle egg harvesters and their communities

2. Investigate the possible emergence of a black market for the sale of turtle eggs 3. Explore options for alternative sources of income

Target communities were located on the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula, in the Bajo Lempa region of southeast El Salvador, home to over 400 turtle egg harvesters and their families and the location of key nesting beaches for all four species of sea turtles. Over a three-week time frame from January 3 to January 23, 2010, 89 harvesters were interviewed, representing 12 local communities. Interviewed communities include Isla de Mendez, Isla Montecristo, La Pita, La Tirana, San Juan del Gozo, Corral de Mulas I, Corral de Mulas II, El Icaco, Ceiba Doblada, Los Llanos, El Aguacate y El Tular. The Environmental team made site visits to the three local markets of Úsulutan, Zacatecoluca and Jiquilisco to assess the existence of black market sales and explore the impact of the ban as it relates to quantity of eggs being sold to and purchased from the markets. Several vendors were interviewed about turtle egg prices, quantity of eggs demanded and supplied and the understanding on the part of the vendors of the ban and its regulatory implications.

Methodology Core research data was gathered through direct in-person interviews with turtle egg harvesters and turtle egg vendors. All interviews were voluntary and coordinated through community leaders with the help of La Coordinadora-Asociación Mangle (LC-AM) staff. Due to logistics and geographical parameters, in several cases more than one community was represented during an interview session. Each interview session lasted approximately two and half to four hours and was held in the morning or afternoon timeframe. Individual interviews lasted approximately 20 minutes each and

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consisted of 25 open-ended qualitative and quantitative questions. All interviews were conducted on an individual basis. The questions were broken into three groups consisting of demographic questions; questions about egg collection activities and understanding of the law; and questions on how the law has impacted the lives of the harvesters and what other income opportunities exist in their communities. There was also open-ended discussion on what kind of training or skill set the harvesters would want to learn if given the opportunity. The participant could opt to not answer any or all of the questions and all interviews were anonymous. The four-person environmental team conducted the interviews. When necessary, professional interpretation and translation assistance was provided to help facilitate and clarify questions and responses. During the course of the six sessions, the survey was adapted slightly to strengthen clarity of communication and meaning of each question. Direct, straightforward and simple questions elicited the strongest response and were used whenever appropriate. All data was recorded manually and then transferred into a master electronic database for purposes of analysis and aggregation. Site visits to the three markets were conducted in the morning timeframe to take advantage of high market activity. Market interviews were considerably less formal than those in the communities and relied heavily on the assistance of the interpreter as well as the team’s driver/guide to bridge cultural boundaries and provide a non-threatening environment for communication. Turtle egg venders, if present, were asked informal conversational questions about the supply, pricing, and demand for eggs. Opinions and understanding of the ban were also solicited.

Results and Analysis Results Demographic Profile Of the 89 harvesters interviewed, forty-seven percent (47%) were the sole income generator for their immediate family unit. Another twenty-two percent (22%) shared income generation with one other household member. An average of five people lived within each household unit. The number of years spent collecting eggs by the majority of turtle egg harvesters ranged between eight to twenty-one years, with the average being 12 years. Smaller numbers of harvesters either began harvesting within the last one to two years or have been collecting for well over 21 years. This data supports anecdotal reports that the harvesting community is comprised of a mixture of harvesting profiles. These include: life-time harvesters, those who go out every night of the season (or in rare cases, every night of the year) in search of nests; seasonal harvesters, those who harvest regularly during the high season while supplementing harvesting revenue with one or two other income generating activities throughout the year; and new harvesters, those who have begun collecting eggs within the past two seasons. While no empirical evidence is available, anecdotal wisdom suggests that a portion of new harvesters may be experimenting to see if harvesting is a viable revenue source – especially as a reaction to the ban and subsequent funding of existing turtle nurseries during the 2009 nesting season.

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However, the majority of turtle egg harvesters work seasonally and rely on income generated from harvesting activities to support basic needs. Income and Expenses Exact records and documentation of local per-capita income were not readily available. Therefore, to establish benchmark historical income ranges, the team members asked questions concerning income earned over the turtle harvesting season as a whole and income earned on a monthly basis. Along the same lines, daily or ‘per 15 day’ increments were used to assess average household and living expenses. Harvesters earned an average of $253.00 from harvesting activity over one high season.9 This equates to an average income from harvesting activity of $12.05 per week.10 Monthly expenses for basic necessities such as food, medicine, and in some cases, electricity were $79.00 per month on average, or $19.75 per week. In the majority of cases, income reported from egg harvesting was less than, or at the most equal to, the income spent directly on basic living necessities. Due to the unofficial nature of income and expense records within local communities, the team also examined harvesting income by looking at payments disbursed by the turtle egg nurseries. On average, each harvester reported collecting between 8-12 nests per season, with change on a weekly basis due to natural variation. Some weeks produced no nests. Others, ‘with luck’, could produce up to four or five nests per individual harvester, representing approximately 400-500 eggs. The average reported price earned per nest was $21.00. Extrapolated over the season, this data provides a seasonal income distribution of $168.00-$252.00, which aligns with the $253.00 earned per season ascertained through direct income inquiries. Behavioral Changes since the Ban One hundred percent (100%) of respondents reported bringing all of their eggs to the turtle nurseries since the start of the ban. However, this was true only during the high season and only when the nurseries had funds to purchase the eggs. Many turtle egg harvesters said that they did not currently harvest when it was not the high season either because nests were too hard to find, the nurseries no longer bought eggs, or both. Eighty-eight percent (88%) of respondents reported that the nurseries paid them three dollars (US$3.00) per dozen eggs, while twelve percent (12%) of respondents reported receiving various prices other than three dollars per dozen from the nurseries. When asked about the reason for varying prices, responses indicated that some nurseries had used an adjustable price structure (for example, US$3.00 in the beginning of high season vs. US$2.00 toward the end) to conserve available funds throughout the entire high nesting season. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of respondents reported that they still donated a portion of their eggs to the nurseries, even after the ban was implemented and emergency funding was available for full payment of all nests. Of those that reported donating eggs to the nurseries, forty-one percent (41%) donated two eggs per dozen, twenty-two percent (22%) donated one egg per dozen, and twelve percent (12%) reported various other donation rates. The continued egg donation is

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consistent with the strong evidence of social reciprocity found in Team Monterey 3’s 2009 research study. When asked what they did with the turtle eggs when the nurseries did not purchase them, sixty-four percent (64%) of respondents reported that they would sell their eggs on the market, while thirteen percent (13%) reported that they would eat the eggs that they collected. Twenty percent (20%) reported that they would not participate in the collection of eggs at all if the nursery was not purchasing them and two percent (2%) gave other responses. Graph 1. Actions taken if Viveros have no funding.

Opinions and Understanding of the Ban When questioned about their opinion of the ban, forty percent (40%) of the harvesters responded outright that the ban was ‘good’ and twenty-four percent (24%) responded that the ban was ‘bad’. The remaining respondents either didn’t respond directly or reported that it was both good and bad. Of those responding affirmatively, the majority associated the ban being good due to its role in providing consistent income, especially through the winter season when other alternatives for income generation were scarce. Just over a quarter, or twenty-six percent (26%), of all respondents also mentioned that the ban was good for the future production of turtles. Of those responding negatively, consistent reasons given included the loss of essential income and a significant reduction in their ability to support themselves and their families. Several responses included a mixture of opinion indicating the ban was good for the production of turtles, but bad for the local people. Across all 12 communities surveyed, understanding of the ban - including its rules, how it functioned, and its implications - was mixed. Of all the communities, a few stood out by displaying a strong understanding of the ban or a poor understanding of the ban. In Corral de Mulas I and Corral de Mulas II seventy-one percent (71%) of respondents had a strong and accurate understanding of the ban; followed by fifty percent (50%) of those interviewed from El Tular and forty-seven percent (47%) of those in El Icaco. The highest rate of confusion and

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misunderstanding was found in San Juan de Gozo, with sixty percent (60%) of respondents being unclear about the rules of the ban and how it functions. In this analysis, a strong understanding implies knowledge of the permanent restriction on collecting and selling eggs, regardless of the season. Usually, knowledge of the fines or the consequences of being caught selling or harvesting was also communicated by the interviewees. In some cases, knowledge of the reasons behind the ban (conservation of the species) was also exhibited. A poor understanding of the ban was displayed through responses that indicated the ban to be confined only to the high nesting seasons, or only to selling but not eating the eggs (implying that the actual activity of harvesting was still allowed), or by associating the ban with the nurseries newfound ability to pay for all collected nests. The following are samples of feedback on the ban and its impact. Many responses reflect the confusion between the ban and the ability of the nurseries to buy eggs, associating one with the other. Those statements marked with an astrick* represent evidence of confusion between the ban and the nurseries ability to buy eggs. Understanding of the rules of the ban: • It’s illegal to sell eggs, but not to eat them. Es ilegal venderlos, pero no comerlos. • (The ban) is bad. The problem is that the people have to bring all of the eggs to the nursery

now, but it only functions in the high season. La veda no es buena. El problema es que ahora la gente tiene que traer todos los huevos al vivero, pero esto solamente funciona durante la temporada alta.

• The ban applies only during the high season. La veda solo se aplica durante la temporada alta.

• One can’t collect eggs in the low season. No se pueden recolectar huevos durante la temporada baja.

• It is prohibited to sell or consume eggs; the consumption or sale of eggs is prohibited to preserve the environment. Queda prohibido vender o consumir huevos. El consumo y la venta de huevos quedan prohibidos con el fin de conservar el medioambiente.

General Opinion of the Ban: • It’s (turtle harvesting) the only source of income available to survive. Recolectar huevos de

tortugas es la única fuente de ingresos que tenemos para sobrevivir. • Without the ban, we wouldn’t have any work in January. In January we aren’t able to fish or

to harvest crabs. Sin la veda, no tendríamos trabajo en enero. En enero no podemos pescar o recolectar cangrejos.

• The ban is part good and part bad. It’s bad for employment, but good for the future quantity of turtles. La veda es en parte buena y en parte mala. Es mala para el empleo, pero buena para la población futura de tortugas.

• The ban hasn’t affected me because of the nursery. The nursery buys the eggs and has helped us immensely. La veda no me ha afectado gracias al vivero que compra los huevos y nos ha ayudado muchísimo.

• The ban is good for the people because it is income that is surely there and we don’t have to search for buyers. La veda es buena para la gente porque se traduce en una fuente segura de ingresos y no tenemos que buscar compradores.

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• The ban is good because it produces more turtles. La veda es buena porque produce más

tortugas. • The ban has been well supported. People follow the rules. It’s been positive overall, with

more stable income and also preservation of the turtles for the future. La veda ha contado con mucho apoyo. La gente sigue las reglas. En su conjunto, ha sido positiva porque ha aportado ingresos más estables, así como la conservación de las tortugas para el futuro.

• There is a stable price for eggs, therefore the ban is good.* Hay un precio estable para los huevos; Por lo tanto, la veda es buena.

• It hasn’t really affected me much. (I think the ban) is good because it produces more turtles and it pays more.* No me ha afectado much. Creo que la veda es positiva porque se reproducen más tortugas y se pagan mejor.

• The ban is good for (turtle) production, but affects us because we can’t sell the eggs and earn money. La veda es buena para la reproducción de las tortugas, pero nos afecta porque no podemos vender los huevos y ganar dinero.

• If the nursery doesn’t buy all the eggs, we have to sell them on the market and the prices are much lower now. Si el vivero no compra todos los huevos, tenemos que venderlos en el mercado y los precios ahora están mucho más bajos.

• In general, (the ban) has had a positive effect on our income, I would like the ban to be applied all year long.* En general, la veda ha tenido un efecto positivo en nuestros ingresos; me gustaria que la veda estuviera vigente todo el año.

• The people have benefited greatly from the work of the institutions and the nurseries. The consumption and the sale of eggs are prohibited to preserve the environment. La gente se ha beneficiado mucho gracias al trabajo de las instituciones y los viveros. El consumo y la venta de huevos han quedado prohibidos con el fin de conservar el medioambiente.

• The price in the markets is lower, but in general, (the ban) is better because we can sell the eggs to the nurseries during the high season. I’d like to see the nurseries able to buy the eggs all year round.* Los precios en los mercados son más bajos, pero, en general, la veda es mejor porque podemos vender todos los huevos a los viveros durante la temporada alta. Me gustaría que los viveros pudieran comprar los huevos a lo largo de todo el año.

• For the animals, it’s good. For the people, it’s bad. Para los animales es buena, pero para la gente es mala.

• The ban is positive. The ban made many organizations come here and create the ban. Without the ban, there would be a crisis.* La veda es positiva. Hizo que muchas organizaciones vinieran aquí y la crearan. Sin ella, habría una crises.

• After the season, we have to sell the eggs in the market because the funds are gone and the people need to survive. Una vez terminada la temporada, tenemos que vender los huevos en el mercado porque los fondos se agotan y la gente tiene que sobrevivir.

Turtle egg harvesters were also asked about their opinions regarding what they would like to see happen in the future. The majority of responses included one of the following two requests:

• “The ability to sell eggs to the nurseries throughout the entire year” • “Continued assistance (monetary) from the government and other institutions”

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One harvester responded, rather astutely, by saying: “It’s a question of economics. If they (the nurseries) don’t buy the eggs here, we are not able to work. We need a source of work so that all are able to work and survive.” “Es una cuestión económica. Si los viveros no compran aquí sus huevos, no podremos trabajar. Necesitamos una fuente de trabajo para que todos podamos trabajar y sobrevivir.” Black Market Activity Sixty-nine percent (69%) of harvesters responded that turtle egg buyers are still operating within their communities and surrounding areas. Twenty-two percent (22%) denied the continued presence of buyers, six percent (6%) claimed not to know, and three percent (3%) didn’t answer definitively. Harvesters reported that generally, when the nurseries are funded, few intermediary buyers are present in the communities. Additionally, since the inception of the ban, the number of intermediary buyers working within the communities has decreased significantly, but has not disappeared completely. A handful of harvesters admitted to knowing that buyers were still active in the regional area, however not in their particular home community. Those who reported no knowledge of active buyers stated that the main reason was due to the prohibition of egg sales under the ban. Many of these same respondents also mentioned the heightened fear of repercussions if individuals are caught illegally selling or buying eggs under the ban. Intermediary buyers, under the ban, were reported paying a between a range of US$1.00 and US$2.50 per dozen eggs, dependant on seasonal timeframes and availability. Eight percent (8%) of harvesters reported the price received for selling eggs to intermediaries has increased since the inception of the ban; seventy-five percent (75%) reported prices as lower than what they received prior to the start of the ban; and seventeen percent (17%) reported prices per dozen being offered by the intermediary buyers remained relatively constant since the start of the ban. Enforcement Efforts Just under half of all harvesters interviewed, or forty-nine percent (49%), reported seeing more police on the beaches now compared to the time before the ban went into effect. During times of large collection in the high season, harvesters reported seeing the police going to the nurseries themselves, although they were generally not seen actually patrolling the beaches. Forty-one percent (41%) of all harvesters interviewed had heard about eggs being confiscated through second-hand stories or information; however, only two of the 89 interviewed were able to report on a personal experience. The majority of harvesters seemed generally aware that fines and jail time are possible consequences for those found selling eggs; however, as pointed out previously, the overall understanding of the ban’s rules, function, and ramifications varied greatly. The general sentiment expressed by the harvesters was that police presence has increased to some degree in the communities and on the beaches (especially near the turtle nurseries) since the start of the ban; however, few harvesters had direct personal experience with any enforcement activities. Alternative Income Information When asked what other income-generating activities they engaged in other than collecting turtle eggs, thirty-five percent (35%) reported fishing, thirty-three percent (33%) reported working in agriculture, twelve percent (12%) reported gathering mollusks (curiliar) or other types of shellfish, nine percent (9%) reported harvesting crabs, and the remaining eleven percent (11%)

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reported varying answers that included the following: hunting iguanas, working as an evangelical preacher, bread-making, construction, and security. One respondent reported that collecting turtle eggs was his primary and only source of income. Graph 2. Options for Alternative Income on the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula.

Alternative income-generating activities are broken down by community below. Communities with limited sample sizes and corresponding data have been omitted.

• Isla Montecristo: Agriculture: 38%; Fishing: 25%; Crabbing: 13%; Security: 13%; Construction: 6%; Egg Nursery: 6%

• Corral de Mulas II: Agriculture: 36%; Fishing: 36%; Church: 14%; Egg Nursery: 7%; Security: 7%

• Isla Mendez: Agriculture: 29%; Fishing: 24%; Gathering Mollusks: 24%; Construction: 6%; Bread-making: 6%; Crabbing: 6%; Vivero: 6%

• El Icaco: Fishing: 55%; Agriculture: 25%; Gathering Mollusks shells: 20% When asked about the availability of other job opportunities in their zone, twenty-seven percent (27%) reported that no other income opportunities were available, and twenty-eight percent (28%) reported that there were no other job opportunities outside of fishing or harvesting mollusks or crabs. Therefore, fifty-five percent (55%) of respondents said that there were either no additional job opportunities in their area or that those options were limited only to fishing and the harvesting of mollusks and crabs. When asked what jobs they would like to receive training for, responses included: auto mechanic, bicycle mechanic, carpentry, agriculture, business, restaurant, sewing or tailoring, construction, making fish nets, bakery, accounting, and teaching/working with youth. Twenty-two percent (22%) of respondents did not give a specific answer, instead stating that they wanted or were willing to learn “anything.”

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Market Visits Researchers visited the three local markets of Úsulutan, Zacatecoluca, and Jiquilisco. Turtle eggs were being offered for sale in the markets of Úsulutan and Zacatecoluca, but not in Jiquilisco. Two venders were found in Úsulutan and one vender was found in Zacatecoluca. Venders were asking between $4.00 and $5.00 per dozen eggs. All eggs for sale were reported to be Olive Ridley. No sellers were found at the market in Jiquilisco, however, a formal sign was posted prominently in the seafood section of the market communicating the rules of the ban and reinforcing the prohibition and possible consequences if violated. (See Appendix for photo) In the markets of Úsulutan and Zacatecoluca vendors reported eggs sales were prohibited during the high season. However, once the high season was over (roughly during the research timeframe in January), they stated it was legal to sell eggs in the marketplace. All three sellers reported a lower quantity of eggs present in the market over the past season and a reduced presence of intermediary sellers bringing eggs to market.

Analysis Low-income communities rely on turtle egg-harvesting Several important conclusions can be drawn from an analysis of these survey results. First and foremost, turtle egg harvesting represents a significant source of income for harvesters and their families. Approximately half of the harvesters reported being the sole income-generator for their household. With an average family size of five people per household, this indicates a significant number of people in the coastal communities of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula who rely on income from turtle egg harvesting to support basic needs. Furthermore, an average harvesting income of $253.00 per high nesting season provides a substantial portion total income earned. It is reasonable to assume that with average monthly expenses of $79.00 per household unit, income from turtle egg harvesting provides an important, even critical contribution to family income. In many cases harvesting also serves as an income-generating bridge across the winter months, when even fewer alternative sources of income generation are available. Alternative income-generating opportunities Additionally, fifty-five percent (55%) of respondents reported either very limited or no alternative opportunities for income generation in their immediate area. This underscores the important role of turtle egg harvesting as an essential source of income simply because there are very few easily identifiable alternatives. Options for income generation reported as most viable were limited to fishing, agriculture, and the harvesting of mollusks and crabs. However, it is important to recognize that these alternative sources of income are equally dependent on the extraction and exploitation of natural resources. For example, in the case of fishing or harvesting crabs and mollusks, an increase in these activities could also result in the depletion of natural resources. Agriculture also was listed prominently as an option for income generation. However, agriculture is dependant on access to land and requires a basic investment in baseline equipment and input. This creates some barriers in the way of start-up costs, ease of transition and its

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ability to employ large portions of the community. Similarly, other alternatives such as the creation of local small businesses or expanding local trade skills were identified as possible paths forward. These also, however, would require a certain level of training, education, and baseline financial and technical start-up investment. While these alternatives should not be ruled out completely, a deeper level of market analysis would be needed to assess their true viability as alternative options for generating sustainable income. The last factor to consider is the dimension of time. A lack of income from turtle egg harvesting can potentially have immediate and direct socio-economic impact on the communities of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula. Any alternative options for generating sustainable income will require at least a modest amount of time and planning for education, training, and transition strategies. With over 400 officially identified harvesters (MARN certification cards) and unofficial estimates of over one thousand active harvesters, the probability that only one alternative and sustainable solution can be found to substitute egg harvesting revenues is low. In realistic terms, a full economic transition for a population of this size will require a holistic, integrated and long-term approach to economic development and self-sufficiency. Black Market Activity A black market was confirmed, through site visits, to exist in the departments of Úsulutan and La Paz, within the regional markets of Úsulutan and Zacatecoluca. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of harvesters also reported the continued activity of intermediary turtle egg buyers in their communities. This data supports the conclusion that the ban has not yet prevented all eggs from reaching local markets. However, feedback gained through interviews with market venders and with harvesters themselves, showed evidence of a significantly lower amount of turtle egg supply reaching the regional markets during the 2009 nesting season. This can also be confirmed by looking at the positive correlation and increase in the quantity of eggs purchased, incubated and released through regional hatcheries in comparison to 2008 nesting season data. It is slightly more difficult to identify direct circumstances that may be supporting or enabling this black market activity. Some persisting activity may be attributed to poor enforcement. While most respondents reported a sense of increased police presence and acknowledged the confiscation of eggs as a consequence for being caught with them, almost none reported experiencing repercussions or consequences personally. This suggests that the threat of police enforcement and legal consequences has a strong and positive effect on changing behavior and eliciting compliance. However, for those harvesters who choose to ignore the ban – or feel that they have no other economic choice but to utilize black market channels – strong enforcement mechanisms are not in place to prevent this from occurring. Another reasonable conclusion explaining the continued presence of eggs in the markets may be explained by the widespread confusion regarding the regulations of the ban. Approximately sixty percent (60%) of respondents were unclear about the ban’s exact regulation, including confusion on timing and what activities were considered illegal. Interviews with market stall venders demonstrated that knowledge existed of a ban; however, it was not thought to be applicable in the low season months. Many harvesters made similar comments, demonstrating confusion over seasonality, legality of harvesting for consumption versus sales activity, and

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permission to sell eggs on the markets if the nurseries were not able to purchase the eggs directly. Socio-economic Impact of the ban The first year of the ban on harvesting and selling turtle eggs has not shown a considerable socio-economic impact on the communities of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula. This, however, can be directly attributed to the presence of emergency funding. The ability of the nurseries to pay harvesters a consistent US$3.00 per nest throughout the majority of the 2009 nesting season has in effect allowed the nurseries to supplement market demand, delaying any true socio-economic impacts the ban may create. Since the inception of the ban, data supports evidence of a widespread change in behavior of the harvesters in relation to the turtle egg supply chain. Harvesters reported a shift from selling eggs through historical marketplace channels to using the nurseries as the main channel for egg sales. By providing consistent and reliable demand, the nurseries are competitive with the marketplace and offer a compelling and viable alternative to incentivize regional sea turtle conservation efforts. A report on conservation activity across all four turtle egg nurseries by biologist Oscar Carranza documents a total of 198,899 eggs incubated during the 2009 season, supporting strong ex-situ success for this conservation strategy.44 However, there are several indications that without funded nurseries, turtle eggs will flood a black market in much larger numbers. The two most prominent forces at play include:

• The current existence of a black market. While much smaller in scale, sales channels and market forces are still intact and easily reactivated with the right economic, social, and political conditions and incentives.

• A lack of viable income generating alternatives. There is strong evidence to suggest that

without viable alternatives, economic incentives and subsistence needs will overpower regulatory compliance in a manner much greater than has been evidenced during the ban’s first year.

A high level of misunderstanding exists around harvester’s perception and understanding of the ban. As we’ve seen from a review of the interview results, the majority of harvesters who reported the ban as being ‘good’ attributed positive perceptions of the ban to the nurseries ability to provide a steady source of income. This underscores the widespread association made by harvesters between the inception of the ban and the increased ability of nurseries to consistently pay for turtle egg nests. The majority of harvesters who reported the ban as being ‘bad’ attributed negative feelings to the nurseries inability to purchase turtle eggs all year round. This, as well, shows evidence of the incorrect correlation being made between the inception of the ban and the ability of nurseries to purchase eggs.

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Conclusions During its first year of implementation, the ban appears to have been successful in terms of limiting the supply of turtle eggs to local markets. The largest effect has been observed on the supply side, with a significant change in the supply chain from historical market channels to conservation efforts through strategically established turtle egg nurseries. While a moderate black market does exist, more analysis and investigation would be needed to comprehend its full dynamic and role. Due to emergency funding which enables nurseries to replace market demand, the socio-economic impact on harvesters and the communities of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula has been minimal during the first year of the ban. The 2009 nesting season saw increases in incubation and hatching rates through the turtle egg nurseries and strong community support for conservation efforts. However, strong ex-situ success and an absence of negative socio-economic impact can be directly related to the nurseries ability to buy the eggs, is not considered sustainable on a long-term basis. The real impact of the ban will be seen in the coming years and will have a direct relationship with the ability of the nurseries to disperse funds. A very preliminary assessment indicates that alternative sources for income generation in the region are very limited. The alternatives that do exist are likely to be unsustainable in the long-term or require a degree of financial and technical start-up costs. Easily transferrable, short-term opportunities for supplementing income from turtle egg harvesting are scarce. Overall, the implications for the future of both conservation efforts and most importantly, socio-economic viability of the communities of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula, are of concern. Should the 2010 nesting season move forward with an absence, or very retracted level of funding, there is strong evidence to suggest that turtle egg harvesters will be incentivized to decrease supply to the nurseries and increase supply to black market channels. The lack of short-term and immediate alternatives reinforces this prediction and exacerbates the unintended consequences of a well-intentioned regulatory statute.

Recommendations As the real socio-economic impact of the ban on harvesters and communities of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula will only be seen in the absence of supportive conservation funding, the real question is what to do in the future. The following recommendations are drawn from research conducted in El Salvador from January 3 through January 23, 2010. They are based on observations made during interviews with the turtle egg harvesters, nursery caretakers, and turtle egg sellers in local markets. The recommendations are organized along short-term, mid-range, and long-term timescales to aid future decision-making. Recommendations are made with the underlying long-term goals of strengthening nation-wide conservation efforts and developing viable economic development paths for local communities.

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Short-Term Recommendations: Continued viability of the nurseries

• Continue direct payments to the egg harvesters for sea turtle eggs via the nurseries throughout the 2010 nesting season. This presents the surest way to maintain turtle populations and conservation success through ex-situ measures; allocate sufficient time for the development of concrete strategies to strengthen regional partnerships, national conservation efforts, and economic alternatives; and--perhaps most pressing – sustain sources of income for the local communities of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula.

• Identify – in concert with local, regional, national and international partners when appropriate - alternative and supplemental sources of funding to support on-going direct payment programs through the turtle egg nurseries. Available sources may include global environmental institutions, governmental sources, and non-governmental sources.

• Conduct further analysis of emerging black market in the 2010 high nesting season (July-December), including supply and demand channels, pricing structure and seasonality. Further analysis will help to inform future regulatory, enforcement and implementation decision-making as it relates to the ban.

Mid-Range Recommendations: Strengthening local/regional conservation effort and partnerships

• Continue to coordinate activities with local organizations, research institutions, existing partnerships and governments to build capacity for technical training (conservation, management, surveying, monitoring), applied research (populations, habitats), conservation education and community outreach, and information exchange.

• Develop and execute regional or national marine turtle conservation management plans. Inform and involve local people in the decision-making process while continuing to base management decisions on science.1

• Conduct in-depth feasibility study on viable alternative income potential for fishing

cooperatives and local skills-based training programs (mechanic, baker, accountant, tailor). A deeper level of market analysis will assess the true viability of these options as alternatives for diversifying local income generation.

• Conduct initial feasibility study, within the Bay of Jiquilisco and San Juan del Gozo

region, to inform possible implementation of a formal performance payment conservation incentive agreement, a conservation approach based on a willing buyer-seller model between resource users and conservationists where the sellers deliver conservation outcomes in exchange for a negotiated payment. A framework for this model may follow the Conservation Agreements Model, put forth by Conservation International’s Conservation Stewards Program.1 Incentive-based conservation programs may be used to compliment and strengthen traditional regulatory and development-based approaches.

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• Explore feasibility of in-situ conservation strategies (nest protection payment schemes; local monitoring and enforcement of nests)

Long-Term Recommendations: Alternative livelihoods / Integrated Management Strategies

• Explore viable alternative income opportunities that may include but are not limited to: the development of ecotourism, microcredit loan programs to encourage small business, and technical skills training opportunities to develop alternative livelihoods and strengthen economic well-being in the region.

• Incorporate marine turtle management into larger coastal and regional ecosystem management regimes to ensure habitat quality and ecosystem functions are maintained. Involve local, regional, and global stakeholders in management strategy to increase and strengthen success of conservation planning.

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Appendix Endnotes 1UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program. http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?mode=all&code=SLV+02 RAMSAR Site List: http://www.ramsar.org/pdf/sitelist.pdf 2 IUCN RedList http://www.iucnredlist.org/ ; CITES Species Database: http://www.cites.org/eng/resources/species.html ; United States Endangered Species Act http://www.fws.gov/endangered/whatwedo.html 3 IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group. “A Global Strategy for the Conservation of Marine Turtles.” The IUCN Species Survival Commission. 4 Negro, Adele et.all. "Equipo Monterey El Salvador Prácticas Profesionales de Desarrollo: Reporte Final." El Instituto de Monterey de Estudios Internacionales. Mayo 2009. 5 US Fish and Wildlife Service. Sea Turtle Fact Sheets. http://www.fws.gov/northflorida/SeaTurtles/Turtle%20Factsheets/olive-ridley-sea-turtle.htm 6 FSSCA, a US based non-governmental organization that helps provide financial, technical and moral support for low-income communities in Central America, will be called EcoViva as of May 1, 2010. 7 Carranza, Oscar. “Sistematizacion Proyectos de Conservation de Tortugas Marinas en la Peninsula San Juan del Gozo”. Reserva de Biosfera Bahia de Jiquilisco. El Salvador C.A. Diciembre 2009. 8 Negro, Adele et.all. "Equipo Monterey El Salvador Prácticas Profesionales de Desarrollo: Reporte Final." El Instituto de Monterey de Estudios Internacionales. Mayo 2009. 9 The high season is defined as the 21-week timeframe from August 1st to December 15th 10 Yearly sea turtle nesting patterns are influenced by changing weather patterns, mating cycles, anthropogenic impacts, and varying biological cycles. Weekly nesting is therefore not typically uniform. Income is averaged based on equal weekly distribution across the season for analysis purposes only. 11 Carranza, Oscar. “Sistematizacion de Proyectos de Conservation de Tortugas Marinas en la Peninsula San Juan del Gozo”. Reserva de Biosfera Bahia de Jiquilisco. El Salvador C.A. Diciembre 2009.

Survey Preguntas demográficas ¿En qué comunidad vive? ¿Durante cuánto tiempo ha recolectado huevos de tortuga? ¿Cuántas personas viven en su casa? ¿Cuántos de ellos trabajan? ¿Cuántos de ellos están involucrados en la recoleccion de los huevos/cuántos de ellos recolectan huevos con usted? ¿Cuántas son mujeres y cuántos son hombres? Durante la temporada de huevos de tortuga, ¿cuál es su ingreso total al mes? Durante la temporada,¿cuánto paga por la canasta básica al mes/gastos básicos en su casa (por ejemplo: alimentación, agua, luz, etc.)? ¿Qué porcentaje de su sueldo viene de la recolección de huevos de tortuga? ¿Aparte de ser tortugero, qué otra actividad hace para obtener ingresos? Preguntas sobre las actividades de recolección Durante la temporada de recolección, ¿cuántos nidos recolecta cada semana? De los nidos que recolecta, ¿cuántos nidos trae al vivero? ¿A partir de la veda, ha aumentado la cantidad de recolección, ha disminuido, o se ha mantenido

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igual? ¿El vivero le compra a usted todos los huevos de tortuga que recolecta? ¿A cuánto le paga el vivero la docena de huevos? Si el vivero no compra los huevos, ¿qué hace con ellos? Aparte de donar huevos al vivero, ¿qué hace usted para apoyar y contribuir a que el vivero siga funcionando? Antes de la existencia del vivero, ¿qué hacia usted con los huevos? ¿Todavía hay compradores de huevos en los mercados y restaurantes de su comunidad? ¿Sabe si existe algún mercado negro dónde se venden huevos de tortuga? ¿Cuánto pagan los compradores por la docena de huevos de tortuga? ¿Sabe si el precio de los huevos ha subido o bajado desde la veda? Desde el inicio de la veda, ¿ha observado que aseguren la aplicación de la ley, con multas o presencia policial? ¿Alguna vez la policia ha decomizado los huevos? Preguntas sobre la conservación Si no pudiera recolectar huevos, ¿a qué se dedicaría para ganarse la vida? ¿Existen otras opciones de trabajo en su zona? ¿Cuáles son? ¿Qué tipo de entrenamiento o educación necesitaría para poder trabajar en esas otras opciones?

Photo at Jiquilisco Market. Photo taken by Deborah Deborah Radilla Laureano. !

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Map of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula. Harvester Communities in Yellow.

Summary of Activities This project took place over the course of four weeks, three of which were spent in the Bajo Lempa region of El Salvador with the final week spent back in Monterey, California. The time in El Salvador was used to identify project goals and objectives, design surveys, and then conduct them in the communities throughout the region. The week spent back in Monterey was devoted to data analysis and the creation of the final report on the project’s findings. The specific activities of the group for each of these four weeks are as follows.

Week One Team Monterey arrived in El Salvador on Sunday, January 3rd. Students spent the day settling in with their home stay families in Ciudad Romero and recovering from travel fatigue. In the evening, the team was given a tour of the community by Don Antonio, who also gave a brief historical account of the origins of Ciudad Romero.

Project work officially began on Monday, January 4th when the team met at San Nicholas with the Board of Directors for Association MANGLE. After the larger group meetings, the Environmental Group met with Walberto Gallego to discuss his goals for the project. After specifying the focus of the project, group members returned to Ciudad Romero and spent the afternoon discussing and outlining preliminary ideas for the project.

On the morning of Tuesday, January 5th, the Environmental Group met at San Nicholas again with Walberto Gallego as well as biologist Oscar Carranza to hear about the status of El Salvador’s sea turtles and the ban on sea turtle egg harvesting from a biological perspective. Team members presented initial ideas and plans for the project to obtain feedback and final approval from Mr. Gallego and Mr. Carranza.

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The afternoon was then spent designing the first draft of surveys for the tortugueros, the markets, and consumers based on their initial feedback. Wednesday, January 6th was also devoted to survey design.

The first draft of the surveys was presented to LCAM representatives, Oscar Carranza, Walberto Gallego, and Carlos Barahona on the morning of Thursday, January 7th for their review. After discussing and preliminarily editing the surveys, team members then took the chance to relax in the afternoon by joining students from the other project groups on a trip to the beach. On the way back from the beach, however, team members did get the chance to stop and briefly tour the vivero at Isla Mendez. Upon returning to Ciudad Romero in the evening, group members spent a few more hours revising the surveys based on Mr. Carranza, Mr. Gallego, and Mr. Barahona’s earlier recommendations.

On Friday, January 8th, the Environmental Team, accompanied by members from the Capacity-building Team, visited the market at Úsulutan in an attempt to locate and interview sellers of marine turtle eggs. Two vendors were ultimately located and interviewed that had marine turtle eggs for sale in their stalls. After touring the markets and conducting interviews, the group went to a restaurant at Puerto Triunfo called La Mariscada for lunch. Team Monterey 3 had visited this restaurant the previous year and had been served turtle eggs at that time; the group ate at this restaurant again in order to ascertain whether turtle eggs were still being served ther, which they were not Upon returning from Puerto Triunfo, group members spent the afternoon relaxing and debriefing on their experiences earlier that day.

On January 9th and 10th, Team Monterey visited Suchitoto and Sister Peggy’s Centro de la Paz. Students spent their first weekend in El Salvador learning about El Salvador’s civil war and its aftermath from Sister Peggy and exploring the local culture and customs of Suchitoto.

Week Two The Environmental Group visited a second market, in Zacatecoluca, on Monday, January 11th, followed by doing final revisions of the survey for the tortugueros back in Ciudad Romero in the afternoon and evening. One vendor was found and interviewed who had sea turtle eggs for sale.

On Tuesday, January 12th, group members conducted their first surveys of tortugueros in the communities of the San Juan del GozoPeninsula. Interviews with egg harvesters were conducted in La Pita in the morning; however, only three tortugueros came to be interviewed, so plans were made for the group to return to La Pita the following week. The team had lunch in the community of Isla Monte Cristo and then interviewed tortugueros there, as well as a group of tortugueros that had come from the community of La Tirana.

Interviews with the turtle egg harvesters continued on Wednesday, January 13th in the community of Corral de Mulas 2 in the morning and in the community of Isla Mendez in the afternoon. In addition to the tortugueros from Isla Mendez, there were numerous tortugueros present at the interviews in the afternoon who had come from neighboring communities to take part in the survey.

On the morning of Thursday, January 14th, group members caught up on data entry in the morning, inputting information gathered from the interviews conducted earlier in the week into the group database. In the afternoon, tortuguero interviews continued in the community of San Juan de Gozo.

From Friday, January 15th through Sunday, January 17th, all of the students from Team Monterey visited El Imposible National Park, staying at the El Imposible Eco-lodge located just outside the park. On the way back to Ciudad Romero on Sunday, students also had the opportunity to spend a few hours at a beach near La Libertad before returning to their home stays families.

Week Three On Monday, January 18th, two group members visited the market at Jiquilisco in order to try to locate more turtle eggs for sale while the remaining group members caught up on data entry back in Ciudad Romero. In the afternoon, the group returned to La Pita to attempt to interview the tortugueros there

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again. However, no one came to be interviewed so, after waiting for approximately half an hour and being unable to find out if anyone might be coming later, the group returned to Ciudad Romero.

On Tuesday, January 19th, the Environmental Team began the process of discussing its preliminary observations and writing the preliminary report.

On Wednesday, January 20th, team members conducted their last round of egg harvester interviews in the community of El Icaco in the morning. The team then travelled with members of the Infrastructure Team to the El Icaco vivero in order to participate in the release of almost 500 newly hatched sea turtles in the afternoon.

Team members spent Thursday, January 21st doing final revisions of the preliminary report of their findings, as well as final preparations for the presentation of the report to the Board of Directors of Asociación MANGLE.

The meeting with the Board of Directors took place on the morning of Friday, January 22nd. Group leader Amy Holste presented the group’s initial findings and observations to the Board of Directors, as well as presenting Mr. Oscar Carranza and Mr. Walberto Gallego with a hard copy of the group’s preliminary report. Students then spent the afternoon at the beach and the evening saying good-bye to their friends and host-families at the team’s “despedida” in Ciudad Romero.

The team departed El Salvador early in the morning on January 23rd, returning to Monterey by the evening. On Sunday, January 24th, students unpacked, rested, and recovered from their jet lag.

Week Four From Monday, January 25th through Friday, January 30th, the Environmental Team worked diligently to analyze the data gathered while in El Salvador, draw conclusions, research and outline its recommendations, and write the final report including the aforementioned components for Asociación MANGLE.

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Interpretation and Translation Team Final Report

Monterey Institute of International Studies A Graduate School of Middlebury College

Prepared by: Deborah Radilla

Hilda Díaz

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Introduction

This report serves as an evaluation of the experience of participating as members of Team Monterey in the Development practicum in El Salvador. The report will focus specifically on the work of the interpreters and translators and offer an evaluation of: the abilities of the interpreters and translators before and after the practicum period; the goals to be met by the end of the period; the methodology followed and tools used; the challenges encountered during the experience; and the results obtained, for example translated documents, improved skills and personal benefits. Furthermore, it includes a reflection regarding the inherent aspects of the interpreting and translating profession, as well as recommendations for future students in the Master’s Program in Translation and Interpretation at the Monterey Institute of International Studies who wish to take part in Team Monterey-El Salvador.

The practicum presents students in translation and interpretation the opportunity to

practice their skills during winter vacation. This practicum complements the knowledge and techniques that students acquire in the classroom. Adele Negro, professor and conference interpreter, heads the project, and guides and supervises the different activities related to translation and interpretation, as well as other important aspects of the project.

The purpose of participating in the practicum is to gain exposure to the interpretation and

translation field in real world situations outside the academic setting, to strengthen language skills (English and Spanish), to enrich students’ vocabularies on different topics, as well as provide interpretation and translation services to facilitate oral and written communication between Team Monterey members and Spanish speakers as needed.

Of the 16 students from Monterey Institute of International Studies that made up the

Team Monterey-El Salvador group, two were students from the Translation and Interpretation program. The translation and interpretation team was coordinated and led by Adele Negro, with first year student Hilda Diaz, and second year student Deborah Radilla Laureano completing the team.

The first year of the Translation and Interpretation program is designed to be a general

introduction to the field, with the goal of learning and developing skills and basic knowledge required in the profession. Second year studies allow students to refine their skills and make use of all they learned in the first year. During the second year more specific topics are introduced, such as economics, technology, law, politics and medicine, and at this time students are expected to choose their specialty as well as perfect their technique. Furthermore, second year students learn about translation and interpretation as a career, and what it entails: job market opportunities at national and international levels, employment in international organizations, translation and interpretation agencies and freelance work, state and national certifications, medical and legal specialty certifications, and other aspects. They also receive advice about work conditions, personal finances, starting their own businesses, how to invoice work rendered, and other topics.

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The following is an evaluation of both students’ skills in interpretation and translation, as well as a description of their perception of their academic situation before the practicum period in El Salvador.

Hilda, the first year student, had just completed her first semester before the practicum.

At the end of the semester she had improved in many areas in both interpretation and translation. Given that she is Salvadoran and has lived in the United States for the last ten years, her A language is Spanish and her B language is English. Using both languages presented the phenomenon of linguistic interference, and she did not feel totally certain using either her A or B language. As she had lived in the US for many years, she had lost some command of Spanish, in both idiomatic and syntactic uses. The same happened in her command of English. Linguistic interference and anglicisms that she used to express herself in class made the job of translation and interpretation intimidating for her.

Despite the challenges Hilda faced during her first semester, she still had certain

advantages: since Spanish is her first language she has a natural accent, yet she has a near-native English accent as well.

Deborah is Mexican by birth; her A language is Spanish and English is her B language.

During her third semester in the Translation and Interpretation program, Deborah faced challenges that sometimes made her doubt her career choice and her ability to become an effective interpreter and translator. In these moments Deborah’s level of English was questioned, specifically when trying to produce idiomatic English phrases while interpreting and translating, as well when using a formal register. In interpretation, her note-taking primarily consisted of writing down whole words and did not include many symbols, which was hardly efficient in producing a concise and accurate interpretation. Furthermore, her confidence was wavering because of her self-doubt, which in turn seriously affected her performance in class and on exams. For these reasons, she thought that she should experience the work of an interpreter and translator in a real world context, and therefore joined Team Monterey.

Since both students are of Latin American origin and have also lived in the US, they

posses an understanding of both cultures, which was useful to them when helping participants in the program (members of Team Monterey, Salvadoran community members, other people that Team Monterey was in contact with in El Salvador and the participating organizations) to appropriately interact with others and understand the differences between them. Preparation for the practicum It is essential for students to be adequately prepared to be able to effectively carry out their roles once in the field. Preparation should begin before the practicum and continue throughout.

Students should begin their preparation by researching the country where they will carry out their practicum, in this case El Salvador, and learn everything necessary to facilitate their understanding of the current situation in the country in regards to the environment, politics,

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economy, historical events, cultural norms as well as the projects that Team Monterey is to carry out.

Students should also research the practicum projects that are in the planning phase and

will be implemented in the future. With this in mind, they should refer to the relevant literature, encyclopedias, online resources and informative documents that Team Monterey provides, as well as those that have been compiled by EcoViva (formerly, FSSCA--Foundation for Self Sufficiency in Central America).

Furthermore, it is of the utmost importance that students attend the meetings Team

Monterey organizes in order to be informed of the possible projects that will be pursued in El Salvador, obtain information about the topics that will be discussed and begin compiling glossaries on pertinent subjects. Additionally students should contact other members of Team Monterey to learn about the specific activities and the possible projects they may collaborate on. This will facilitate the T & I students’ work during the practicum period and will strengthen their confidence as interpreters and translators.

Field experience Once in El Salvador, students are required to provide interpretation and translation services constantly. Although translation is needed, interpretation takes up the majority of the time spent in the practicum. The bulk of writing, editing and translating takes place the semester after the practicum.

To be most efficient, interpreters work independently of one another to help those members of the team that have more difficulty with Spanish. At first the translation and interpretation team members rotated between the different groups to learn and benefit from the specific terminology used in each project and to understand all aspects of the work that each team was performing. After one week, it was decided that the interpreters would stay with the team that they had worked most with up until that time, the goal being to provide specialized interpretation and translation support.

The students should be prepared to adapt to any situation that arises, and over time, they

will be able to overcome those conditions that they are either not accustomed to or that are not ideal for interpretation. Given the types of projects that Team Monterey effectuates and the different focus of each group within Team Monterey, it is not easy to determine a set schedule or plan ahead when and how much time students must dedicate to interpreting and translating; therefore, on occasion they will have to interpret for many hours or translate a document that is needed the very same day or the next morning.

Often interpretation is considered to be a profession of little importance, but throughout

the duration of the project it was proven that without appropriate communication it would be impossible to carry out quality work. Thr students faced many challenges in different areas, such as the accent, regionalisms and specific terminology for each activity. The interpretation need was great since members of Team Monterey had such different levels of Spanish, and often the

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use of interpreters was required. Many times, three interpreters (including Professor Adele Negro) were not enough. Cultural differences were also an obstacle for both team members and Salvadoran community members. The interpreters served not only to bridge communication, but also as cultural intermediaries. Of course, many team members had ample knowledge of the Spanish language, but frequently it was difficult to communicate without the interpreters, which occasionally caused confusion and frustration on the part of those involved in the conversation.

The presence of Professor Adele was highly important to the interpreters. Her deep

understanding of the interpretation field as well as her vast experience in development proved to be an asset for the interpreters. Adele, as coordinator of the translation and interpretation team, guided the students by assigning exercises, practices and implementing methodologies. Furthermore, she offered constructive criticism and gave advice, which demonstrated her aptitude for teaching and her interest in her students’ learning.

Both T & I students benefited greatly from the opportunity to work in the different areas

of development that Team Monterey was involved in, namely infrastructure, environment, production and capacity-building for the Board of Directors.

Hilda worked with the environmental and production teams, but spent the majority of her

time with the infrastructure team. Deborah participated in the infrastructure and production projects, but spent most of her time working on the environment team. Each area presented unique challenges, not only because of the terminology, but also because of the different levels of communication that were required. For more information and details about the projects mentioned, please see the reports by the individual work teams.

Although most of the interpretation performed was simultaneous, consecutive interpretation, translation and sight translation were also employed. Each student interpreted between 100 and 120 hours of meetings, interviews, surveys and presentations, as well as other activities. The teams created the surveys, interviews, financial reports, manuals and presentations in English, while the translation and interpretation students translated the vast majority of these documents used by each team during the course of their project work or produced as deliverables. Each student translated more than 3,000 words. The translation and interpretation team edited preliminary reports which then were presented by the project team members to the Board of Directors of La Coordinadora and community leaders at the final joint meeting with Team Monterey in El Salvador. Each translation and interpretation member edited between six and ten hours worth of documents. Internet tools were used to help in the translation, research and editing processes, such as monolingual and bilingual dictionaries, corpora and encyclopedias. To carry out the editing of documents Ether Pad and Google Docs were used. Both of these tools were useful to collaborate in real time with group participants on various documents, surveys and reports. All tools mentioned helped the translation and editing process to be more efficient.

The second year translation and interpretation student, Deborah, noticed that because of her experience with Team Monterey she has the tools and ability to carry out the optimal role and function of a professional interpreter and translator. In fact, her technique improved and her

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knowledge also grew even more than she expected at the outset of the trip. The practicum period in El Salvador helped her to regain confidence in herself and to confirm that she had made progress in interpretation and translation techniques over the previous semester.

Since Deborah communicated with her colleagues in El Salvador mainly in English and interpreted into English, a marked improvement was seen in her command of the language, more specifically in her intonation, pronunciation and interpretation production. Furthermore, she increased her vocabulary and general knowledge regarding development and other topics with which she worked. She considers her experience of being immersed in a culture similar to her own and having daily contact with colleagues who specialize in different fields and have knowledge distinct from her own as invaluable. Moreover, it was evident that fieldwork allowed her to adapt her abilities and to be flexible in a professional setting. In short, the practicum in El Salvador with Team Monterey was a unique personal and professional experience. Similarly, Hilda gained a new perspective of translation and interpretation. She was transitioning between first and second semester in the translation and interpretation program. Her participation in the practicum allowed her to focus on improving her technique, specifically her mental agility, by improving short-term memory and summarizing information. Thanks to the wide range of topics and projects that Hilda worked on in El Salvador, another aspect in which she advanced was her command of both English and Spanish (for example, she expanded her vocabulary, learned to use synonyms and worked on improving register). She practiced and boosted her note-taking in consecutive interpretation and studied the standards for being a liaison between all participants in an interpreted event. The practicum allowed Hilda to experience whisper interpreting and simultaneous interpretation, two techniques that are not taught until the second semester of the program. The combination of skills and techniques that Hilda used in El Salvador gave her the confidence to continue in her studies as well as to use them as a base to advance her work and overcome her interpreting weaknesses. Recommendations: In conclusion, the following recommendations serve to improve the translation and interpretation team dynamic and to assure a more efficient and effective role in future practices. Students who wish to participate in the Team Monterey practicum should review all relevant documents in preparation for the practicum. Likewise, it is essential for students to attend meetings organized by and for Team Monterey to familiarize themselves with the projects that will be carried out in El Salvador. Based on the information gleaned during the meetings, students should begin to compile pertinent glossaries for each project.

During the practicum period in El Salvador, the students should review and add to their glossaries daily. It is of absolute importance that the translation and interpretation team keep a record of their activities that includes dates, times, locations, topics and the kind of service needed (translation or interpretation, simultaneous or consecutive, etc).

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Another recommendation is that each member of the translation and interpretation team write a daily diary reflecting on the work carried out that day, what challenges were encountered, what went well and how skills were improved in every situation.

Given the settings in which they will work, the T & I students must be patient, flexible

and have a good attitude so as to adapt to the difficulties they will face. All team members must have a clear understanding of the important role that the

interpreters and translators play in the communication process of the team as a whole, which includes obtaining reliable results and other information central to the effectiveness of the work performed by Team Monterey.

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"#$%&'(!$)#*+!,(+!-./)0%!,(!"#1(&0&(1*2)3#!4!5&*,/22)3#!! ! ! ! ! ! !

El presente es un informe y una valoración de la experiencia al participar como miembros de Team Monterey en el Prácticum de Desarrollo en El Salvador. El informe se refiere específicamente a la labor del intérprete/traductor y ofrece una valoración del nivel de capacidades de interpretación y traducción antes y después del periodo de prácticas; los puntos sobre los cuales se trabajó durante dicho periodo; las metas a cumplir para el final del Prácticum; la metodología a seguir y las herramientas utilizadas; las dificultades que surgieron durante la experiencia; los resultados obtenidos (documentos en que se trabajó, mejora de capacidades y beneficios personales). Asimismo, se expone una reflexión sobre los aspectos inherentes a la profesión del intérprete/traductor, así como recomendaciones para futuros estudiantes que cursen la maestría en Traducción e Interpretación que ofrece el Monterey Institute of International Studies y que deseen participar en las prácticas con Team Monterey en El Salvador.

El Prácticum presenta una oportunidad para que los estudiantes de traducción e

interpretación participen en prácticas durante el periodo de vacaciones. Dichas prácticas complementan el conocimiento y técnicas adquiridas en el aula. Adele Negro, profesora e intérprete de conferencia, está a cargo del proyecto, y es quien guía y supervisa las diferentes actividades pertinentes a la traducción e interpretación, entre otros aspectos importantes.

Los propósitos que se pretenden lograr con la participación del alumno en el Prácticum

son la exposición al campo de la interpretación/traducción en una situación real y fuera del ambiente académico; fortalecer las destrezas del uso de la lengua (combinación inglés-español); enriquecer el vocabulario que el alumno posee en lo que concierne a diversas áreas, al igual que proveer servicios de interpretación/traducción para facilitar la comunicación oral y escrita entre los miembros de Team Monterey y los hispanoparlantes a medida que se requiera.

Entre los 16 alumnos del Monterey Institute of International Studies que formaron parte

del Team Monterey El Salvador participaron dos estudiantes del programa de maestría de Traducción e Interpretación. El equipo de traducción e interpretación estaba compuesto por Adele Negro, coordinadora y líder, Hilda Díaz, alumna de primer año y Deborah Radilla Laureano, de segundo año.

El primer año en el programa de Traducción e Interpretación está diseñado como una introducción general a ambos campos de estudio, con el fin de desarrollar y aprender las habilidades y conocimientos básicos que son pertinentes a la profesión. El plan de materias de segundo año permite al alumno afinar sus destrezas y hacer uso de lo aprendido durante el primer año. Durante este periodo se tratan temas más específicos, tales como economía, tecnología, derecho, política, medicina, y se espera que el alumno, además de perfeccionar las técnicas aprendidas, elija su especialización. Asimismo, el alumno de segundo año aprende sobre la traducción e interpretación como profesión y los diferentes aspectos que esto involucra: empleo en el mercado de trabajo a nivel nacional e internacional, empleo en organizaciones internacionales, agencias de traducción o interpretación o trabajo "freelance", certificación —a nivel nacional, estatal, médica, jurídica, entre otras—, también recibe asesoría sobre cómo iniciar un negocio propio, sobre las condiciones de trabajo, sobre cómo manejar las finanzas personales dependiendo del tipo de trabajo que desempeñe, entre otros aspectos.

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A continuación se evalúa el nivel de destrezas de ambas alumnas en interpretación y

traducción, y se describe la percepción de cada una sobre su situación académica antes de experimentar el periodo de prácticas en El Salvador.

Hilda, la alumna de primer año cursó únicamente un semestre previo al periodo de

prácticas. Al final del semestre debía mejorar en varias áreas de su desempeño, tanto en la interpretación como en la traducción. Dado que la alumna de primer año es de ascendencia salvadoreña y ha vivido en los Estados Unidos los últimos diez años, su lengua A es el español y su lengua B es el inglés. Asimismo, carecía de confianza en su lengua A y en su lengua B ya que al utilizar ambos idiomas presentaba el fenómeno de la interferencia lingüística. Los años que vivió en los Estados Unidos provocaron una pérdida del español, tanto en el uso idiomático de la lengua como el empleo correcto de la sintaxis. Lo mismo sucedía en el caso del idioma inglés. La interferencia lingüística y los anglicismos utilizados al expresarse en clase provocaron que la interpretación y la traducción se convirtieran en tareas intimidantes para ella.

A pesar de las dificultades que la alumna enfrentó durante su primer semestre, ella posee

ciertos puntos a su favor: carece de acento pronunciado en español ya que es su lengua materna y exhibe un ligero acento en inglés que es poco evidente.

Deborah, es mexicana y su lengua A es el español y su lengua B es el inglés. Durante el

tercer semestre de la maestría en Traducción e Interpretación, enfrentó retos que en varios momentos le hicieron dudar sobre su vocación y capacidad para desempeñarse como intérprete/traductora. Durante ese momento batallaba con su nivel de inglés, específicamente con la producción de frases idiomáticas al momento de interpretar/traducir y el uso del registro formal de la lengua. En la interpretación, su sistema de toma de notas consistía en su mayoría de palabras completas y no incluía símbolos, lo cual resultaba poco eficaz para lograr una interpretación concisa y fidedigna. Asimismo, su autoestima se encontraba en tela de juicio ya que dudaba sobre sus propias capacidades, lo que afectaba severamente su desempeño tanto en clase, como durante el periodo de exámenes. Por las razones descritas, decidió que debía experimentar lo que es labor del intérprete/traductor en un contexto real y decidió ser parte de Team Monterey.

Ya que ambas alumnas son de origen latinoamericano y han vivido en el continente

Americano y en los Estados Unidos, poseen un conocimiento de ambas culturas, lo cual resultó útil para ayudar a las partes interesadas que participaron en este proyecto a manejar apropiadamente y comprender las diferencias culturales que surgieron entre ellas (los participantes del equipo, los miembros de las comunidades salvadoreñas, las personas con las que el equipo tuvo contacto en El Salvador y las organizaciones que participan en este proyecto). Preparación previa para el Prácticum

Es esencial que el estudiante tenga la preparación adecuada para poder desempeñar sus

funciones de manera eficiente en el campo de práctica. La preparación debe comenzar en el tiempo previo al Prácticum y durante este.

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El alumno comienza por investigar sobre el país donde se llevarán a cabo las prácticas, en este caso El Salvador, y debe informarse con todo lo necesario para facilitar su comprensión sobre la situación actual del país con respecto al medio ambiente, la política, la economía, los antecedentes históricos del país, las normas culturales, así como los proyectos que llevará a cabo Team Monterey.

El alumno también debe investigar sobre los proyectos que están en etapa de planeación y

que se pretende implementar en un futuro. Con tal propósito, recurre a libros, enciclopedias, recursos en línea y debe leer el paquete de documentos informativos que Team Monterey le proporcionará y que han sido redactados por la Fundación para la Autosuficiencia en América Central (FSSCA, por sus siglas en inglés), la cual el primero de Mayo del presente año adoptará su nuevo nombre, EcoViva.

Asimismo, es de suma importancia que acuda a las reuniones organizadas por Team

Monterey para tener conocimiento sobre los proyectos potenciales que se desarrollarán en El Salvador, obtener información sobre los temas que se discutirán, y así poder comenzar la compilación de glosarios sobre los temas pertinentes. Con tal propósito el alumno también puede contactar a los miembros de Team Monterey e informarse sobre su el tema de su preferencia y el enfoque potencial del proyecto en el que piensan colaborar. Todo lo anterior facilitará la tarea del alumno durante el periodo de prácticas y fortalecerá su confianza al desempeñarse como intérprete/traductor. Trabajo de campo

Una vez estando en El Salvador se requiere que el alumno provea sus servicios de

interpretación y traducción constantemente. Aunque la traducción es necesaria, la interpretación ocupa la mayor parte del tiempo del periodo de prácticas. Gran parte del trabajo de redacción, edición y traducción será requerido durante el semestre posterior al Prácticum.

Con el fin de desempeñar su función de manera más eficiente, las intérpretes trabajaron

por separado para ayudar a aquellos miembros del equipo que tenían alguna dificultad con el uso del español. Al principio los miembros del equipo de traducción e interpretación rotaban entre los grupos para poder beneficiarse de la variedad de terminología específica de cada proyecto y poder comprender todos los aspectos del trabajo de desarrollo que cada equipo llevaría a cabo. Después de una semana, se decidió que los intérpretes permanecieran con el equipo con que trabajaron más hasta ese momento, con el fin de brindar un apoyo de interpretación y traducción más especializado.

El alumno debe estar preparado para adaptarse a cualquier situación que pueda surgir, y

con el paso de los días, superará las condiciones que no siempre serán ideales para interpretar o a las cuales quizá no esté acostumbrado. Dado el tipo de proyectos que Team Monterey lleva a cabo y el diferente enfoque de trabajo de cada grupo que lo conforma, no es fácil determinar un horario fijo y planear de antemano cuándo y cuánto tiempo deberá el alumno prestar sus servicios, por dicha razón, quizá haya ocasiones en que sea necesario que interprete por varias horas o deba traducir un documento que se requiere ese mismo día o a la mañana siguiente.

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A menudo, la interpretación es considerada como una profesión sin importancia, pero durante la duración del proyecto se comprobó que sin la comunicación apropiada no es posible realizar un trabajo de calidad. Las alumnas enfrentaron muchas dificultades en diferentes áreas: el acento, los regionalismos y la terminología específica para cada área de trabajo. La necesidad de interpretación era mucha ya que los niveles de español de los miembros de Team Monterey variaban y la intervención del intérprete era necesaria con frecuencia. Varias veces, tres intérpretes (tomando en consideración a la profesora Adele Negro) no fueron suficientes. La diferencia cultural también fue un obstáculo entre los miembros del equipo y los habitantes de las comunidades salvadoreñas. Las intérpretes no sólo servían como puentes de comunicación, sino como intermediarias culturales. Fue evidente que varios de los integrantes del equipo poseen un amplio conocimiento del español, pero con frecuencia, se esforzaban por comunicarse sin ayuda de los intérpretes lo que ocasionaba confusión y frustración entre los participantes de la conversación.

La presencia de la profesora Adele fue de gran importancia para las intérpretes. Su

amplio conocimiento en el área de la interpretación, al igual que su vasta experiencia en el ámbito de desarrollo ofreció una gran ventaja a las intérpretes. Adele, como la coordinadora del equipo de interpretación y traducción, guió a las alumnas por medio de la asignación de ejercicios, prácticas e implementación de metodología. Asimismo, ofreció crítica constructiva y dio consejos, demostrando su disposición para enseñar y su interés por el aprendizaje del alumno.

Ambas alumnas se beneficiaron de la oportunidad de trabajar en las distintas áreas de

desarrollo que Team Monterey examinó, estas fueron infraestructura, medio ambiente, producción y capacitación de la junta directiva.

Hilda participó en los equipos de medio ambiente y producción, pero se concentró

durante más tiempo en el equipo de infraestructura; Deborah participó con los equipo de producción e infraestructura, pero se dedicó por más tiempo al equipo de medio ambiente. Cada área presentó diferentes dificultades no sólo por la terminología, sino porque las necesidades de comunicación variaron. Para más detalles e información sobre dichos proyectos consulte los informes de los equipos de trabajo.

Aunque la mayor parte del trabajo requirió la interpretación simultánea, también fue

necesaria la interpretación consecutiva, la traducción y la traducción a la vista. Se estima que cada alumna interpretó de 100 a 120 horas, incluyendo reuniones, entrevistas, encuestas y presentaciones, además de actividades extracurriculares. Los equipos crearon encuestas, entrevistas, informes financieros, manuales y presentaciones que redactaron en inglés. Las alumnas tradujeron gran parte de la documentación utilizada por cada equipo. Se calcula que ambas alumnas tradujeron más de 3,000 palabras, entre las encuestas, las entrevistas y las presentaciones. El equipo de traducción e interpretación editó los informes preliminares que cada equipo presentó a los miembros de la junta directiva durante la última reunión con Team Monterey en El Salvador; cada uno de los miembros del equipo de traducción e interpretación editó de 6 a 10 horas.

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Se utilizaron diferentes herramientas de Internet para traducir, investigar y editar: diccionarios monolingües, diccionarios bilingües, corpus y enciclopedias. Para la edición de documentos se utilizó Ether Pad y Google Docs. Ambas herramientas sirven para colaborar en tiempo virtual con los participantes de los equipos en los distintos documentos, encuestas e informes. Estas herramientas ayudaron a que el proceso de traducción y edición fuera más eficaz.

En base a la experiencia con Team Monterey, la alumna de segundo año, Deborah, se

percató de poseer las herramientas y la capacidad para poder desempeñar el papel y la función de un intérprete/traductor profesional de manera óptima. De hecho, sus técnica mejoraron y su conocimiento se expandió más allá de lo esperado al inicio de dicho viaje. El periodo de prácticas en El Salvador contribuyó a recobrar la confianza en sí misma y a confirmar que sí logró un progreso en cuanto a sus técnicas de interpretación como de traducción durante el semestre previo al periodo de prácticas.

Puesto que durante la mayor parte de su estancia en El Salvador Deborah debió

comunicarse en el idioma inglés con sus colegas, así como interpretar hacia ese idioma, una notoria mejoría en su dominio del idioma se hizo evidente, la cual se tradujo en una mejor entonación, pronunciación y producción de la interpretación. Asimismo, la alumna expandió su vocabulario y conocimiento general sobre el tema del desarrollo y los subtemas pertinentes a los equipos con que trabajó. La alumna considera que tener la oportunidad de estar inmersa en una cultura similar a la suya, mantener diariamente contacto con colegas especializados en diferentes campos de trabajo y que poseen conocimientos diversos fueron aspectos invaluables para ella; además, el trabajo en campo le permitió percatarse de su capacidad de adaptación y flexibilidad en el ámbito profesional. En suma, el Prácticum en El Salvador con Team Monterey es una experiencia única tanto para su vida profesional como personal.

Asimismo, la experiencia ofreció una nueva perspectiva en cuanto a la traducción e

interpretación para Hilda. La alumna estaba en un momento de transición entre el primer semestre y el segundo semestre en el programa de traducción e interpretación, y la participación en el Prácticum brindó un ámbito en el cual podía enfocarse en mejorar su técnicas, tales como su agilidad mental por medio del desarrollo de la memoria y resumen de información. Gracias a la extensa gama de temas y proyectos que se trataron en El Salvador, otro aspecto en el cual la alumna mejoró fue en el control de la lengua —vocabulario, uso de sinónimos y registro—, tanto en inglés como en español. En cuanto a la interpretación la alumna práctico y mejoró la toma de notas para la interpretación consecutiva y las normas utilizadas para servir como vínculo de enlace (liaison) entre los agentes involucrados en la interpretación. El Prácticum introdujo a la alumna la interpretación susurrada (chuchotage) y la interpretación simultánea, dos técnicas que no empiezan a desarrollarse hasta el segundo semestre de la maestría. El conjunto de habilidades y técnicas que se pusieron en práctica en El Salvador le dieron a Hilda la confianza para proseguir con sus estudios, además de utilizarlos como base para mejorar su rendimiento y sus debilidades como intérprete.

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Recomendaciones:

A manera de conclusión, se ofrecen las siguientes recomendaciones para poder mejorar la

dinámica del equipo de traducción e interpretación y asegurar un desempeño más eficiente durante futuros periodos de práctica.

Es recomendable que los alumnos que deseen participar en el Prácticum con Team

Monterey se preparen de antemano con la documentación necesaria antes del periodo de prácticas. Asimismo, es esencial que acudan a las juntas organizadas por Team Monterey para conocer los proyectos que se llevarán a cabo en El Salvador. En base a la información obtenida en estas juntas e informes de años previos, el alumno deberá comenzar la compilación de glosarios pertinentes a cada proyecto.

Durante el periodo de prácticas en El Salvador, se recomienda que el alumno continúe

con la compilación de glosarios día a día. Es de suma importancia que el equipo de interpretación y traducción lleve un registro de actividades que incluya fechas, lugares, horas, temas y tipo de interpretación o traducción.

Otra sugerencia es que cada miembro del equipo de interpretación y traducción escriba

diariamente una reflexión sobre su desempeño, dificultades, fortalezas y evolución de sus destrezas, asegurándose de mencionar los obstáculos que se presentaron en cada situación.

Dadas las condiciones en las que se trabajará, es necesario que el alumno sea paciente,

flexible y tenga la disposición para adaptarse a los retos que tenga que enfrentar. Es necesario que todos los miembros del equipo tengan un claro entendimiento del

importante papel que el intérprete/traductor desempeña en la comunicación y obtención de resultados e información.