Full Description

by 2012 Project Staff in Matagalpa

The objectives of the proposed road improvement project are to:

a.     Decrease the negative impact of rain and flooding on the road during bad weather.

b.     Increase access to assistance in case of emergency.

c.     Facilitate a method of transportation between El Ocote, Matagalpa, and San Ramon other than on foot.

d.     Provide a safer passage for the young, sick, and elderly.

e.     Allow for future collaboration with community development organizations and like CARE and Amigos de las Americas, as well as community or government initiated development so as to continue the development of the community and provide a better quality of life for future generations.

Detailed Project Description

1.     What is the focus of the project?
            The focus of the project is to improve the road to El Ocote through the construction of two drainage pipes. The community needs funds in order to accomplish the goals of this project.

2.     How were the idea and plans for this project generated?
            The idea of working on the road and building the drainage pipes came up in the first CBI conversations the community held with AMIGOS. This project was far out of the budget range for a normal CBI solicitud, but I thought it could make a good Bevil Grant Applicant since it had a good amount of community support. This community, however, is not accustomed to working with outside non-profit/non-governmental organizations and so the idea was not at first pursued so that efforts could be focused on organizing the community for the CBI. However, the idea came up in multiple other conversations with community leaders, AMIGOS host mothers, as well as when talking to local youth. The community started working on the road one year ago with the local government; there is currently an application for support from the community to the local government to provide support in several concrete drainage ditches and flattening of the road. At the present moment, the community lacks materials and the necessary funds to complete the road so it can start to be utilized. And yet, the community still works on the road daily to improve it tiny bit by bit in any way they can. After several visits in which I observed community youth working on the side of the road digging ditches to improve water drainage, I decided the community could benefit significantly from the Bevil Grant and consulted Senior Staff on starting the process. I have since had conversations with community members, community leaders, our partner agency CARE, and the city’s engineer corps about collaborating on this project. I have also received promises of support from a past Peace Corps volunteer and an owner of a farm on the mountain where El Ocote lies. Everyone involved is very excited about this opportunity.

3.     Does the community support the project? If so, how are they demonstrating support?
            The community of El Ocote is extremely supportive of this project. The community is already involved in the continuous process of improving their road, and members are willing to work with anyone possible to achieve their goal. The community is willing to provide all of the labor for this project. Two leaders of the community (the CAPS Coordinator Don Pablo Acuna - CAPS being a CARE committee, and the Environmental Coordinator Jose Alfredo Hernandez) have promised to assist in obtaining estimates for all of the necessary materials and have a friend who can provide cheaper transportation than the hardware stores offer. They also have a friend who can oversee and advise the construction and have assured me community members have the necessary knowledge of how to work with the materials and build the drainage pipe systems.

4.     What is the timeline for implementing the project?
            If the proposal is approved on Friday July 20^th, community members will go with me to purchase materials on Saturday July 21^st so as to begin work right away. I have consulted with the city’s head engineer, and they have an engineer willing to come out on Saturday morning to assist in purchasing the correct materials for the exact drainage systems the community’s road needs. The community will start working with the materials on the day of material purchase, and will start construction on Sunday at the latest. Community members have estimated the work will take 4 days per drainage system if they work very quickly, and 10 days, maximum, in total. Community members are willing to donate all of their time until the project is completed if that is what is necessary to get the proposal approved.

5.     Who will be involved in implementing the project?
            Men and youth in the community will provide the labor for the project. Community women and mothers will provide cooking and bring food and water to the workers. Even the kids are enthusiastic about helping to move materials and fetch water for workers. Two community leaders will go with me to purchase the materials and transportation. They are already familiar with this process since they helped arrange the CBI purchasing and transportation as well.
            Don Allan Bolt, who owns property on the mountain in which El Ocote resides, has pledged his support for this project to improve the road. He supported El Ocote residents in a water initiative with the local government several years ago. He is willing to support AMIGOS in an advisory role as well as a financial one. He has already been extremely helpful in organizing a meeting for me with a local engineer, Don Lauren Valle.
            I met with Don Lauren Valle, who is in charge of the local government’s group of engineers, and he has pledged his and his workers’ support in any advisory role that is needed. They have already been extremely helpful in detailing the process to me so that I better understand the construction, providing materials lists and estimates, offering consults and to help purchase materials, and pledging their support in an advisory role as much as it is needed. Don Valle worked with CARE on their Agua Potable initiative for 9 years and so is very familiar and approves of the community work CARE does in the Matagalpa region. He is excited for this collaboration with AMIGOS and is willing to do whatever he can to ensure its success.
            Avani Singh, a fellow supervisor, has befriended a past Peace Corps volunteer in the area, Tan, who would like to purchase materials for a local project and offer his support in any other way possible.

6.     What future services, if any, will be provided with this project? What organizations have committed to providing them in the future?
            The community of El Ocote already has a pending project with the local government to build two drainage ditches and assist in leveling segments of the road. This work is planned to begin in September. Don Valle, the head engineer, has mentioned that they do not have enough money for their road improvement project to build the alcantarillas (drainage pipe bridges) but that they are a critical need for the road as well. The government’s work with El Ocote is not dependent on this project but it will cause their collaboration to have a much larger impact on the development of the road since at the completion of both of these projects, the road to El Ocote will most likely be passable for public transportation. Don Valle is amenable to keeping AMIGOS updated on their collaboration with El Ocote as well.

7.     Who will have overall responsibility for implementing the project?
            The overall responsibility for ensuring the implementation of the project will be the community of El Ocote itself. Don Pablo Acuna and Jose Alfredo Hernandez have agreed to take the lead in organizing the community effort. Don Allan Bolt’s headman (who works in El Ocote several days a week) has agreed to oversee the project and let his men assist in building the alcantarillas during the construction process as well). I, as the community’s Project Supervisor and liaison to AMIGOS will also assume responsibility in ensuring the project is completed in a timely fashion and is evaluated properly.

8.     Who will have on-going responsibility of upkeep or management after the project has been implemented?
            The community of El Ocote as a whole will have responsibility for upkeeping the road since they will all benefit from its improvement. The community is interested in forming a Directivo (group of leaders) to oversee the continued development of the road, and the community will be meeting this week to discuss this possibility and elect roles. Until then, Don Pablo Acuna, Coordinador de CAPS (Comite de Agua Potable y Saneamiento - Potable Water and Sanitation Committee Leader); Jose Alfredo Hernandez, Coordinador del Medio Ambiente (Environmental Coordinator); Teadora Hernandez, Coordinador de Mujeres (Women Coordinator); and Pablo Javier Acuna, Coordinador de Jovenes (Youth Coordinator) will be taking lead in the responsibility for this project and its sustainability. Each have demonstrated understanding in its importance for the future development of the community, expressed their enthusiasm for the project, and stated that it is a pressing need for the community and because of this will extend their roles to assist in organizing the community for the project.

9.     What specific signs will indicate that this project has been successful? If you were to return in 1-2 years, what signs would you look for to show that this project has been successful in the long-term?
            The completion of construction is the first sign of success for this project. It will be easy to identify if the construction was successful based on the successful diversion of water underneath the road instead of flooding it. The bridges/pipes will need to dry for 28 days before any cars can pass on them, and this amount of time will lead directly into the community’s work with the local government, which involves the passage of heavy machinery. If the pipes withstand this work as well, then it is likely the construction was very well-done and will last for years to come. If I were to return in 2 years and determine the long-term success of the project, I would view the alcantarillas to make sure they are being cleaned out regularly and the community is maintaining them. After two years, I would also expect the community to have kept working on improving the road and even possibly have organized a system of public transportation up to the community if the road quality has continued to improve. I would also observe community members to see if they have easier access to Matagalpa and the amenities of the city, including better education opportunities, employment, and medical support. The community has repeatedly stated that the road is necessary for the future development of the community, so I would also compare the state of development in the community, for example, if they are starting to work with the local government to get electricity installed in the community or a more reliable water system.

10.  Approximately how many and who are the intended beneficiaries?
            The entire community of El Ocote will benefit from this project. This includes approximately 35 families and 250 people, many of who are youth and children. Future generations of the community will also benefit from this project, since the construction of a road has a very positive long-term impact.

11.  How will sustainability of this project be assured?
            If the project is approved, the community will definitely organize a group to oversee maintenance and future development of the road. At the moment, current leaders have stepped up to take this responsibility. The first impact of the project’s sustainability can be viewed in September when the community’s planned project with the local government is set to begin, since this will constitute a continued collaboration and improvement of the road.

12.  How will success be measured for this project?
            Success for this project could be measured in a number of ways, including accessibility to proper medical care, accessibility to higher levels of education, accessibility to better and more job opportunities, and the future level of development of the community. In a more immediate and practical manner, success of this construction project can be measured in the reduced flooding of the road and improved accessibility to the community for vehicular transport. Since the only current method of transportation of available to the community is by foot, even this measure of success will have a huge impact on life in the community of El Ocote. 

Support This Project:

Make an online donation here, and please specify Matagalpa Bevil Grant in the comments section. Any funds raised above the $1500 will go to funding other Bevil Grants unless otherwise specified. Thank you!