Saturday, 8/17

• Travel from San Salvador to Berlin
• Visit with Pastoral Team
• Visit with Hydee, Milagio, Christian
• Meet Vidal re: Coffee project

Sunday, 8/18

Monday, 8/19

Tuesday, 8/20

Wednesday, 8/21

Thursday, 8/22

Education:

The objective is to understand the process and priorities of each, suggest another meeting one/one with Oscar.

I spent a very informative time with Mario, a teacher in San Filepe, he spent three years in California and speaks very good English so the conversation was first and easy.

Things Learned:

Major needs: water and electricity

How they teach grades K-6/7 in only 3-4 rooms: K/1^st grades have their own room. 2^nd/3^rd share a room and have the same type of curriculum only geared for their grade. 4/5/6 shares a room and does the same process as 2/3^rd grade.

Classes are from 8-12 each day. Teachers could teach other grades in the afternoon. Teachers receive $340/mo to teach the AM classes and an additional $110/mo to teach the afternoon.

Most teachers do not want to teach the afternoon as they all commute to other major cities (Berlin, Santiago, deMaira, Alegria etc.) and it is not worth the risk to travel near dark.

Currently teachers have been targets of robbery and the local police have been escorting them to school.

Many teachers I met are just like the teachers in the states. They do it because they love the children and because they are making a difference. I do not know all the answers but I feel supporting the local teachers will bring much benefit to the community.

Not a lot of teaching actually occurs as few attend everyday and class sizes are large

1. Water
2. Electricity
3. Literacy Programs for Adults

1. Calon - Needs funds for teacher $140/mo
2. Las Dilious - Basketball Court, Books for Library, Swing Sets
3. Del Sol - Furniture K-2, Swing Sets, Slides
4. High School - 10 Computers
5. Corozal - Medical visit
6. Talpetates - Basketball Court
7. Las Burras - (Berlin) - Build a wall around the
8. Espirito Santo- (Berlin) - English Teacher - High School
9. Virginia - Sports Uniforms, Water Tank
10. Meardi (Berlin) - Computers

Earthquake damage is very possible to these tanks - I think.

The ones by Codesco are dug into the ground some 6 to 10 feet and made of reinforced concrete. They all collect rainwater in the rainy season and it is used during the dry season. The tanks do not hold enough water for the community to last the entire season and allocations are managed by a water directiva.

A well is the best alternative if possible.

The solar project in San Fansico has begun. The project will provide a solar panel for each home in the community. The cost is about $950 per house. The panels are some 4 x 5 feet per house and appear to be enough to provide light and perhaps some other limited electrical use.

This will be interesting to watch. I have many questions about this project, it's use, maintenance, and overall benefit. Solar is a key need for the cantones. I would Like to evaluate strategic placement vs general placement.

I picked up 26 bags and talked with Chepe and Blanho about the project. They are very pleased and excited about the project and are training two additional people to make the bags; Maria Elana and Blanca's Niece.

They had a number of ideas for improvement and also some additional needs for supplies, all of which have been put in a letter to Lisa.

I believe the quality is very good and Lisa will be pleased. They are determined to make them "perfect". They have gotten to the point that they can make 3 bags in an afternoon. This provides them with excellent pay.

We should find ways to help expand this activity.

Manufacture of adobe brick for building of houses and other buildings.

Vermeer makes equipment that manufactures compressed adobe blocks. Research this, find cost to build adobe houses, find and purchase land with proper soil for manufacture.

Trip to El Tablon:

As always it was the best day. A document was created that outlined the scope of the project and the responsibilities of all parties. It was read to the community and left for the directiva and community leaders to review, agree to and sign. Once we have this signed document the parish team and Heartland will sign and the project will begin.

We had a short meeting with the women who will use the sewing center. We have over 30 signatures and the secretary for the directiva will coordinate this effort.

We made a trip to El Tablon/Cerna it is a group of 30 families. They consider themselves part of El Tablon. However, the distance is such that NONE of the 100+ children attend school and many of the projects we focused on are for or benefit to a large degree El Tabalon people.

PM 7^th 5^th/6^th

I would suggest we set up a Heartland group focused on Education. The group needs to be lead by someone who will go to San Salvador once a year or at least every other year in order to stay in touch with the people.

$100 of the $150 required for each student.

1. Continue to stay focused on larger projects, community focused, that benefit the whole community.
2. Find ways to help the communities organize (Codeco can help) contracts, agenda's and other written communication is helpful.
3. Visits to the Ministry of Education in Berlin (local) Usulaton (regional) and San Salvador (state) should be made if we determine Education should be a main focus.
4. Visit to El Tablon/Cerna should be made on the next delegation - very important, as they are part of El Tablon but never get "included".
5. If the directiva does not execute the letter of understanding, I feel we should seriously consider a move to support a different Catone.
6. El Tablon is in need of the 7^th grade teacher to be funded by the Ministry of Education. She has worked 8 months as an unpaid volunteer. We need to ask Trinity to help on the next delegation and we need to follow up on the February trip.
7. We should consider a separate Education focused group within heartland and the Compenaros.
8. Help market Lisa's handbags.
9. Look into the possibility of an adobe business with equipment from Vermeer.
10. Major benefit to all projects is a new road. Begin this with Mayor & USAID and Comepnaro's.
11. Meet with Codeco (Raymond) to assist with community organization. They can be used to support various projects and I believe can be of assistance to us in the development of the Directiva in El Tablon.

Intent:

It is the intent of all parties to build four different buildings for the benefit of the entire community to El Tablon. Each building is to be constructed for a specific purpose/use.

Buildings:

1. HEALTH CENTER - This building will be built first and be used to support the health & well being of the community. It will support the use & dispensation of natural medicine and other medicine brought by future delegations.
2. SEWING CENTER - This building will be built second. It will be used to provide a location for training and education of individuals who wish to learn to sew. It will serve as a location for the academia to produce clothes and other items for sale, exchange or personal use. In preparation for this we will bring the sewing machines to Berlin for cleaning, testing and return them upon completion of the building.
3. BANO - There will be two Bano's and these will be built third. They are for the general use of all.
4. KITCHEN - This building will be built fourth. The kitchen will be used by the community to support meetings and large groups.

Responsibilities: