Report on Granary being built in Ecuador

September 7, 2011

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I’m very happy to report that at the end of July, we finished renovation of the Guangaje Granary roof, thanks in large part to your generosity and that of everyone who donated to the project. We dismantled the old roof (removing rotting beams, etc.) during a community minga -- a community work day attended by anyone living in the village -- and installed new beams, a layer of wood planks, plastic covering and exterior cladding. The new roof looks great and will allow us to work on the interior space which, unlike the roof, requires no serious structural renovation.

One of our prime concerns was to ensure that the Granary lasts, through both the quality of the construction and the commitment and participation of community members. The materials are of high quality -- we used pine and eucalyptus for the roof – and the workmanship is excellent. The four carpenters who supervised the project were lent to us by an Italian-based missionary organization named Matagroso, which specializes in wood construction and also runs full-time woodworking schools for young Ecuadorians, who often work in the organization’s cooperative after graduation. I’ve seen Matagroso’s work elsewhere, and can compare it to the standard for construction work in the area, and I’m confident that the roof will last a very long time.

Solid materials and construction guarantees only one sort of long-term sustainability, however. A lack of community will is probably the single most important factor contributing to the failure of projects in the area, and it is reassuring to know that, in addition to wide community participation in building the granary roof, there are a number of local community leaders working toward the center’s realization. Specifically, a local indigenous couple, Esther Patango and Humberto Ante, are spearheading the efforts here, helping to manage construction schedules, finances and applications to local government offices. Padre Sergio Michile, a Salician priest working with Matagroso, has lent not only his time and efforts to the project, but has donated nearly $1,000 of his own money toward its realization. And Matagroso itself, based in the closest city to Guangaje, has been involved with the project. In short, this is a community-directed effort, with significant community support and motivated and capable local leadership.

What we hope to do:

Replacing the roof is the necessary first step to renovating the Granary, and it means that we have a more convincing case to make to the municipal government, whose help we’re hoping to enlist in refurbishing the Granary’s interior. While the important first phase of the project is done, the end goal is to make the renovated building a community center for old people, and the site of education workshops, primarily for women and young people.

Because the Granary is officially the property of the Catholic Church, the entire process has been and will continue to be supervised by the local church. Still, the intention has always been to open the center for use by everyone, regardless of religious affiliation. Originally, the Granary had been conceived of as a way to accommodate the elderly who come to Guangaje for its medical clinic. Given the size of the space, and the excellent outcome of the roof’s reconstruction, our ambitions for its use have expanded.

We now hope to also host workshops for indigenous youth who, during the summer months when school is no longer in session, are left with little or nothing to do but hang out in the main plaza, or inside their homes (the summer climate is very dry and windy, and most people prefer to stay indoors if possible). Having space for classes and meetings, a small library, and even a projector for weekly movies could make the Granary a center for kids in this and the neighboring towns. Similarly, we envision the space as a place for workshops on maternal health, nutrition and hygiene – education to treat basic problems that result in tragically high malnutrition and infant mortality in this part of Ecuador.

We’ve met with the mayor of Guangaje and in early August submitted a proposal asking for the $10,000 we estimate we will need for the interior renovation – a project that will now include building bedrooms, a kitchen, library, dining tables and a classroom. We had originally projected a cost of $10,000 to complete the entire project and my initial appeal to you was based on that figure. The materials used for the roof were upgraded to assure its longevity so their cost was higher than projected.

Primarily, however, the success of completing the roof has resulted in a new enthusiasm for this project and the new funds we are hoping to raise reflect increased interest in the possibilities for the space. What we had originally conceived of as a relatively simple project now seems to offer more comprehensive and wide-spread opportunities. An added advantage of this approach is that we can improve the space piece-by-piece; if we raise half of the money necessary, we will begin with facilities for the elderly. If we raise more, we’ll continue with the library space, classroom, etc. The community will be involved and responsible for the planning every step of the way. We are certainly not planning anything grand but adding a kitchen and bathrooms alone add a few thousand dollars in plumbing and drainage expenditures.

Everyone involved very much appreciates your generosity thus far, and asks if you or anybody you know would consider a second donation so that we can start the process of making the interior space habitable. Our hope is that by raising at least $5000.00 from private donors, we will be able to pressure the mayor into giving us some money, if not the balance needed for the renovation. I have already received a commitment for half of the $5000 so any contribution at all makes a big difference. If another donation isn’t feasible right now, you can help enormously by mentioning the project to friends that you think might be interested. Given the continuing poor state of the economy, many NGOs and small grant givers are not currently supporting projects like ours. We will continue to press local government for help, but I don’t believe they will contribute the full amount needed to finish our work.

George Beane