This project is focused on a severely under served part of Guatemala helping indigenous Mayans who live in extreme poverty on one crop of potatoes a year. It is located in the Cuchumatanes Mountains in Huehuetenango, Guatemala. The project would provide a water tank catchment system. During the rainy season, the water is collected through rain gutters on a roof over the tanks. Then, the water is available during the dry season. This is consistent with the Mayan culture, where rain water collection has been a common practice throughout the centuries. Currently, the villagers collect some water in open pits, which are contaminated by animals, insects and garbage. Mostly, however, they walk an hour to the nearest river, collect water and walk two hours back each day for the families to have water for cooking and drinking. The water tanks would help the family members to have more time for the children to go to school and for the adults to pursue other ways to increase their income. The tanks are mold resistant and the villagers are trained on how to keep them clean and potable. The project is sustainable. The villages are required to charge their members an annual fee which is kept by the village council to repair and replace the water tanks over time. The target villages are Huiton Grande, Huiton Chiquito and Los Positos. All three villages have proven their ability to manage the sustainability through a prior latrine project. The fund raising is done through volunteer Rotarians from District 5440 at no expense. The Rotarians from the USA have visited these villages and verified the need. We visit the area every two years. The project management and construction is done by the Rotarians of Huehuetenango and the villagers themselves. The villagers take pride in neighbor helping neighbor to build the project. Paid labor is only used, when necessary, for specialized work, such as assuring the concrete pads for the tanks are done properly.
Completed
This project is "Completed". This means the project has been implemented and the report was accepted by The Rotary Foundation. The project will stay listed on this website as a testimony of the achievements of the project partners.
Project listed for the 2019-20 Rotary Year.
The TRF Grant application number is #2096312.
Proposed Financing
Existing Contributions Towards This Project
Date
Cash
DDF
Total
Evanston (5440)
25-Jun-19
$10,000
$0
$10,000
Worland (5440)
10-Jul-19
$8,400
$0
$8,400
Kemmerer (5440)
14-Jul-19
$2,050
$0
$2,050
Rawlins (5440)
14-Jul-19
$3,300
$0
$3,300
Sheridan (5440)
14-Jul-19
$300
$0
$300
District 5440 DDF
14-Jul-19
-
$10,000
$10,000
Casper-Five Trails (5440)
14-Jul-19
$2,000
$0
$2,000
Worland (5440)
15-Jul-19
$1,200
$0
$1,200
Cody (5440)
15-Jul-19
$5,585
$0
$5,585
Jackson Hole Breakfast (5440)
18-Jul-19
$500
$0
$500
Fort Collins (5440)
28-Jul-19
$3,000
$0
$3,000
Thermopolis (5440)
6-Aug-19
$1,000
$0
$1,000
Casper (5440)
19-Aug-19
$1,000
$0
$1,000
Fort Collins-Breakfast (5440)
17-Sep-19
$1,000
$0
$1,000
Rock Springs (5440)
24-Sep-19
$1,000
$0
$1,000
Evanston (5440)
30-Sep-19
$1,600
$0
$1,600
Matching Grants Website DAF Donations
Name
Date
Status
Amount
Albon & Kammi Shaw
3-Oct-19
Paid
$300
Wayne Heili
4-Oct-19
Paid
$300
Paid
$600
-
$600
Evanston (5440)
17-Oct-19
$500
$0
$500
Jackson Hole (5440)
24-Oct-19
$500
$0
$500
Evanston (5440)
30-Oct-19
$3,000
$0
$3,000
Amount Requested from The Rotary Foundation
$23,267
$10,000
$33,267
Total
$89,802
Note: as of July 1, 2015 there is a 5% additional support fee for cash contributions. This fee does not appear in the financials above because it does not apply if the funds are sent directly to the project account (without going through TRF, and therefore without Paul Harris credit). Clubs sending their cash contribution to TRF must be aware they will have to send an additional 5%.
System Entry: Pledge of $6,000 by Marty Hinkel of the Rotary Club of Worland, District 5440.
10-Jul-19
by Marty Hinkel
System Entry: Pledge of $2,000 by Marty Hinkel of the Rotary Club of Worland, District 5440.
14-Jul-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $2,050 by Brenda McGinnis of the Rotary Club of Kemmerer, District 5440.
14-Jul-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $3,300 by Richard Chenoweth of the Rotary Club of Rawlins, District 5440.
14-Jul-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $300 by Holland B. Duell of the Rotary Club of Sheridan, District 5440.
14-Jul-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $12,500 DDF by Julia Murray of the Rotary Club of Evanston, District 5440.
14-Jul-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $2,000 by Barbara Redder of the Rotary Club of Casper-Five Trails, District 5440.
15-Jul-19
by Marty Hinkel
System Entry: Pledge of $1,200 by Marty Hinkel of the Rotary Club of Worland, District 5440.
15-Jul-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $5,585 by Luke Hopkin of the Rotary Club of Cody, District 5440.
18-Jul-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $500 by Bill Pettus of the Rotary Club of Jackson Hole Breakfast, District 5440.
28-Jul-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $3,000 by John Trone of the Rotary Club of Fort Collins, District 5440.
6-Aug-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $1,000 by Shurie Scheel of the Rotary Club of Thermopolis, District 5440.
6-Aug-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $1,000 by Shurie Scheel of the Rotary Club of Thermopolis, District 5440.
19-Aug-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $1,000 by John Griffith of the Rotary Club of Casper, District 5440.
17-Sep-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $1,000 by Gary Turner of the Rotary Club of Fort Collins-Breakfast, District 5440.
24-Sep-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $1,000 by Ken Wilbert of the Rotary Club of Rock Springs, District 5440.
30-Sep-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $1,600 by Julia Murray of the Rotary Club of Evanston, District 5440.
3-Oct-19
System Entry
System Entry: Pledge of $300 by Albon & Kammi Shaw through the Matching Grants Website DAF.
4-Oct-19
by Wayne Heili
System Entry: Pledge of $300 by Wayne Heili through the Matching Grants Website DAF.
17-Oct-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $500 by Julia Murray of the Rotary Club of Evanston, District 5440.
24-Oct-19
by Stuart Palmer
System Entry: Pledge of $500 by Stu Palmer of the Rotary Club of Jackson Hole, District 5440.
30-Oct-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $3,000 by Timothy Beppler of the Rotary Club of Evanston, District 5440.
30-Oct-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Pledge of $3,000 by Timothy Beppler of the Rotary Club of Evanston, District 5440.
30-Oct-19
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Project is now "Fully Pledged".
2-Feb-20
by Julia Murray
Hello my fellow supporters of this project. I was not aware that I needed to write a history log on a regular basis, but now that I know, I will be better about it. We figured out that we missed a step when we submitted our application. This involves getting more information from the villages. Fortunately, we have committed partners in the Rotary Club of Huehuetenango. They are gathering the information now. The holidays delayed things a little. I will let you know when that is completed. Thank you again for your support. Please drop me an email if you have any questions. Julia Murray Rotary Club of Evanston, Wyoming
17-May-20
by Julia Murray
Hello All,
I hope you are all healthy and well. In Wyoming, we are managing pretty well. The COVID 19 has put a little wrench in the works, but we are plowing ahead. I hope I have more news soon.
Julia
29-Jun-20
by Julia Murray
Hello All, I want everyone to know that the grant has been resubmitted for review to the Rotary Foundation. For those of you who are aware of the significant changes occurring for the foundation starting in July, we got our grant in on time to get the full match. Starting in July, the foundation will only match district money and not club money or individual donations, so we are glad we made it in to still get the 50% match for those funds. Thanks for your patience and support. Let me know if you have any questions. Julia Murray
2-Jul-20
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Application Sent to The Rotary Foundation through Member Access.
19-Sep-20
by Julia Murray
This is in application sent status. The Rotary Foundation is asking for very precised information that was never requested before. Guatemalans use water catchment tanks all the time. Instead of allowing the usual method of deciding how big of tanks each family needs, we have to measure the gutters and rainfall and show that these tanks will be filled and how much water is used. This is much more detail than in the past. It is hard to calculate. That is what is taking so much time.
13-Dec-20
by Julia Murray
Hello All, Our current delay relates to late reports from other Rotarians. If clubs or districts are late in ending reports, it can affect the next project. So, we are working on influencing the people with the missing reports. Thanks for your patience
6-Feb-21
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Application approved by The Rotary Foundation.
7-Feb-21
by Philippe Lamoise
Transfer of contribution of $600 initiated from the Matching Grants Website DAF to TRF.
20-Apr-21
by Julia Murray
We are now in the process of getting the money together to send to Guatemala and then get the match and do the actual project. It has been a longer tougher road than I expected, but the project will be completed.
25-Jun-21
by Julia Murray
I appreciate everyone's patience. At this point all of the money except that held by the Rotary Foundation is in Guatemala. The Foundation money will be delivered around July 17-20 after they are finished with a system update. Then, our partners in Guatemala will complete the project over the next year. If you have any questions, you are always welcome to contact me.
Julia Murray
4-Sep-21
by Julia Murray
System Entry: Payment has been issued by The Rotary Foundation.
29-Mar-22
by Tim Beppler
The project is moving forward with the purchase of materials and initial construction. Photos will be posted and a more formal report will be passed along in the near future.
22-Aug-22
by Tim Beppler
Our latest report from Ernesto:
"Right now we are in the implementation phase. We have acquired 78% of the materials needed to complete the project. The cisterns are distributed to and located in the three communities. There was a delay with the delivery of the cisterns because of a shortage of materials in the fabrication plant in Guatemala that delayed delivery by 60 days. The concrete bases are 85% completed. The construction of the galleys and installation of the water collection system has begun. The capabilities will continue to be improved as the project progresses. The Villagers are highly committed and happy with the progress of the project."
Our 12-month progress report has been filed with The Rotary Foundation.
2-May-23
by Tim Beppler
We have been advised that the project construction work has been completed and that as soon as some training is completed a final report will be filed with The Rotary Foundation and posted here.
2-Sep-23
by Tim Beppler
The final report for this project was recently submitted to The Rotary Foundation and approved. The project is now complete and the grant is closed. Copies of the Final Report (in Spanish) and photos accompanying the final report have been uploaded to this site. Ernesto and his team did a wonderful job planning and implementing this project so that hundreds of people can have a dependable supply of water. Thank you all for your financial and moral support of this project - without it this project would not have been possible. A special shout out to Julia and Martha - your dedication to this project was outstanding! If you have any questions, please let me know. Yours in Rotary, Tim.
2-Sep-23
by Tim Beppler
System Entry: Final Report sent to The Rotary Foundation.
2-Sep-23
by Tim Beppler
System Entry: Final Report approved by The Rotary Foundation.