__Colleen Jenkins (President) announced that the chapter agreement for EWB@PSU has been signed both by the professional chapter and PSU, so wešre ready to go!
__Robert Allen (Student Liaison to the professional chapter) shared some information he gathered at the last professional chapteršs meeting. OSU, PSU, and UofP will all work through Portlandšs professional chapter. The professionals are excited to be working with us. He suggested strongly that as many students as possible attend the professional meetings as the meetings generate a lot of excitement, offer insight, and attending will help to establish a strong relationship with the professional chapter. Direct contact between students and professionals is KEY.
The professionals will discuss the Nicaragua Project at their June 8th meeting, so anyone who has interest is encouraged to attend.
A 2-day West Coast Regional Conference for EWB will be held in Seattle in October 2005. The dates will be announced.
__Brad Bogus spoke briefly of possible fundraising events in the near future. A human-chess game is in the works. Brad will send out an email with details and how to contact him if interested. The Bite of Oregon, Blues Festival, and the Oregon State Fair in the coming months are all fundraising possibilities.
__Donald Durgan (Fundraising Coordinator) suggested that we think about contacting Office Depot and like-companies about donating supplies to EWB@PSU which we could use directly for the chapter, or possibly resell to students as a money-maker. Local consulting firms may also be willing to donate supplies. Donald would like suggestions along this line, please contact him ideas. He has contacted City Links for help with fundraising for non-profit organizations. Guest Karen Shimada also suggested cynrg.org.
__Our guest tonight was Karen Shimada, Site Coordinator for Nicaragua. Karen has worked over the last year and a half with the JESSE F RICHARDSON Foundation (JFR). JFR has created and helped to institute a wide range of opportunities for adults needing help across the United States and around the world. Karen Brown Wilson, Institute on Aging, has provided many innovative ideas about Assisted Living and will be a good resource for us.
Karen Shimada gave us insight into the culture of Nicaragua and to some of the problems the seniors of Nicaragua are experiencing, and some problems we might experience on arriving. It is imperative that we make direct communication with as many contacts as possible before arriving! Creating a database of contacts, including suppliers, is important. The database will be used by the chapter for years to come, so make it complete and concise is important. Karen also suggested we might take classes of the local language before travel.
Following is an overview of the areas of concern and potential projects in Nicaragua. Karen covered many adult-care facilities (called Hogares), which serve abandoned and abused seniors. As life expectancy increases and younger generations leave Nicaragua to earn money, the demand for elder-care becomes more significant. Below is a list, complete with descriptions, of several Nicaraguan Hogares. Note that WATER is an issue in all facilities: pressure, leakage, lead paint in tanks, laundry, and delivery of clean, potable water.
Masaya: The primary areas of concern at this facility are insulating (and/or reduction of direct sunlight on the metal walls of the building), disposal of solid waste/garbage, and humidity in bathrooms and showers (leading to decay of paint, walls, floors).
Jinotepe: Water and electricity are of great concern at this facility. Water is delivered only in the evening and is generally used by one p.m., leaving no water for cooking and drinking during the remainder of the day. Education about water conservation is important. The other main area of concern is electricity. The electricity is regularly turned off due to lack of payment.
Matagalpa: 50 adults, 300 trees in orchard in back. This facility lacks the water needed to water and feed the orchard. Because this facility is primarily funded through the sale of fruit from the orchard, it is important to make the orchard cost-effective and sustainable. The pump system is broken and expensive to replace.
Managua: This facility is falling apart. The corrugated metal roof was never joined properly and the facility consequently suffers from a lot of leaking and water staining as well as mice living in the walls and ceiling. This distresses both the staff and the tenants. Water is a concern here as well. They have a total of three water tanks, two of which never fill. The third tank is in use, but water must be collected by hand.
Juigulpa: Cooking at this facility is done on a wood stove which causes respiratory problems for the women who do the cooking. The kitchen and dining room are black from smoke. They would like to cook with methane and need help to turn the idea into a realistic working option. This facility also has potential for agriculture in a lower field if water can be delivered without jeopardizing the water to the hogar.
Granada: This hogar is in an abandoned convent school. The staff is struggling to rebuild a fire-damaged chapel on-site with brick walls which are not reinforced. As earthquake risk is high, it is important to develop a realistic plan for the rebuilding of the chapel. While the facility likely will not be built to earthquake standards, this is something to consider. This hogar receives city water but has no way to store it. The shower and toilet facilities are in desperate need of help. Often times residents have to walk 100 feet to use the facilities.
El Bacacan: (The Tree). Community was relocated to the mountains after a 1996 hurricane. Two wells have been built, but the region has suffered extreme drought, and has not received a drop of rain in the last three years. This facility has transformers, but NO electricity.
A few things to think about before leaving for a site
__GET LEAD KITS DONATED!
__Make as much contact with locals as possible.
__Think about what tools we will need in order to make an accurate assessment when we arrive.
__Ask to have photos taken of the buildings are surroundings.
__Check weather for the region and season.
__Prepare training manuals for how to implement and maintain problem solutions. (Signs, laminated posters, notebooks, etc.)
A few final notes:
PSU EDUCATION ABROAD:
Tuition free credits: We can work with Karen Shimada to apply. PSU has a mandate to provide short-term abroad projects to all students, so PSU is eager to get students abroad, particularly engineers.
Alise Collins in the Education Abroad Office will also help.
Internships: E3. Experience, Employment, Education. There is a possibility of paying $2000 for 12 term-long credits.
Think about contacting engineers in Nicaragua and partnering with them.