Our community champion

Much of the garbage in this community gets dumped into the little waterways that run in front of the doorstep of every home. Today:

* we mapped out the area that we will work in,

* estimated the number of families that live in our project area (173, or ~850 people)

* took the dimensions of the waterways for possible filters to keep the garbage from "upstream" communities from flowing down into the project area

* looked for enthusiastic and influential community members to help support our project within the community...



...in Katish Malik we found our woman. She is a force of nature! Sort of like a community mother, she looks like she could shape up about 100 people in about 5 minutes flat. She moved with us through the area telling everybody that we are doing something good for their community so that everyone should be helping us.
She has a big smile, a big voice, and a demanding presence.
Dozens of people crowded around to look at my map. We did some good prepatory work today and most people were very enthusiastic, but there are still a number of big challenges that need solutions before the project will work. I don't know how they will get solved, but I think we can do it.



Meanwhile, Julie and Jessica went with Dr. Miraj to check out trash bins and get supplies for the community education on how to use the new gagrbage systems. PLUS - we all got T-shirts (they were about $1.25 each and are bright orange - Julie and Jessica had to tear the pockets off the front of each since the pockets had random gods on them and we are planning to print "RF-MIT India Project" on them). Good pictures to come, I'm sure!