Code Orange: Time moving VERY quickly

This morning involved some very efficient re-gearing - but everything came together just in time :)

We hosted the second big meeting today - here was the Adgenda

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4 August 2007

PURPOSE: Meeting to ensure sustainability of sanitation pilot project in B-Block of Bhoomiheen camp through the interaction of all the stakeholders to :
* Finalize a payment system for the community agreeable to all stakeholders
* Discuss suggested responsibilities for each stakeholder
Set a regular meeting schedule for future stakeholder meetings

ATTENDING
Mr. Mohammad Gulzar Community Committee
Ms. Krishna Community Committee

Mr. Rama Community Committee
Mr. Saurabh Issar Municipal Counselor’s Office

Mr. Thakur Prasad MCD Local Inspector (NO SHOW)
Mr. Deepchand MCD Local Manager (NO SHOW)
Ms. Snelata YWCA Community Mobilizer
Ms.Usha YWCA Community Mobilizer
Ms. Madhu YWCA Community Mobilizer
Ms. Vardi Devi YWCA Community Mobilizer
Ms. Shanti Devi YWCA Local Director

TIME: Begin time: 1pm, End time: 2pm-2:30pm
VENUE: Bhumin Vikas Mandal

ADGENDA:
*Project Update (5 min)
Successes
i. Bins installed
ii. Overwhelming use of bins and very little trash in waterways
iii. Requests for bins from all neighboring areas
Current Challenges
i. Regularity of trash worker schedule
ii. Unresolved payment plan
iii. Regularity of emptying the large MCD bin
* Payment System (20 min)
* Group comments on suggested stakeholder responsibilities (15 min)
* Set up time/dates for future stakeholder meetings (10 min)
* Suggestion for natural expansion of the project (5 min).
* Thank you for your dedication to and support for this project. (5 min)


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I don't think the meeting really followed the agenda partially because of Indian Standard Time causing the meeting to start at 1:30pm instead of 1pm and because the MCD officials never showed up...apparently it was meant to be though because the Monicipal Counselor's Office gave permission for the community to hire a private worker and the 3 community leaders and the 5 YWCA community mobilizers were ready to take on all the responsibilities.

After the meeting finshed around 3pm, the community committee members and the YWCA headed out directly to start collectingg money from the community to get the community-run sanitation program running.

All the neighgboring lanes want the program in their area and are 1. willing negotiate bin placement themselves and 2. pay the small monthly fee. We are going to try to set up a garbage bin fund so that these lanes can join the pilot project in the future...I couldn't be more proud of us and the community!

And here comes my reward...Jessica and I leave at 5am on Tuesday for 10 days of nothing but sleeping in beach huts, eating south indian food and hanging out on the beach reading, playing, swimming...everything but planning :)