!

Team Monterey 4
El Salvador 2010
Team Monterey 4

Practicum Director and

Language Faculty:
Adele Negro

Student Leaders:
Ryan Gonzalez
Lucy Jodlowska
Amy Holste Moore
Robert Taggart !

Team Members:
Rocío Corona
Heidi Correa !!

Hilda Diaz
Christopher Hanks
Sky Mehringer
Alexandra Ogden
!
Deborah Radilla
Elizabeth Romanoff
Jacqueline Spear-Cerda
Adam Stieglitz
Melissa Summers
Andrew Volkman

!
Table of Contents

Preface by Adele Negro – Pg. 3

Translation and Management Team – Pg. 6
Capacity Development Team Final Report – Pg. 7
Infrastructure Team Final Report – Pg. 32
Production Team Final Report – Pg. 67
Environment Team Final Report – Pg. 114
Interpretation and Translation Team Final Report
• English – Pg. 139
• Spanish – Pg. 146
 460 Pierce Street
Monterey, California
93940 USA
www.miis.edu

PREFACE
!
!
With this compilation of project reports, Team Monterey-El Salvador celebrates the
completion of its fourth year of existence and collaborative work with our partners,
Asociación Mangle and La Coordinadora del Bajo Lempa y la Bahía de Jiquilisco. At
the same time, we are very pleased to announce the launching of Team Monterey 5 with
the recent selection of its new student leaders Emily Hanks, Karin Orr, and Melissa
Summers, who will help assemble the full TM5 team in early Fall in preparation for the
January 2011 practicum.

Previous TM reports have amply presented the vision, purpose, scope of work and
deliverables constituting this practicum. What this year’s report particularly highlights,
however, is a deeper level of maturity in the collaborative partner relationship. By now,
TM participants have essentially become junior consultants in the programmatic
implementation of La Coordinadora’s long-range strategic plans. The nurturing of
effective, enduring grassroots leadership and the strengthening of sustainable livelihoods
and environmental security for the people of the communities represented are principal
goals. In this endeavor, we also look forward to working more closely with the staff of
EcoViva (formerly FSSCA), whose guidance and long-established experience in
relationship with the people of the Bajo Lempa have proven invaluable in facilitating and
orienting Team Monterey’s work.

As in previous J-terms, TM 4 included a broad spectrum of participants from the

Institute’s policy and management programs. An exciting addition this year, however,
was the involvement of two Translation and Interpretation students who took part as a
linguistic team to assist their TM4 members with the more challenging communication
aspects of the project work, described in detail in this volume. For the very first time
since the inception of Team Monterey--and thanks to the support of Dean Renee
Jourdenais and the teaching staff of GSTILE--our interpreter/translators-in-training were
afforded the opportunity to receive degree credit for their participation.

Equally exciting and innovative was the pilot participation of both first and second year
student teams of Spanish language translators, editors and terminology managers, under
the supervision of Professors Maria Sierra Cordoba Serrano and Uwe Muegge, whose
indefatigable and superb work elevated the bar in terms of the excellence of the final
products delivered. This is all the more significant because these reports in both English

3
or Spanish are being increasingly utilized not only by our Salvadoran partners, but by a
broad range of interested individuals and institutions, including government agencies,
academic institutions, technical consultants, grant makers, incoming MA degree students,
and of course Team Monterey participants. A particularly great debt of gratitude is owed
this very dedicated and professional group of linguists, whose names are listed following
this preface.

Team Monterey project work this past January focused on four critical areas of priority
needs indicated by our partners: organizational capacity building, both for their board of
directors and the youth program student leaders; an infrastructure assessment of the
recently implemented water distribution system in two vulnerable communities; the
creation of a region-wide producers’ association to help enhance the productive and
marketing capacity of small-scale farmers, livestock owners and craftspeople of the area;
and a one-year assessment of the effects on coastal communities of the turtle egg
harvesting moratorium imposed by the Ministry of the Environment and Natural
Resources (MARN) in February 2009. Each report provides recommendations that it is
hoped will help La Coordinadora/Mangle advance their programmatic goals and, at the
same time, establish a basis for greater project continuity with the next team.

This year, post-practicum work following TM4’s return from El Salvador also included a
first-time-ever exhibit of photographs by team members at the Pacific Grove Art Center.
It was conceived as a means to increase awareness in the community-at-large of the
unique relationship between MIIS and La Coordinadora, and at the same time a way to
raise funds in support of Team Monterey’s work. Although no financial benefit was
obtained, the array of people, places and moments captured in the photographs conveyed
the richness of enthusiasm, insight, personality and commitment, which have made this
experience transformative. Prominent articles in The Monterey County Herald and the
MIIS Communiqué aroused widespread interest; over 700 people attended the inaugural
event, including local members of the Salvadoran community, who were moved to find in
those lovely visual memories a reconnection with their homeland.

This initiative has launched a larger effort by Team Monterey, with the support of
Provost Amy Sands, Dean Yuwei Shi, and the Advancement Office, among others, to
devise and assure a longer-term model of sustainability for Team Monterey, not only as
an immersive experience but also as a results-based development program. This is
especially valuable at this time, given that incoming and prospective MIIS students have
begun to express interest in seeing such programs be at the core of their Masters degree
work.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that many of us who have taken part in Team
Monterey have felt profoundly changed by the encounters, relationships, and skills
development we have engaged in with the people of La Coordinadora and the
communities of the Bajo Lempa. Each of us has been privileged to witness a small part of
that remarkable process which has been unfolding in this region of El Salvador for almost
two decades, a process of resurrection and restoration from the devastations of civil war,
natural and human-influenced disasters, and entrenched inequalities. With each

4
successive team, we have deepened our understanding of what it means to practice
participatory democracy and the cultivation of leadership. The quality of inspiration we
draw from our counterparts and the motivation we find in ourselves to seek out new,
more viable forms of collaborative commitment cannot be overestimated.

Finally, I would like to recognize with enormous appreciation the members of Team
Monterey 4, their thoughtfulness, good will, humor and stamina not only in bringing
about this report, but in performing all the work that engendered it. A particularly
heartfelt thanks and congratulations to outgoing leaders Amy Holste, Ryan González,
Lucy Jodlowska, and Robby Taggart for their inimitable and indomitable style,
capabilities and willingness to go the extra mile at every turn. Each project team has, of
course, recognized the indispensable contributions of all those who worked with us in El
Salvador; I will only echo those sentiments by saying that we owe what we have
accomplished as Team Monterey to the unstinting commitment of our Salvadoran
partners to engage with us so fully in this endeavor.

Adele Negro
Practicum Director and Language Faculty
Team Monterey in El Salvador
Monterey Institute of International Studies
Monterey, California July 9, 2010

5
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6
 Capacity Development for the Board of
Directors (Junta Directiva) of Asociación
Mangle
An Organizational Assessment

Monterey Institute of International Studies

A Graduate School of Middlebury College

Prepared by:
Ryan Gonzalez
Rocío Corona

7
Acknowledgements
The Team Monterey El Salvador Capacity Development Team would like to thank all who have
supported this project, both in the United States and in El Salvador. This project has been a
tremendous opportunity for the team composed of Rocío Corona and Ryan Gonzalez to put into
practice what we have learned through coursework in the Masters of Public Administration in
International Management program at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. We are
forever grateful for the support and confidence that all parties affiliated with Asociación Mangle
have provided us, and which have contributed to our personal and professional growth.

We would like to especially thank the following individuals: the members of the Junta Directiva
(Antonio Amaya, Estela Hernández, Amílcar Cruz, María Elena Vigíl, and Dolores Esperanza
Maravilla), program coordinators, technical and administrative staff of Asociación Mangle, the
esteemed translators and interpreters Deborah Radilla Laureano and Hilda Díaz, fellow Team
Monterey colleagues for their friendship and professional support, Adele Negro for her constant
support, dedication and feedback, Professor Alfredo Ortiz and Nathan Weller for their selfless
contributions of wisdom and expertise, and David Marroquín and Jacobo Rodriguez without
whose support we would not have been able to do our work. ¡Muchísimas gracias a todos!

Introduction
In the year that has passed since the previous Team Monterey of January 2009, El Salvador has
undergone a historic process of political change that has had tangible effects on both Asociación
Mangle and the communities it serves and represents. One of the most significant changes was
the election of Arístides Valencia, former Executive Director of Asociación Mangle and key
founder of La Coordinadora del Bajo Lempa, to the National Assembly as a representative of the
Department of Usulután. Although Mr. Valencia's departure signified a set of new challenges
for Asociación Mangle, it has given Mangle a more direct link to the government while also
providing the organization with opportunities to develop its administrative capacity under a new
management model. Nevertheless, the challenges now faced by Asociación Mangle’s Directiva
have proven to be detrimental to the efficiency and effectiveness of its internal administrative
operations. In all, these challenges are affecting the performance and the impact of the
organization, which in the long term can harm its potential to become self-sufficient and
sustainable.

During Mr. Valencia’s tenure, the Junta Directiva's activities were consistent with their legally
ascribed roles and functions as defined in Asociación Mangle’s organizational by-laws, while
Mr. Valencia was responsible for most of the administrative and governance functions as the
organization's executive director. His responsibilities included fund development, strategic
planning, and institutional relations with governmental bodies and international foundations and
organizations. With Mr. Valencia's departure, the newly appointed Junta Directiva has now
assumed, or is attempting to assume, these responsibilities.

Please see Appendix B for a concept map depicting the organizational structure of Asociación
Mangle and its relation to La Coordinadora.

8
Purpose
The purpose of the Team’s capacity development project was to provide useful capacity
development tools and frameworks which Asociación Mangle’s Junta Directiva could use as a
point of reference for developing their administrative capacity. The aim of this project was to
respond to areas or administrative functions that the Junta Directiva had identified as in need of
strengthening within the organization. These areas were discussed with the Team Monterey
leadership during a preliminary planning trip in July of 2009. The areas of concern that the Junta
Directiva identified included the following:

• Internal controls and policies for both human resource management and financial
management
• Mechanisms and policies for organizational fund development
• Monitoring and evaluation systems for programs and projects
• A clearer definition of the role of each member of the Junta Directiva

To address these areas of concern and interest, the Capacity Development Team reviewed
literature pertaining to best practices for the management and administration of non-
governmental and social purpose organizations. The team sought to provide tools and
frameworks that would strengthen Asociación Mangle's ability to overcome their challenges
while enhancing their ability to continually provide quality services and achieve impact in the
communities they serve.

What does Capacity Development mean?

In the process of building or developing an organization’s capacity, the framework within which
the researchers or facilitators approach and understand capacity must be articulated to ensure the
maximum value of the research and recommendations for both parties. Capacity, as defined by
the Modern Language Association (MLA), is the “actual or potential ability to perform, yield, or
withstand.”1 In the context of this particular capacity development project, capacity refers to the
development or strengthening of Asociación Mangle’s ability to carry out its activities in such a
way as to achieve the desired impact in the communities it serves. In addressing the areas of
concern indicated by the Junta Directiva, capacity development has both internal and external
components; these are discussed through the capacity 1.0 and capacity 2.0 frameworks which are
described below:2

Capacity 1.0 – An Internal Focus

• Emphasis: Systems, procedures, processes, managerial orientation, and
little or no stakeholder involvement
• Basic assumption: Strong management leads to better projects and
programs
• Goal: Improve impact through excellence in such areas as human resource

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1
"capacity." The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin
Company, 2004. 20, Feb. 2010. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/capacity>.
2
IP 514, Managing Non-Governmental and Social Purpose Organizations, Instructor: Beryl Levinger, Lecture:
Capacity Development 2.0 (2009)

9
 management, financial management, planning, and governance and service
delivery

Capacity 2.0 – External Focus

• Emphasis: Impact through innovation, entrepreneurship, brokering,
leveraging resources, adapting, and networking oriented toward complex,
changing environments, with strong stakeholder involvement
• Basic assumption: Impact is optimized when systems, processes,
organizational ethos, relationships, and activities are closely aligned with
mission and with the priorities of the poor and powerless
• Goal: Disruptive innovation that challenges the status quo

It is important to note that capacity 1.0 and capacity 2.0 are contiguous skills and competencies
that a high-capacity organization should strive to attain. Some of the core competencies for an
organization exhibiting high levels of capacity include collaboration (both internal/external),
adaptation (the ability to “sense,” learning from failures), boundary redefinition (utilizing the
power of collective knowledge to overcome challenges), and democratic participation
(decentralizing and distributing leadership).

Objectives
The objectives of the Capacity Development Project included the following:

1. Develop an understanding of Asocación Mangle’s current administrative functions in order

to:
a. Determine where administrative and organizational gaps exist
b. Develop an administrative and governance profile for each member of the Junta
Directiva
2. Facilitate the creation of a mission and vision statement for the Junta Directiva in order for
the Directiva to then carry out this process with the organization as a whole (Asociación
Mangle lacks a mission and vision statement as an organization).
3. Develop an understanding of the internal and external communication processes of the
organization. In so doing, the team wanted to understand and document the way in which
community needs are turned into organizational activity and subsequent program or project
interventions.
4. Provide the Junta Directiva with meaningful administrative structures, formats and tools that
take into account their organizational and overall context.
5. Facilitate workshops and deliver presentations on concepts within the capacity 1.0 and 2.0
paradigms, with discussion of administrative structures, processes and policies that would
meet Asociación Mangle’s needs and would contribute to increased effectiveness of
organizational management.

Cloud Computing and Theory of Change

In addition to the capacity development project for Asociación Mangle, the capacity
development project team and the Team Monterey leaders facilitated two additional workshops.

10
The first, led by Rocio Corona and Ryan Gonzalez, was a cloud-computing workshop for the
coordinators of the Organic Production Program, which provided an introduction to the
utilization of google documents and calendar for greater collaboration and coordination. A free,
web-based collaborative note-taking platform called EtherPad was utilized during the workshop
as well. By the end of the session, the program coordinators were entering their events into a
shared google calendar which each of them was allowed access to and could modify.

Team Monterey leaders Adele Negro, Amy Holste, Lucy Jodlowska, Robert Taggart, and Ryan
Gonzalez facilitated the second workshop. It was conducted for Asociación Mangle’s youth
program and its coordinator, Tania Molina. The workshop provided an introduction to the logic
model known as Theory of Change, which serves as the first step in establishing an evaluative
framework. Third-year students of the program (aged approximately 16-22) were in attendance
and participated in the design of a collective Theory of Change for their program. Participants
were asked to share theiir vision of success for the program and were then challenged to
operationalize this vision into the specific elements on which Theory of Change is built
(preconditions and interventions).

The document that was created was published on a google site accessible at the following url:
9((I/[[5=(&5\,$$,1&\'$-[5=(&['&I*&(@'[

Scope of Work and Methodology

The capacity development project consisted of four distinct phases aimed at developing a
thorough capacity assessment of the Junta Directiva as well as of the organization as a whole.
This assessment process resulted in the development of optimized recommendations for
administrative interventions as well as the creation and facilitation of workshops focused on
components of public administration. The phases were as follows:

Phase 1: Vision and Mission Development and

Operational Structure Diagram

1.1 Vision and Mission Development

An immediate need that sprang from the team’s initial meeting with the Junta Directiva was for a
vision and mission statement for the organization as a whole, as well as statements tailored to the
specific values and objectives of the Junta Directiva. An organization is “made up of people
working together toward a shared goal.”3 The creation of a vision and mission statement would
help shape and define the shared goals that the Junta Directiva and Asociación Mangle are
working to achieve.

The development of a vision and mission statement for the Junta Directiva would allow the
members of the governing body of Asociación Mangle to develop a greater sense of connection
to their individual roles and a deeper understanding of the motivations each of them had in
serving the organization. This process would also allow each member to define his or her
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3
Lusthaus, Charles et al., Organizational Assessment, A Framework for Improving Performance, Ch. 1 (IDRC,
2002), http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-23987-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html

11
individual purpose and craft a collective purpose or set of core values.

As stated in the literature reviewed, “everyone in the organization needs to understand the big
picture. Thus, the leaders of the organization need to articulate, clearly and frequently, what the
organization is trying to accomplish,” in order for the organization as a whole to function better
and have a greater impact.4 Therefore, the creation of a vision and mission statement would
provide a starting point for the organization’s capacity-building as a whole. In addition, the
creation of a vision and mission statement establishes standards of accountability and
transparency to which the Junta Directiva could be held, those standards being two key
principles in any organization that contribute to good governance and the delivery of high impact
services and interventions.5

In order to develop the vision and mission statements, the team facilitated an initial workshop
that emphasized the importance of such statements and provided tools for their development.
The team recommended that the Junta Directiva undergo a similar process to articulate the vision
and mission of Asociación Mangle as a whole, using the input of all employees and volunteers
alike.

The workshop began with an explanation of the importance and centrality to an organization's
existence of statements of mission and vision. This introduction included a diagram created by
the team and titled Árbol de Propósito, “Purpose Tree,”which described the connection of
purpose, mission, and vision, and framed specific questions that each statement should respond
to. Essentially, this gave the Junta Directiva a better understanding of the differences between
these statements and questions to reflect upon when creating their organizational statements.
(See Appendix A.)

The process in developing such statements began with an articulation of the Junta Directiva’s
values. As stated in the literature reviewed, the “mission and vision of the organization have to
be aligned with its values to make the organization successful.”6 Each member of the Junta
Directiva was instructed to write the top three values that he or she believed the Junta Directiva
should have. Once this was completed each member shared those values with the other
members. As the values were read aloud, they were recorded and projected on a screen so that
all members could refer back to them at any time.

The next step was to have each member of the Junta Directiva write out his or her own personal
mission statement as a board member, which would then be shared with the whole board. As
each member read his or her personal mission statement aloud, it was again recorded and
projected on the screen. After presenting their individual mission statements, the Junta Directiva
was challenged to incorporate the values and personal missions that were created into the
articulation of a collective Directiva statement of vision and mission. The personal mission

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4
Behn, Robert, Performance Leadership: 11 Better Practices that Can Ratchet Up Performance, pg. 8 (IBM Center
for the Business of the Government, Second Edition 2006, Managing for Performance and Results Series),
http://www.businessofgovernment.org/pdfs/BehnReport2.pdf
5
IP519, Managing Public Organizations, Instructor: Mahabat Baimyrzaeva, Lecture: Values and Principles in Public
Management (2009)
6
Baimyrzaeva, Lecture: Mission and Performance of an Organization (2009)

12
statements that were created remained illuminated throughout this process so as to ensure that
each member's individual contribution also was incorporated into the overall vision and mission
statement of the Junta Directiva.

The following are the vision and mission statements that were collaboratively created by
Asociación Mangle's Junta Directiva:

Vision: To manage technical and financial resources in order to become an organization that is
democratic, autonomous, self-sufficient, exhibits solidarity, and is capable of producing a
material and qualitative transformation of the communities of the Bajo Lempa- Bay of Jiquilisco.

Gestionar los recursos técnicos y financieros para lograr una organización democrática,
autónoma, solidaria, autosuficiente, capaz de producir la transformación, cualitativa y material
de las comunidades de Bajo Lempa-Bahía de Jiquilísco.

Mission: To execute the guidelines of the general assembly with transparency, as they refer to
the management and administration of Asociación Mangle’s resources.

Ejecutar las directrices de la asamblea general en cuanto a la gestión y la administración de los

recursos de Asociación Mangle de forma transparente.

*Note: It was not possible to complete a vision statement the same day, but it was finished the
following day in the team’s next meeting with the Junta Directiva. The team recognized the
need to clarify the different types of values, before the vision statement was completed; hence a
brief explanation of the value categories was introduced to the Junta Directiva, as follows:

• Personal Values: the promotion of one’s own interests and well-being

• Organizational Values: the promotion of the well-being and reputation of the
organization
• Professional Values: the promotion of preferred professional values
• Ideological Values: values based on certain beliefs

1.2 Operational Structure Definition and Creation of Diagram

In order to assess the capacity of Asociación Mangle and more fully understand how the
organization operates, the team reviewed the operational and organizational structures in terms
of systems of communication, coordination, and decision-making. This aspect of the assessment
was critical in that, “organizational performance can be improved if operational decision-making
is closer to the actual sources of information. Second, people working in organizations are more
likely to take responsibility for their actions if they participate in the decision-making process.
Whether the structure itself is centralized, decentralized or participatory, it is clear that these
aspects of structure are important to improving organizational performance.”7 Essentially, this
understanding made it possible for the team to perform an organizational capacity assessment of
Asociación Mangle and provide valuable recommendations.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7
Lusthaus, 54

13
The process of defining Mangle's operational functions and structure emerged through two
meetings with the Junta Directiva. The first meeting consisted of an introductory session aimed
at giving the team a deeper understanding of the functions and operational entities of the
organization. As a result, the team acquired a greater understanding of the complex
interdependence between Asociación Mangle and La Coordinadora. This component was very
important for an understanding of the process by which community needs are transformed into
organizational activity in the form of proposals, presentations, and ultimately projects. After this
first meeting, the team developed a diagram, using c-map software, of these entities and
processes.

The second meeting was devoted to reviewing the preliminary diagram created by the team and
obtaining feedback from the Junta Directiva. This participatory approach ensured that the
diagram retained its accuracy and that the Junta Directiva took ownership of the diagram.
Modifications were made on the spot as the Junta Directiva clarified for the team any
misunderstandings regarding the organizational structure. Overall, this process translated into
the documentation of how Asociación Mangle operationalizes its mission. Please see Appendix
B.

Phase 2: Needs Assessment and Data Collection

The team carried out a needs assessment in order to perform an evaluation of the social problem
or need that exists within a program or project.8 In this case, a needs assessment was a critical
component in identifying the exact nature and scope of the capacity needs that the team would be
helping to develop. The needs assessment involved not only a thorough understanding of the
organization, but examined the context and the logic of the organization’s operations.
Furthermore, the needs assessment allowed for an in depth assessment of the organizational
capacity as a whole.

The team sureveyed the full-time staff (including administrative and programmatic staff) in order
to understand their perceptions of the Directiva’s strengths, weaknesses and areas needing
improvement. Their perspectives and feedback gave critical insights into the organization's
internal infrastructure and unique culture, and were key in helping shape the team's
recommendations.

The team relied on interviews, surveys, a review of internal documents and direct observations to
collect their data. Two different surveys were developed: the first was designed for the members
of the Junta Directiva and focused on identifying their specific needs, challenges, strengths, and
weaknesses. The second was administered to full-time staff (both dministrative and
programmatic), and had a twofold focus: the identification of strengths and weaknesses of the
Junta Directiva, and their impact or influence, from the staff perspective, on the staff’s ability to
perform their work.

Individual interviews were then conducted with all members of the Junta Directiva, in order for
the team to have an accurate understanding of the Directiva’s administrative functions. As the
team progressed with data collection, it became clear that Asociación Mangle's accountant, Erica
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
8
Rossi, Peter et al., Evaluation, A Systematic Approach (Thousand Oaks, SAGE Publications, 2004), 40.

14
Aquino, should also be interviewed, since it was discovered that she had additional
administrative roles exceeding her responsibilities as accountant. This interview enhanced the
team’s insight into the administrative capacity of the Junta Directiva and provided further
cultural insights into the organization which will be elaborated upon in the Findings Section.

The interviews, surveys and observations were documented by the team in a daily activity log.
Observations were made in regards to the culture of the organization as well as the dynamics at
play within the Junta Directiva. This was another critical component of the needs assessment, as
“organizational rules and their enforcement govern the organization and create the organizational
culture…[and since] organizations are socially constructed, their success or failure is governed
by this interaction.”9

Lastly, the following internal organizational documents were collected as additional source of
data for the needs assessment:

• Proposal for Administrative Reorganization of Asociación Mangle - “Propuesta de

Reorganización Administrativa para Asociación Mangle”
• Strategic Plan of the Coordinating Comissión - Plan estratégico de la Comisión
Coordinadora
• By-Laws of Asociación Mangle- Los estatutos de Asociación Mangle
• External audits for the years 2004, 2006 and 2007 - Auditorias externas de los años 2004,
2006 y 2007
• Financial balance sheets and income statements - Estados financieros y balances

The most significant document to be collected was the “Propuesta de Reorganización

Administrativa para Asociación Mangle,” which contained useful information and documents
that the Junta Directiva could implement to address some of their administrative concerns. The
contents of the Proposal for Reorganization include policies, procedures and regulations for
administrative functions, such as financial and human resource management, along with specific
administrative job descriptions.

Phase 3: Data Analysis

The methodology used to analyze the data collected from both the surveys and interviews was
arrived at through a critical analysis of the patterns, trends and anomalies that emerged from the
responses. As this study was heavily qualitative, the capacity development team analyzed the
responses and created narratives for each data collection tool utilized.

A summary of the information received and analyzed by the team includes the transcriptions and
notes taken from individual interviews with each of the five members of the Junta Directiva, a
completed survey by each member of the Junta Directiva, twelve surveys collected from the full
time staff, and notes and a transcription from the individual interview with Erica Aquino,
Asociación Mangle's accountant.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
9
Lusthaus, 2.

15
Surveys and Interview Analysis Methodology
For each survey distributed by the team , a framework was created to rank the theme or response
that occurred most frequently in answer to each question asked. The ranking scale ranged from
one to four, with one being the highest concern, and four being the lowest concern. From this
ranking the team was able to identify and prioritize the specific areas that various individuals
from the organization determined in need of support. When not enough data was gathered to
identify a fourth trend, an X was given for the ranking. The team then analyzed the individual
Junta Directiva interviews by extracting the main points, or “big ideas,” from which interview
narratives were drafted to serve as a basis for reflection and recommendations. Please see
Appendix C for matrix of interview responses.

Each interview was recorded in written notes as well as on an audio recorder. The Junta
Directiva interviews were collected and analyzed according to the following structure:

Name:
Role in the Junta Directiva:
Administrative Functions:
General Needs Addressed (by each Junta Directiva member):
Challenges Identified:

The interview with the accountant, which was confidential, resulted in the collection of
qualitative data. In order to maintain confidentiality, the team exercised discretion as to the
information collected, which was then incorporated as seemed fitting into the recommendations
resulting from the capacity assessment of the Junta Directiva.

3.1 Narrative, Analysis of Surveys

Survey Results for Junta Directiva Members

The following is a narrative of the data analysis of the Junta Directiva member surveys, based on
the frameworks created. (See Appendix D).

An assessment of the Needs identified by the Junta Directiva indicates that various concerns
were directly related to organizational systems. This in turn revealed that such organizational
systems are inherently important to the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization’s
administrative operations and organizational programs. At the same time, there was a concern
with the overall lack of resources. This correlated with data collected on the Weaknesses
identified by the Junta Directiva surveys, which pointed to externalities such as the economic
crisis and natural disasters that constituted a Challenge which Asociación Mangle must contend
with, and which presented barriers to receiving more resources.

The needed organizational systems identified--which are inherently part of the operational
structure of any organization--included: systems of communication, coordination, monitoring,
evaluation, and internal controls (policies, procedures, regulations). Given the interrelationships
between these systems, it is very important for an organization to establish them in such a way as
to set accountability standards and overall good governance within the organization.

16
Furthermore, the Challenges identified can all be correlated with these needed systems; for
example, the lack of financial management and human resources corresponds to a lack of
controls and coordination within these administrative functions. Moreover, identified
Weaknesses showed a clear correlation with these Challenges and Needs. A lack of clarity
within administrative roles, as well as the lack of administrative and technical capacity, can be
considered the product of these challenges and needs. Lastly, the surveys provided a clearer
description of the roles of each member of the Junta Directiva as seen from their individual
perspectives, roles such as facilitators of development in their communities, managers of the
organization, and promoters of self sufficiency and sustainability for Asociación Mangle. The
Strengths identified by the Junta Directiva lay in their capacity for community outreach,
community building, and the creation of partnerships.

Overall, this qualitative data allowed the team to understand the depth of concern that the Junta
Directiva had with respect to their roles and duties. What members of the Junta Directiva
identified as their needs, challenges, and weaknesses, completely correlated with their own
personal roles and values as members of the Junta Directiva.

Survey Results for Staff

An analysis of the staff surveys revealed specific Weaknesses that exist within the administrative
function of the Junta Directiva, which have direct repercussions on the work of the staff. It is
important to state that the Challenges and Weaknesses identified by staff were very similar to
those of the Junta Directiva. These included the need for self-sufficiency and sustainability,
which directly relates to the need for financial stability within Asociación Mangle. Further, the
need for better administrative management of the organization and projects can be correlated
with the lack of technical capacity and communication systems. In addition, a new concern
emerged from these personnel surveys, which highlighted the lack of collective participation of
the administrative staff in decision-making directly affecting them.

One of the Strengths identified in the Junta Directiva surveys was reaffirmed in the staff surveys,
namely that the Junta Directiva does indeed have the capacity to coordinate and communicate
effectively within their communities, and has the requisite experience to do so. Additional
strengths communicated by the staff indicated a culture of ethical standards and values, which
can support an organization in its quest to attain its vision and mission.

3.2 Narrative, Data Analysis of Interviews

Junta Directiva Interviews

The Junta Directiva interviews were conducted to obtain a better understanding of the division
between legal responsibilities and functions as determined by the Asociación Mangles by-laws
and those of other administrative roles within the organization. An analysis of the responses
from the interviews revealed that defined roles and administrative functions identified by the
members correlated with their identified individual organizational needs.

Overall, the challenges identified by the Junta Directiva members correlated with previous areas
of concern that had already been signaled, such as the need to develop systems of project

17
coordination and management, and the need for resources to expand services to other
communities. Other distinguishing challenges identified were the need for fund development for
financial sustainability of the organization, better cashew processing equipment, a simple vehicle
fleet management system, an organizational inventory system and, on a more personal level, the
desire to learn English and acquire additional computer literacy skills.

3.3 Narrative, Analysis of observations made

The observations made by the team led to some insight into the organizational culture of
Asociación Mangle, which in turn allowed the team to gain a deeper understanding of how the
organization operates both internally with staff and externally with relevant stakeholders. As
stated in the literature, “it is the organization’s culture that gives life to the organization and
helps make the realization of its mission possible.”10 These observations enabled the team to
better understand values and norms, both organizational and personal, as well as certain
perceptions and behaviors exhibited by the organization’s staff. The team was further able to
understand the impact of these factors on organizational performance in achieving specific
outcomes and the organization’s mission overall. The team's observations helped to provide a
critical analysis of Asociación Mangle's culture, specifically the organizational motivations and
participatory approaches to decision-making that had an impact on the way the organization
operates.

The general operating practices observed were those involved in participatory and collective
work, where character values of collaboration and collective decision-making were emphasized.
Nevertheless, on the basis of feedback gathered from the surveys and interviews conducted, the
team questioned the extent to which collaborative and participatory processes were actually in
place. It was observed, for example, that there existed a lack of communication and feedback
mechanisms to the Junta Directiva from the staff with respect to decision-making; also lacking
was a system of program-to-program communication and coordination. As a result of these
gaps, various employees assumed unwritten new roles that at times took them away from what
they were initially hired to do.

Furthermore, the perceptions and behaviors observed within the Junta Directiva gave evidence
that the organizational culture functions in response to the needs of the organization and not in
terms of a strategic outlook on how the organization should function and operate. This could be
seen in the current administrative duties performed by certain Junta Directiva members, which
are only components of larger more critical administrative functions. Moreover, it was observed
that several staff including Junta Directiva members have multiple functions and roles within the
organization. This describes a culture of both teamwork and improvisation, where operations are
carried out collaboratively to meet shared organizational goals and objectives, but not always in
a strategic fashion.

Phase 4: Presentation of Results and Workshop

The final presentation to the Junta Directiva on Thursday, January 21, 2010 provided a
description of the different types of capacity development that exist and their relevance to the
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10
Ibid, 97

18
capacity development needs of the Junta Directiva. It was during this session that the team
introduced the concepts of capacity 1.0 and 2.0 and highlighted those areas of the organization’s
operations which fit into these frameworks. The team pointed out that Asociación Mangle has a
fairly well developed set of capacity 2.0 competencies but needed to strengthen their capacity 1.0
opportunity areas.

The team then introduced three major aspects of an ideal structure for a non-profit organization
(NPO), namely, governance, central administration, and program components. The team
demonstrated the importance of establishing these internal structural components, as they
enhance an organization’s ability to function efficiently and effectively, and at the same time
deliver quality, high-impact services and programs. This idea is supported by professor Mahabat
Baimyrzaeva in a lecture in which she asserts that “the way in which an organization internalizes
and functionalizes its structure, determines how effective the structure is in helping the
organization carry out its activities in meeting its goals.”11

After a review of the basic structures and key functions of the administrative component, and its
effect on an organization’s impact, the team presented a summary of the results gleaned from the
needs assessment. One key finding discussed was the need to link communication systems to
coordination mechanisms or strategies within the organization. The team also unveiled the
administrative reorganization diagram they created, laying out the administrative functions
within Asociación Mangle which could serve as a reference resource for the Junta Directiva
during subsequent strategic planning sessions. Monitoring and evaluation were included here as
integral parts of the organization.

In order to underscore the need for clearer administrative roles, the team presented a matrix with
the Junta Directiva’s legal responsibilities as appointees to the board and their current
administrative functions. This visualization was helpful in distinguishing between the legally
ascribed governance roles Junta Directiva members have and their administrative responsibilities
as employees of Asociación Mangle.

Lastly, the team made a key recommendation regarding the administrative gaps that currently
exists within the operations of the organization. It was recommended that the Junta Directiva as
a collective assume the responsibilities of Executive Director in order to provide the support
structure and fill the gaps that Arístides Valencia’s departure created within the organization.

Overall Findings:

To supplement the team’s findings, an organizational capacity assessment tool was utilized
which drew on the data collected from the initial needs assessment. This tool gave the team a
framework in which to measure organizational capacity and contributed to a more meaningful set
of recommendations and overall findings.

A thorough investigation of various organizational capacity assessment tools was performed and
specific criteria for the selection of the tool were developed. The team opted to utilize the
organizational assessment framework available in Institutional Assessment: A Framework for
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
11
Baimyrzaeva, Lecture: Mission and Performance of an Organization (2009)

19
Strengthening Organizational Capacity by Lusthaus, Anderson and Murphy, given its flexibility
and adaptability.

Note: Certain dimensions this tool can assess are aligned with traditional structures and norms of
US nonprofit organization.. The team acknowledged that aspects of this tool were in need of
modification in order for it to be utilized by Asociación Mangle, given their unique and
innovative organizational structure and means of communicating and collaborating with the
communities they serve.

International Development Resource Center (IDRC) Organizational Assessment Tool

Description:

The framework encompasses the following areas:

• Measuring organizational performance

• Understanding the organization’s external environment
• Determining organizational motivation
• Examining organizational capacity

The IDRC defines performance in terms of effectiveness (mission fulfillment), efficiency, and
ongoing relevance (the extent to which the organization adapts to changing conditions in its
environment). Assumptions present in the framework imply that certain contextual forces drive
performance: organizational capacity, forces in the external environment, and internal
motivation.12
The following diagram demonstrates how organizational performance is built upon strong
foundations of organizational motivation, organizational capacity, and favorable conditions in
the environment in which the organization is operating.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
12
Lusthaus, Charles et al., Organizational Assessment, A Framework for Improving Performance, Ch. 1 (IDRC,
2002), http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-23987-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html

20
Source: http://www.idrc.ca/openebooks/998-4/#page-069

The team tailored the framework and utilized the organizational capacity component in more
depth. Organizational motivation and the overall (internal/external) environment of the
organization were components of the framework that were also referenced to support its
assessment and recommendations.

Findings of Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool

The following eight interrelated capacity areas were assessed according to the tool:13

1. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of strategic leadership in the organization:

• Leadership (managing culture, setting direction, supporting resource development,
ensuring tasks are done)
• Strategic planning (scanning environment, developing tactics to attain objectives, goals,
mission)

Finding: The leadership of the Asociación Mangle exhibit a cohesive set of common values and
beliefs; howeve,r their ability to achieve goals and certain objectives is in need of development.
This is due to an underdeveloped technical capacity and/or experience in administering a high-
impact organization. Strategic planning exists on a programmatic and project level; however, a

21
clear organizational strategic plan is missing. The elements of such a strategic plan should take
into account every aspect of the organization from the programs they operate to the internal
processes of the Junta Directiva. In addition, the Junta Directiva’s relationship with
theAsamblea (General Assembly), the administration, the organization’s financial management,
and other important administrative functions should be reviewed in this process. Without an
organizational strategic plan there is a clear lack of direction and overall governance in the
organization.
2. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of financial management:
• Financial planning (operating expenses, a forecast of future monetary needs and
requirements)
• Financial accountability (rules for member use of financial resources, transparent/verified
system)

Finding: In reviewing the data collected, several areas of financial management were found in
need of support or implementation. This included the implementation of proper financial
controls within the organization, such as a budgeting process, procurement policy and
communication between programs. Lacking these controls, Asociación Mangle could face
potentialrisks of upward accountability (to donors) when seeking additional funding, as well as
downward accountability risks with their constituents.
3. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the organizational structure within the organization:
• Governance (legal framework, decision-making process, methods for setting direction,
external links)
• Operational (roles and responsibilities, coordination of labor, coordination of systems)

Finding: It is important to acknowledge that Asociación Mangle operates as an open system

with various actors involved in the governance structure. These actors include the General
Assembly, which the Junta Directiva reports to on a yearly basis, and the communities
represented by La Coordinadora. These mechanisms and structures are a strength of the
organization in that they enable it to systemically identify community needs and turn them into
organizational actions when resources (financial, technical and otherwise) permit. The internal
administrative structure, on the other hand, lacks a clear decision-making process, which is due
in part to the lack of adequate structures or mechanisms for the administrative staff to
communicate with the Junta Directiva. In addition, the lack of clearly defined job roles and
responsibilities within the organization contributes to an improvisational organizational culture,
which in turn creates coordination and communication challenges within the organization.
4. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the organizational infrastructure:
• Facilities management (adequate lighting, clean water, electricity)
• Technology management (equipment, information systems, hardware/software, library)

Finding: At an operational level, the organization appears to have the essential technological
infrastructure in place. Through direct observation, it is noted that the organization is well
connected (via-high speed internet connection) and has the equipment necessary for day-to-day
operations. There is a need, however, for greater computer literacy training as there are many
free, web-based tools (such as google applications, various social media and web 2.0 platforms)

22
which, when appropriately applied to the context of an organization, can facilitate a smoother
communication process both internally among employees and externally with stakeholders. In
addition, efforts are being made to implement meaningful controls with regard to the
organization’s inventory tracking system, which would improve the overall organizational
structure of its management system.
5. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the following systems, processes or dimensions of
human resources:
• Planning (recruiting, selecting, staffing, orienting)
• Development (performance management, monitoring, evaluation)
• Career management (career development, training)
• Maintenance (health/safety issues, gender issues, quality of working life)

Finding: Human resource management is an area for much-needed capacity development within
Asociación Mangle. Currently, no human resource management entity or process exists. The
team highly recommends that the needed mechanisms, procedures and policies be implemented
to improve the management of human resources within the organization. Implementing these
mechanisms will make possible the development of the “human capital” of the organization, i.e.
the knowledge and skills that individuals bring to an organization. Focusing on the talents that
individuals bring to the organization and aligning those talents with the positions the individuals
hold, should make the work experience more meaningful and mutually beneficial for the
employee and organization as a whole.
6. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the program and service management:
• Planning (identifying needs, setting objectives, costing alternatives, developing
evaluation systems)
• Implementing (adherence to schedules, coordination of activities)
• Monitoring (projects/programs, systems for evaluating progress, communicating
feedback to stakeholders)

Finding: This was another priority area of capacity development identified by several
individuals. As previously stated, the organization has certain mechanisms in place that give the
organization direction, such as La Coordinadora’s strategic plan (which differs from the strategic
plan for Asociación Mangle), and potential targets and objectives at the programmatic and
project levels. Currently, a monitoring and evaluation process is lacking, which, when
implemented, would provide the organization with meaningful feedback. This information is not
only important internally for the organization, but also externally for stakeholders such as
donors, beneficiaries, and other interested parties. By establishing an evaluative mechanism, the
organization would in theory increase its accountability, and even more importantly, have the
ability to frame its learning on the basis of both the successes and failures of its interventions.
7. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of process management within the organization:
• Problem-solving (defining problems, gathering data)
• Decision-making (creating alternatives, deciding on solutions, monitoring decisions)
• Communications (exchanging accurate/vital information, achieving shared understanding
among organizational members)
• Monitoring and evaluation (generating data, tracking progress, utilizing information,

23
 changing and improving the organization)

Findings: Process management is defined as “the task of aligning and integrating the various
practices and cultures of different segments of an organization through the introduction of
common systems and operations that apply uniformly to all segments of the organization”
(IDRC, 88). The data collected showed that these common systems and operations do not exist
within the organization. Tasks and various other practices are commonly assigned on an ad hoc
basis. Unfortunately, problem-solving and decision-making seemed to be more centralized than
decentralized, as they should be in order to promote a more widespread culture of participation
and organizational efficiency. This centralization is heightened by a clear lack of
communication, most notably with administrative staff. Formal channels of communication
(regular meetings, platforms for idea sharing)between the administrative staff and the Junta
Directiva, as well as program-to-program, are not currently in place. The implementation of
communication mechanisms would allow various ideas to be shared and would provide
individuals the space to address their concerns or offer feedback to colleagues. Monitoring and
evaluation, as expressed previously, are also areas of concern for the organization.
8. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of inter-organizational linkages:
• Networks (type, nature, appropriate membership, utility, coordination, cost-benefit)
• Partnerships (type, nature, sustainability)
• Electronic linkages (communication networks, information equipment, information
resources, people of all skills/backgrounds)

Findings: This area of capacity was not as thoroughly assessed, yet there were instances in
survey responses and interviews that indicated the need for enhanced mechanisms and tools to
develop inter-organizational linkages, and partnerships. This was primarily raised within the
Junta Directiva in order to further develop the organization's impact, reputation, reach, and
overall financial sustainability.
Overall Findings
How does the organizational capacity affect organizational performance? What are the overall
strengths and weaknesses of organizational capacity?
The current organizational capacity of Asociación Mangle has larger areas of underdeveloped
potential. These areas can be strengthened through increased, meaningful participation of diverse
individuals within the organization, as well as through explicitly budgeted organizational time
and resources for this process. Internal change and development are long-term and iterative
processes that require flexibility and the willingness to "think outside of the box" so as to
determine the combination of controls, procedures and participation that make sense and are
functional for a given organization.

The overall strengths of Asociación Mangle are exhibited in the Capacity 2.0 competencies and
are quite innovative for the organization. This is evidenced by the operational processes that
exist between La Coordinadora and the way in which communications flow to and from the
communities. Although Asociación Mangle is very connected to the communities it serves, the
overall organizational infrastructure, as exhibited in the Capacity 1.0 competencies, is in need of
development.

24
Recommendations
After a thorough assessment of the data collected and an analysis utilizing the IDRC
Organizational Assessment tool, the capacity development team formulated a set of
recommendations. In addition to these recommendations, the capacity development team has
created an online “Manual of Administrative Tools” for the Junta Directiva and employees to
refer to as the organization undergoes this capacity development process.

The manual is available online at the following url: 9((I/[[5=(&5\,$$,1&\'$-[5=(&[-*+:*1@&-*+,1&[

The recommendations are as follows:

1. It is recommended that Asociación Mangle devise adequate management systems in order to

facilitate appropriate and effective communication, collaboration and coordination. With
these elements in place, it would achieve increased efficiency, more targeted and strategic
collaboration, and the delivery of higher quality services and interventions. These elementts
would apply to:

• Internal managing of administrative functions

• Organizational operations internal and external (administrative and programmatic)

2. Implementation of proper administrative procedures and policies, specifically for financial

management and human resource management. It is recommended that the Junta Directiva
revise as needed and implement aspects of “The Administrative Reorganization Proposal for
Asociación Mangle” (“La Propuesta de reorganizacion administrative para Asociación
Mangle”), a document prepared by Erica Aquino. It is specifically recommended that the
Junta Directiva carefully review the following sections of the Proposal:

• Manual de Funcion (pg. 7)

• Director Ejecutivo pg. 24
• Jefe Administrativo pg. 28
• Reglamento Interno de Trabajo (for the management of Human Resources)
• Manual de Politicas Contables (for the management of finances)
• Formatos: Annex
• Solicitud de vehiculos
• Solicitud de empleo

3. It is recommended that Asociación Mangle consider restructuring aspects of their

administrative operations and functions through the designation of a manager or director for
areas of concern, who could oversee the effectiveness and development of the corresponding
administrative functions within the organization. The positions are as follows:

• Director of Administration
• Manager of Human Resources
• Coordinator of Organizational Promotion
• Program Management Coordinator

25
 In the interim, it is recommended that Asociación Mangle develop the mechanisms and
systems that would fulfill the roles that each of these positions exercize. The electronic
manual will assist in elaborating upon the specifics of each of these positions.

4. It is recommended that Asociación Mangle implement mechanisms that foster participatory

practices within the organization. The team specifically recommends creating platforms for
the administrative staff to participate in the decision-making process, which would in theory
enhance their feeling of connection to the organization. The manual recommends various
strategies and suggestions for implementing these mechanisms.

5. It is recommended that the Team Monterey leadership work with the Junta Directiva to
establish an internship position to assist in the implementation of the proposed administrative
mechanisms and recommendations. Asociación Mangle should seek a student in the Masters
of Public Administration in International Management (MPA) program, who preferably is in
second semester and has initiated courses in the MPA program. Ideally this individual or
individuals would have already completed the Development Project Management Institute
(DPMI) at the Monterey Institute, as the skills obtained through that experience are
invaluable tools for developing the organizational capacity of Asociación Mangle. This
individual should also be proficient in facilitating technology and cloud computing
workshops, including basic computing literacy skills for beginners and the utilization of
google and blogging platforms

26
Appendix A
Purpose Tree - Árbol de Propósito

27
 Appendix B
Asociación Mangle as it relates to La
Coordinadora
!

28
 Appendix B.2
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M&5(#:'(:#=+,!

29
Appendix C
Marco De Análisis de las Respuesta de la Encuesta para Personal Permanente

Preguntas/Escala 1 2 3 4
Logros Buena Reputación en las Buen apoyo al desarrollo Buena coordinación X
comunidades de comunidades y comunicación
dentro comunidades
Retos Ser Autosuficientes y Aumentar la ampliación Mejor gestión dentro X
Auto- sostenibles de servicios en las la administración y
! comunidades proyectos
Fortalezas Buen trabajo en colectivo Confianza entre Buena experiencia en Buena
Administrativas comunidades y ellos trabajar con colaboración
mismos comunidades
Debilidades Falta de Recursos/ En Ser Falta de Comunicación Falta de capacidad Falta de
Administrativas Auto sostenibles técnica participación
colectiva en
funciones
administrativas
Eficacia Promedio 4 X X X
(Comunicación/
Coordinación
Fortalezas para Buena creación de alianzas Buena Responsabilidad Buenas éticas de X
Personal Permanente para promover con sus trabajos trabajo
oportunidades de trabajo
Debilidades/ Falta de Recursos (Esp. Aumentar comunicación Aumentar capacidad Implementar más
Repercusiones para Para las comunidades) y técnica control sobre
Personal para ser auto sostenibles funciones
Permanente operacionales

!
!
!
!

30
Appendix D
!Marco de análisis para la Junta Directiva!

Escala/Tema Necesidades Retos Fortalezas Debilidades Rol

1 Faltan Recursos Gestión de Cultura de Falta de claridad en Facilitadores
Financias / trabajo inclusivo roles administrativos para el
recursos y de equipo desarrollo de
humanos(general) comunidades
2 Sistema de Coordinación y Sistema de gestión Buena Falta de capacidad Entidad de
Comminicación(ambos para proyectos Reputacion con administratva gestión
para los empledos como Comunidad
programas)
3 Sistema de Evaluación y Desarrollo de Capacidad de Falta de capacidad Desarrollo para
Monitoreo capacidades dentro Establecer técnica la
de la JD para Alianzas autosuficiencia y
nuevos cambios sostenibilidad de
Mangle
4 Implementación de Desastres Personal Crisis !
sistemas de control Naturales capacitado y Económica=Exterior
(cuaderno blanco) compremetido

Se construyó una escala para prioritizar las respuestas de la Junta Directiva correspondiendo a la
relevancia de la pregunta/tema contestada. La prioridad se dio dependiendo de las tendencias y
similitudes en repuestas de cada pregunta contestada.

Escala: (1- Major Prioridad- 4 Menor Prioridad)

Amarillo: Grandes enfoques para el desarollo de capacidad dentro de la JD que representan

grandes oportunidades y necesidades

31
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
The Infrastructure Team-
The Impact of Potable Water
!
!
!
!
Monterey Institute of International Studies
A Graduate School of Middlebury College
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
"#&I*#&@!EQ/!!
C:'Q!8$@1$S5T*!
GTQ!)&9#=+,&#!
)&1=55*!G:--&#5!
D@*-!G(=&,1=(J!
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32
Infrastructure Team Final Report Acknowledgements

The Infrastructure team would like to thank the entire staff of La Coordinadora and Asociación
Mangle for their invaluable time, flexibility, access, information, and logistical coordination that
enabled our team to conduct our work. We are particularly grateful to Luis Orellana, the
Infrastructure Coordinator, for providing us with a comprehensive overview of the water
distribution system and all its facets. We would also like to thank Dina (last name?), the system’s
manager and administrator, for her time and feedback, as well as for coordinating interviews
with a wide variety of stakeholders, and accompanying the Infrastructure Team on a number of
site visits. David Marroquin, our liaison and local representative, was invaluable in his
facilitation of community meetings and household introductions, which enabled our team to
conduct household interviews, for which we are very grateful. Additional thanks go to Carlos
Quintalla, the accountant overseeing the Water Distribution project, for his assistance and access
to critical financial and accounting information.

The Infrastructure team would like to thank the communities of La Amistad and La Solidaridad
for their welcoming reception, their willingness to devote time and energy to speak with the
team, as well as for the honest and frank feedback received. Community leaders, Doña Paula and
Doña Berta, were indispensible in their facilitation of access to the community members at large.

Finally, our sincere gratitude goes to Adele Negro, our faculty and program director, as well as
our translator and interpreter, Hilda Díaz, for all of their guidance and assistance.

Executive Summary
Asociación Mangle’s Infrastructure Program, in conjunction with Engineers Without Borders,
designed, constructed, and began the implementation of a potable water distribution system in
the region of Tierra Blanca in 2007. Though the scope of the system is to eventually provide
potable water access to five rural communities, two of the five- La Amistad and La Solidaridad-
have already obtained access and have been using potable water for over two years. The primary
objective of the Infrastructure team’s study was to develop a baseline assessment as well as
determine the impact of potable water on the two communities since its implementation, with a
focus on four sectors: health, daily life, socioeconomics, and water usage. The intent of this
objective was to evaluate the system holistically, investigate problem areas, and provide
recommendations for the improvement of the expansion of the water system to the remaining
three villages. Secondary objectives of the study included an assessment of community needs,
determining areas of community interest for technical and professional training, and assessing
the relationship of the communities with Asociación Mangle.

33
Project Scope

Objectives

La Coordinadora (LC) and Asociación Mangle (AM) asked the Infrastructure team for assistance
to devise a baseline assessment that would measure the impact of their project. The
Infrastructure team interviewed key stakeholders and witnessed first hand how the water system
is administered within the communities. In order to provide La Coordinadora with a well-
rounded analysis of the project, the Infrastructure team aimed to achieve four separate objectives
throughout its research:

• Measure the impact of potable water in La Amistad and La Solidaridad

• Assess the need for future community infrastructure projects
• Determine areas of interest for technical training
• Assess the knowledge of and relationship between the communities and La
Coordinadora/Asociación Mangle.

The primary objective was to measure the impact of the potable water distribution system
(PWDS). Considering the complex nature of this task, the project plan was separated into four
components: health, daily life, socioeconomics, and water usage. To measure the health impact,
the frequency of diarrhea, parasites, and fungal infections, before and after the implementation of
the water distribution system, were compared. Results of this component were recorded
separately for adults and children. Effects of the water system on daily life and family dynamics
were gauged by determining specific changes in the quality of daily routine since receiving
potable water. Examples of these indicators include the amount of time saved from not having to
retrieve water from a well and how that newfound time is utilized. Cultural change,
implementation of the system, and issues such as cost and affordability were examined in order
to gain the perspective of socioeconomic impacts of the potable water distribution system.

The final indicator used to measure the impact of this system was usage and administration,
including the different manners in which potable water is used, how it is disposed of, and what
potential issues or problems arise throughout the administrative system and how they are dealt
with. As a whole, the aim of this objective was to provide information that would allow for
recommendations on ways to improve the water distribution system for current and future
beneficiaries.

Secondary objectives were also established in order to make recommendations in respect to

future projects. First, it was important to gain perspective from community members about their
needs. A general needs assessment was conducted in order to establish what different areas
might need improvement within the community. Also, once it was established that the potable
water distribution system created free time for its recipients, the Infrastructure team aimed to
determine the level of interest for technical training among community members. The goal of
this was to gain an understanding of ways to diversify and create new opportunities for income
generation. Both of these objectives were accomplished by including direct, open-ended
questions in the general baseline survey. Finally, the Infrastructure team included a portion of its
survey to assess the knowledge and relationship of the community with LC/AM in order to learn

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more about the local community perspective.

Goals

The team’s goals became narrower in scope once its objectives were established. Primarily, it
was important to have a full understanding of the different uses and practices of the PWDS,
because each household exemplified its own techniques. For example, some households
improvised a drainage system while others did not. It was necessary for the Infrastructure Team
to differentiate between each technique and understand why only some households were
benefiting from some sort of drainage system. This method of research led to a diversified
approach, allowing for the infrastructure team to closely examine different areas of the PWDS,
including but not limited to, system maintenance, administration, stakeholder involvement, and
community and household practices. Gaining this inside perspective allowed for other
predetermined goals to be reached. First, it would provide more beneficial recommendations to
communities who have, or will soon have, access to the PWDS. Second, it would help identify
different problem areas and communication gaps between homes, communities, and/or
organizations. Both of these goals were fundamental areas of focus that lay within the scope of
the original project.

Background
Faced with an array of challenges throughout its turbulent history, El Salvador is a country
accustomed to dealing with hardship. Inadequate infrastructure impedes on development,
leaving rural communities marginalized with basic human needs unmet. One example is the lack
of access to clean water. According to The World Bank Group, 32% percent of the rural
population in El Salvador does not have access to some improved water source. With a
government either unable or unwilling to take on this problem, the responsibility falls onto civil
society.

Initiated by La Coordinadora, a large community organization representative of many local

regions and villages, and its technical arm Asociación Mangle, the water distribution system was
constructed with the efforts of several entities and spearheaded by the Clemson University-based
Engineers Without Borders. Local decision-making processes with regards to service and
delivery to specific households has resided and continues to reside within smaller community
groups –some legal in scope- which include the Adescos, Grupos Locales, and village leadership.

The Infrastructure Team discovered through surveys and numerous interviews that the
Salvadoran Ministry of Health of El Salvador has legal authority to approve as well as terminate
any community project that involves health implications and the usage of land. This authority
rests within the public clinics, called Unidades de Salud, which are theoretically to be called
upon to conduct an assessment of a given community project and grant approval for the project
to be implemented. With no official approval having been granted for the water distribution
system and despite threats to shut the project down, no action has been taken to hinder or halt
development of the project. This is due to the fact that La Coordinadora and Asociación Mangle
provide vital public goods and services to a large majority of the population in the Bajo Lempa.

35
Before receiving access to potable water, the communities obtained water from artisanal wells,
which are manually constructed by individual families, who dig in the ground until they reach
water. Though widely used and still in existence, especially in communities that do not have
running water, the artisanal wells are often shallow, and contain water that is undrinkable and in
fact dangerous due to contamination from run-off and the lengthy usage of unsafe agricultural
fertilizers. Salvadoran families, especially those residing in rural areas, experience high rates of
kidney problems as well as death from kidney failure, a common condition strongly associated
with water contamination from waste and animal feces, as well as from chemical run-off.

Obtaining water from the artisanal wells involved making at least one arduous trip per day,
though sometimes many more. Buckets of water must be pulled from the well itself, which may
be a substantial distance away for families that do no have their own wells, any available
containers are filled, and the heavy load is carried back home. This activity is physically taxing
and quite exhausting, and most frequently performed by women, who carry containers of water
on top of their heads. As a result many women suffer from sores, chaffing and calluses on their
hands, as well as neck and back problems. The successful excavation, implementation and
testing of the water distribution system in the communities of La Amistad and La Solidaridad,
have put an end to the traditional fetching and usage of contaminated well water, at least for most
members of the communities.

Engineers Without Borders, along with a number of other organizations and the members of the
communities themselves, provided the materials for and installed the main infrastructure of the
system. La Coordinadora and Asociación Mangle purchased the well from a community member
in La Amistad, and cleaned and revitalized it in order to connect it to the water distribution
system. Individual households were responsible for excavating the land and installing the
pipelines that served as the connections to their homes. A critical aspect of the new potable water
distribution system, however, is that the system does not include a drainage mechanism. Water
that is delivered from the main pipe and used for all household duties, including cooking,
drinking, cleaning and washing, is disposed of by the families in a variety of ways. It is either
emptied directly onto their properties, sometimes “to settle the dust,” next to their homes, or onto
the lots of neighbors. It is also sometimes thrown directly onto the road and walkways around the
houses. This factor has many health and social implications that will be addressed in more detail.

Community Demographics

The communities of La Amistad and La Solidaridad, the first two to benefit from the potable
water distribution system, are unique in their structure and demographical composition. La
Amistad is comprised of approximately thirty households and La Solidaridad forty, the vast
majority of which are ran by women.

La Amistad, the smaller of the two communities, is divided by a single large dirt road, with all of
the families living on other side of the road. The housing units manifest different attributes and
levels of development. Some are made of brick or cement, while others have walls made of tin
slabs. Some homes have cement floors while others have dirt floors. Some of the families have a
mix of both in their living compounds. The land is predominantly flat. La Solidaridad, on the
other hand, is substantially larger, more spread out, and is located in areas of steeper land

36
elevation than La Amistad. The presence of hills in this community is significant because it
allows for more collection of run-off and stagnant water, especially during the rainy season.

The lots that the families live on are modest in size, with all of the families living in close
proximity to each other. None of the roads leading to or around the communities are paved.
There is no sewage system of any kind, and the roads themselves are narrow, uneven and contain
substantial amounts of stagnant water, animal feces, and garbage. Since there is no garbage
treatment or collection, most of the families burn their trash in self-contained fires on their
properties, usually on a daily basis.

As mentioned above, the mixture of rain, especially during the rainy reason, as well
as the constant presence of waste water that is regularly disposed of into the streets, fosters a
near-constant presence of mud and stagnant water. Both, in turn, lead to an increased infestation
of mosquitoes, foul smell, conflicts between neighbors, and general health concerns.

photo by Lucy Jodlowska

Household Demographics

Of the 35 households interviewed in the communities of La Solidaridad and La Amistad, 68.57%

had a family size of 4 or more, and 80% of households had at least 1 child under the age of 13.
The average daily wage14 per person in these households is $3.44 and individuals work an
average of 3.5515 days per week. In most households there was only one income earner. Average
household monthly income is approximately $140.62 including remittances; excluding
remittances, average household monthly income is approximately $135.91.16 There were only 7
households that received remittances, and only 2 out of those 7 had remittances as their only
income source. Table 1 shows the breakdown the income generation activities by percentages of
the households surveyed.

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Table 1: Income Generation by Activity (Percentage)
Activity Type Percentage Households
Participating in Activity
Farm work 45.90%
Washing clothes 11.48%
Selling (vegetables, clothes, etc.) 9.84%
Small store 1.64%
Cleaning Houses 1.64%
None 14.75%
Remittances 14.29%
Other (carpentry, construction, retirement) 11.48%

Of all income generating activities, the most frequently reported was farm work at 45.9%. The
people living in the communities of La Amistad and La Solidaridad have few opportunities for
work, and primarily must find work in the sugar cane fields. Field work is seasonal and,
therefore, very unstable. Often, there is not enough work for all those who seek it, and those
who do obtain it frequently work 15 days straight, and then go weeks or months without another
job. Furthermore, the farming industry, particularly sugarcane, is becoming much more
mechanized. Due to mechanization and seasonality, the members of these communities are
increasingly finding themselves without a steady income stream.

Public and Community Health

The issue of public health is now considered a high priority by the recently elected Funes
government. However, it has been a topic of much contention among Salvadoran communities.
Public health clinics, called Unidades de Salud, are the main centers for medical attention
available to rural communities such as La Amistad and La Solidaridad. Operating on limited
resources and providing very basic care, the health clinics are generally open from 7am to 2 or
3pm, with doctors and medical personnel attending to a substantial number of villagers, who
form long lines and are not all able to obtain treatment due to the sheer volume of patients.

In 2009, the new administration terminated the $1 service fee previously required from each
patient seeking medical attention in the Unidades de Salud. While an important change and an
improvement in the public health care system, the lifting of this service charge, along with other
public health changes, has overwhelmed the Salvadoran public health care system with the
increased numbers of medical-attention seekers who were previously unable to get care due to
lack of funds.

Community Health Workers

Public health workers, otherwise known as Promotores de Salud, visit most rural Salvadoran
communities, including the communities of La Amistad and La Solidaridad. The health workers
are usually from the communities or regions they service and only have several months of
training on basic medical attention. Their priorities lie in visiting families with pregnant women
and small children, distributing vaccinations for children as well as household animals, keeping

38
diligent records of community illnesses, birth and mortality rates, as well as providing families
with information on sanitation, basic hygiene and trash disposal. The health workers also
distribute anti-mosquito pills to be deposited in water containers and barrels to prevent mosquito-
borne diseases, particularly malaria and dengue fever.

Health workers’ services are fairly comprehensive and address many areas of health and
household sanitation. However, due to the low ratio of community health workers per number of
families, the Infrastructure team discovered substantial discrepancies in terms of which families
were actually visited by the health workers. Some families reported having been visited at least
twice a month, while others (mostly the ones with older children), claimed not to have been
visited by health workers in months.

The Infrastructure team’s main focus in researching the area of community health trends and
health records among the rural communities was to analyze the variations in water-borne
illnesses and their frequency before and after access to potable water. It was found that the main
areas of current concern are mostly centered around other infrastructure related issues,
specifically those pertaining to a fundamental lack of garbage collection and management.

Water Distribution System

Administration

As of the first year and eight months of the implementation of the potable water system, each
household was charged $3.50 per month for water access, which was rationed based on the time
of day the water was available. In September 2009, Asociación Mangle chose to revise the
administration of the water system because the previous billing system had become too costly for
AM and was not sustainable. As such, a meter was installed in each household to measure its
monthly water consumption. Each household was now charged for their water consumption at
$0.10 per meter3 of water consumed plus a reduced base cost (cuota base) of $2.50. However,
while households were informed of this change and of the decrease in cost, their bills, until
recently, did not reflect the two charges; they only reflected the total amount charged. As one can
imagine, this caused great concern among the households because they had been told that the
base cost would go “down” but only “saw” their bill go up. They did not understand how the
charges were broken down or why they were broken down the way they were. While 71.43% of
households interviewed knew that their bill included a base cost, only 64% of those who were
aware of the existence of the base cost knew what it was used for. As a result, a great deal of
confusion was observed among the communities about how much they were being charged, and
many began to feel discontented with the cost of water.

Installation

The main infrastructure (revitalization of the well, main pipelines, etc.) for the water distribution
system was installed and paid for by Engineers Without Borders, a number of its partners,
volunteers, and La Coordinadora and Asociación Mangle. However, each family was responsible
for installing the connection from the main pipeline to their house and paying for the materials

39
needed in order to do the installation. Based on the households surveyed, the average cost to
households for the installation materials was approximately $36.89. However, this number
tended vary greatly due to the fact that some peoples purchased their materials at the local
hardware store as opposed to directly from AM, thus having to pay a marked-up price. Other
families also chose to include their purchase of an individual meter ($20) in their total cost,
which created a disparity in the numbers reported to the team. Figure 2 shows the percentage
breakdown of how households paid for the installation materials. Other payment methods
included donations or working in exchange for the materials, which amounted to only 4 out of 31
households.

Figure 2: Payment Methods for Installation Materials

Cost of Water

Initially, the households in La Amistad and La Solidaridad were charged a fixed price of $3.50
per month for water. The households were allowed to consume as many cubic meters of water as
they desired while the water was on. AM rationed the amount of water consumed by having it
turned on only during certain times of day. However, in September 2009, this system was
changed because of exorbitant energy costs, which were rendering the system unsustainable. AM
was not able to cover its fixed costs17 by only charging the households $3.50 per month.
Furthermore, during the hours that the water was turned on, households were not rationing their
own consumption, understandably because their monthly bill never changed.

Each household was required to purchase a small meter to be installed on their property in order
to measure the quantity of water consumed per household per month. The base cost was reduced
to $2.50 per month and the charge per meter was at $0.10. The base cost continued to cover
personnel and maintenance costs, but the amount charged per household for consumption went
directly to cover the cost of electricity. In this way, Asociación Mangle would be able to recover
all of its expenses and be able to maintain the system. During the first month of the new system,
individual households continued to consume an exorbitant amount of water18 despite the fact that

40
they knew they were being charged for consumption. It was not until the first bill arrived that
they began to change their consumption habits in order to reduce the amount of their monthly
bills.

As can be seen in Table 36, the average cost of water has continued to decrease for the members
of La Amistad and La Solidaridad (See Table 3)19.

Table 3: Average Cost of Water20

Average cost of water (November 2009) $5.09
Average cost of water (January 2010)21 $3.00

The average monthly income per household in the communities of La Amistad and La
Solidaridad was determined to be approximately $135.91. At $3.00 per month for water, this cost
represents 2.22% of household monthly income in these communities. While this appears to be a
relatively low percentage of monthly income paid for water, it must be kept in mind that the
estimations of monthly income are approximate at best, due to the fact that most of the work
available to these households is variable and unstable. When asked whether or not they felt that
the monthly charges for water were fair, the majority of households indicated that it was a
necessary expense, but that they often had to forego buying a certain food item in order to pay
for water. Additionally, a large percentage of the households had purchased the materials for the
water installation, including the meters, on credit from Asociación Mangle and were currently
also paying those bills. Therefore, taking into account the fact that the price structure had
recently changed, the following is a distribution of the answers respondents gave regarding
whether or not they could afford water:

Figure 4: Affordability of Potable Water

41
Methodology

Multidisciplinary Approach

To successfully attain its objectives, it was necessary for the Infrastructure team to utilize a
multidisciplinary approach. With a variety of actors, each having a stake and a wealth of
knowledge on the status quo, it was important to learn from them before implementing the
research aspect of the project. These stakeholders included program coordinator Luis Orellana,
system administrator Dina Armina-Gómez, Carlos Quintanilla, the system accountant, public and
private health officials, and local community leaders.

Tour of Communities and Pump-House

Once the Infrastructure team had a comprehensive understanding of the scope of the project, the
team took a tour of the communities to see how the potable water distribution system worked.
Communities yet to receive potable water were easily identified by the presence of women
carrying water back to their homes. Communities with the potable water system each had a
visible faucet, usually accompanied by water in the streets or in the patios. The team also visited
the heart of the potable water distribution system, the pump-house, which was located within
walking distance of both La Amistad and La Solidaridad.

Interviews with Administrators and Coordinators

Luis Orellana, the Infrastructure Program Coordinator, was the first administrator interviewed.
Luis explained the basics of the water project, such as the administrative procedures and how the
construction and piping system works. The second person interviewed was Dina (insert last
name), the manager of the water system, who provided information about specific administrative
procedures of the potable water system. She also coordinated logistics and set up a number of
meetings for the team. In addition, she offered insight regarding problems, as well as ideas for
topics to be incorporated within the survey. Dina informed the team that she was at its disposal
for all three weeks and was willing to help in any way possible. For the rest of that week she set
up appointments, assisted in scheduling a community assembly, and provided important
information about the local context, history, and community dynamics. The last administrator
interviewed was Carlos Quintanilla, the accountant for the water system. Carlos offered a
comprehensive perspective on accounting and administrative procedures along with providing
the team with financial statements. These statements allowed for the team to evaluate the system
and offer sound recommendations on ways to increase administrative efficiency.

Visits to Health Clinics and Interviews with Doctors/Health Promoters

The team visited two health clinics in order to gain a better understanding of the local health care
opportunities in Tierra Blanca and Bajo Lempa. The first clinic was privately owned and staffed
by a small team of volunteers. The doctor in charge of the clinic advised the team of the private
clinic’s preference to attend to fewer patients but to give them better quality care and discuss
illness prevention strategies. He also acknowledged that access to potable water in the two rural
communities improved the overall health conditions of the system’s beneficiaries.

42
The second clinic visited was a state-run public clinic. During this visit the team interviewed the
clinic’s sole doctor; however an administrative officer working for the government’s Ministry of
Health also entered the room during the interview and interjected his feedback. The team’s
intention was to ask similar questions and compare answers from the doctors of the private and
public clinics to see how they differed, if at all. It was the impression of the team, however, that
the doctor from the public clinic was unable to speak frankly because of the administrative
official’s presence. Having witnessed the power dynamics within the public health care clinic,
the team was able to incorporate this interview as a useful part of its research.

The Infrastructure team also interviewed local health promoters. The government assigns a
health worker to a specific region in the field to provide medical assistance for citizens who are
unable to visit the clinic. Health promoters are trained to help with basic medical problems and
are mostly accustomed to working with pregnant women and children. They are responsible for
both human and animal vaccinations, ensuring proper water maintenance, as well as offering
guidance on hygiene practices and other domestic issues. The health promoters provided the
Infrastructure team with useful information on health problems in the communities where the
team was working. This information, juxtaposed with the information provided by the clinics,
provided the Infrastructure team with an overall impression of the most predominant health
concerns in the region.

Community Assembly

The last objective of the Infrastructure team prior to drafting the initial survey was to hold a
community assembly, designed to bring together the future interviewees for a preliminary,
introductory meeting. The purpose was to introduce the team, offer information on the study and
its intended objectives, and address any initial questions or concerns from the participants. This
assembly turned out being very productive, as it created a comfort zone and initiated a
relationship between the team and the community members. Afterwards, the team was able to
interview Dona Paula, a community leader, as well as the community plumber, who was the
main contact person in case any technical difficulties arose with the water system.

Survey Design

The Infrastructure team gathered enough information to draft a household survey after the initial
interviews with the key administrative stakeholders were held. At this stage of the project, its
scope began to grow as the team became aware of all the different aspects of the potable water
distribution system. Besides asking questions directly related to water, the team would also need
to obtain personal and health information, determine socio-cultural changes with before and after
comparisons, and examine the role of women. The survey’s first draft was very comprehensive,
but a pilot interview proved it to be too complicated. Before beginning household interviews,
the Infrastructure team had to shorten, simplify, or omit many of the questions. This turned into a
very lengthy and complex process, which included consultations with locals in order to identify
and use common, widely understood terminology, avoid misleading questions, and make sure to
include a range of both closed and open-ended questions were included.

43
Household Interviews

Interviews in La Amistad and La Solidaridad were conducted on a house-to-house basis. The

Infrastructure team split up and conducted interviews in groups of two. David Marroquin, the
team’s liaison with La Coordinadora, made introductions at each home before the survey began.
After ensuring that team members were welcome into the homes, David then left the group
alone, and the interview was conducted in privacy. Before each interview began, the interviewee
was reminded that all information was confidential and anonymous. Most interviewees were
willing to speak honestly and frankly about issues regarding their personal lives and how they
have been affected by the potable water distribution system. In addition to conducting
interviews, the team documented and photographed the water system and any quasi-drainage
systems, as well as the physical landscape affected by stagnant or grey water.

photo by Ryan Gonzalez

Preliminary Report/Recommendations; Presentation to Asociación Mangle

The last days of the team’s work in El Salvador were spent preparing a preliminary report for
Asociación Mangle. This consisted of a brief summary on what was accomplished, the
methodology and process followed in order for the team to meet its goals and objectives, general
observations, and preliminary recommendations based on the initial results from the survey. On
the final day in El Salvador, the report was presented to Asociación Mangle, board and program
coordinators, and community leaders.

Assumptions and Results

Throughout the various stages of the survey process it became apparent that the team had
embarked on the project with certain assumptions and presuppositions that influenced both the
process and the interpretation of the data collected. Each of these assumptions is highlighted
below, immediately followed by the team’s findings and results.

The team assumed that beneficiaries of the potable water system would understand what potable
water meant, why it was healthier than well water, and that it was preferable to well water.

44
Furthermore, the team believed that the communities would not hesitate to drink the potable
water, and would harbor no doubts about the resulting differences they observed from the
chlorination. However, when the water initially became accessible, many residents doubted its
quality given the difference in color and taste resulting from the chlorination. The majority of
respondents did not understand the health implications of potable water. While all appreciated
the improved access, many did not believe that it was healthier than untreated well water. Some
individuals distrusted the chlorination process and believed that the chlorine used to purify the
water was toxic and led to kidney failure. As indicated by the occurrence of doubt (60% of
respondents had doubts about potable water prior to installation) and the reasons causing that
doubt, there appeared to be a lack of information, or a failure in the dissemination of information
regarding potable water (See Table 5). Nevertheless, 80% of respondents now believe that
potable water is safer than well water, while 17.14% of respondents believed it is not safer and
2.86% believe there is no difference.

Table 5: Reasons for Doubt regarding the Safety of Potable Water

Reason for Doubt Percentage of interviewees who had doubt
Different Taste 2.86%
Different Color (white at the beginning) 22.86%
Different Odor 0.00%
Fear of too much chlorine 25.71%
Potable water is unhealthy 5.71%
Well had been stagnant for a long time 3.00%

It was assumed that the health impact from the water distribution system would be easy to
distinguish from impacts caused by other factors that had changed within a similar time frame.
The consequent health impact of potable water would be dramatic, easily observed, and easily
quantifiable. While there had been a notable improvement in the overall health of the families
since the installation and usage of potable water, the team recognized that there had been a
number of other recent changes that would also have affected their health. The residents of the
two communities had been living in cardboard houses next to train tracks, without latrines or
access to potable water roughly a decade prior to the team’s visit. After an earthquake in 2001
had demolished their homes, they were relocated to the area that would become the communities
of La Amistad and La Solidaridad. LC and AM assisted them in building better quality homes.
Within the past four years they were given compostable latrines, followed by access to potable
water. All of these changes happened within an overlapping period and all entail a significant
impact on the quality of life and health of the people. It was therefore exceedingly difficult to
ascertain which of these changes was most influential in creating the drastic improvement to
health that was observed throughout the two communities, and what specific impact the
installation of the potable water system had.

It was assumed that water-borne diseases, specifically caused by contaminated well water, would
be the most prevalent health problems for the population in question and it was expected that
these would have decreased significantly after the implementation of the potable water system.
The team discovered a marked decrease in incidences of diarrhea and parasites, particularly
among children under the age of thirteen, as noted by parents and health workers. However, the

45
data did not reflect an equally significant decrease in other water related illnesses, such as kidney
failure and fungus infections.

Given the lack of available, concrete data and the uncertainty of the interviewees’ memory, the
team chose to measure the impact by categorizing the changes as: “less,” “more,” “no change,”
or “not applicable/relevant.” In this way, the team was able to gauge whether or not access to
potable water had any significant impact on the health of the families in the communities of La
Amistad and La Solidaridad. As can be seen in Figure 6, 31% of adults and 29% of children
experienced no change or did not suffer (adults – 49%, children – 51%) from fungus infections
before or after potable water. In the case of parasites, the team observed a reduction in
occurrence. However, the team expected to observe a more significant decrease in occurrence
than was actually the case. As can be seen in Figure 8, 43% of adults responded that they
suffered less from parasites, and 34% of parents responded that their children experienced fewer
infections from parasites. This also contradicted the expectation because children are generally
more susceptible to illnesses, a greater decrease in infection rates for children would be
observed. In the case of diarrhea, 49% of adults experienced fewer occurrences while 46% of
children experienced fewer occurrences (See Figure 7). In all three illnesses, fewer than half of
the households had experienced a decrease in infection rates. In particular, only 17% and 6% of
adults and children, respectively, experienced lower rates of fungus infections after having
access to potable water.

Figure 6: Incidence of Fungus Infections

46
Figure 7: Incidence of Diarrhea

Figure 8: Incidence of Parasites

It was assumed that the beneficiaries would have a clear understanding of the water system’s
billing process. This was not the case, however. There was a considerable lack of general
understanding about the water system within the communities. The majority of those interviewed
did not understand the charges and fees on their bill or adequately comprehend the consequences
of late or defaulted payments. As previously noted, there had recently been a number of changes
to the administration of the water distribution system and its billing structure as well as a lack of
communication to the beneficiaries about the changes.

It was assumed that the women in the communities would occupy a social role that was
secondary and subservient to the males, and that the community would be largely male

47
dominated. However, in a large majority of the homes that the team visited the men were absent.
The women were the sole wage earners and the heads of the household. Due to the considerable
absence of men, or the lack of participation by those present, the women ran and maintained the
community. They had built their own community centers, dug their own drainage ditches and
installed the pipes for the water system in their own homes. They worked in the fields, raised the
animals, and cared for the children. The women held community leadership roles and were
undeniably the authority when it came to making decisions for the community as a whole.
During the community meeting that was held to introduce the team and the project, the gathering
was comprised entirely of women, while a few men lingered outside the building.

Community meeting with families from La Solidaridad and La Amistad.

photo by Lucy Jodlowska

The team assumed there would be a general understanding of the connection between hygiene
practices and the resulting health effects. Yet, there was considerable variation in both the
hygiene practices and the level of understanding about the consequences of such practices. In
many cases either the children or the adults, or both, in a household were walking around the
house and the yard without shoes during the interview. This posed a health problem due to the
unsanitary conditions in which the majority of the people live. The floors of the homes were
often made of dirt, and it was not uncommon for animals such as chickens, pigs and dogs to also
wander freely around the house. Outside the house, in the yard, there was invariably a mixture of
used water and animal feces. Some households maintained their yards more vigilantly than
others so that the water and feces were confined only to a specific part of the yard, but others
showed evidence of little maintenance. There seemed to be a lack of understanding about the
health consequences of this exposure to dirty water and excrement.

48
 A&+5!*+@!$(9&#!*+=-*15!*#&!5&&+!
N&&@=+,!*+@!S*1T=+,!N#&&1Q!(9#$:,9!
N*-=1=&5]!9$-&5!*+@!51&&I=+,!W:*#(&#5\!!
!

photo by Lucy Jodlowska

The team’s understanding of a water distribution system was based upon the assumption that it
would include a drainage mechanism. The most striking aspect observed was the lack of and dire
necessity for a drainage system to evacuate the water used by each household. The used water
was routinely collected in open ditches or receptacles where it became a potential breeding
ground for mosquitoes. In some households, when the ditch or receptacle was full, it was
emptied onto the patio or into the street. For some homes this is not a problem during the dry
season because the water quickly evaporates. However, many homes and sometimes whole
communities are plagued by puddles of stagnant water that run through their yards or in front of
their houses, mixing with animal excrement and trash. The problems caused by this runoff and
the lack of a drainage system is significantly exacerbated during the rainy season. When asked
what they do with their used water, given the lack of a drainage system, 65.7% of the
respondents indicated they throw it on their yard to control the dust (See Figure 9). It should be
noted here that the survey was conducted during the summer season in El Salvador, which is a
very dry time of year. The respondents did comment that, during the rainy season, disposing of
the used water becomes a much more difficult process due to ground saturation and the lack of
outlets for the water. Problems associated with stagnant water, such as dengue fever and malaria,
are much more common and worrisome during the winter months. Given the problems
associated with stagnant water and lack of drainage, the infrastructure team chose to survey
respondents regarding their opinion with respect to the necessity of a drainage system.

49
Figure 9: Disposing of Grey Water

The significant variation among the personal water distribution and drainage system of the
households was correlated with the amount of effort and funds that were dedicated to the
installation and maintenance of the system. Most households accessed the water in a similar
fashion. They would fill a large water basin directly from the tap and use it for all of the
household needs, though sometimes there was a second tap in the yard used for showering.
While this was fairly standard, the team observed far more variation in how the used water was
disposed of. There were cases where the water simply ran off from wherever it was used in the
yard, and cases where it flowed through a shallow open ditch to a hole dug at the edge of the
yard. Often there were chickens, pigs and excrement mingling with the stagnant, soapy water in
the ditches and the catch holes. Some houses, however, had used plastic tubing to create a rough-
made drainage system that transported the water in a contained manner to a catch ditch that was
covered and well maintained. In the communities where the majority of households regularly
maintained their personal drainage systems there were minimal problems with standing water
around the houses and in the streets.

The team assumed that services and support from Asociación Mangle would be provided to
people in the communities according to their needs, and that these needs would be the only
deciding criteria. Throughout the interview process, it remained unclear what criteria were used
in selecting who was to receive donated materials for the installation of the water system, who
was considered for leniency in regards to late payments and termination of services, and who
received other amenities and services such as new kitchens, stoves and home
expansion/improvement. While some families with few young children and adequate income had
received special hardship consideration when unable to pay their bills, other families who

50
demonstrated obvious hardship - a lack of funds and insufficient means to provide for their
families - were not given special consideration. Some families seemed to live in relative comfort,
having received the majority of services and materials offered by Asociación Mangle, while
other families lived in obvious need of assistance, yet had not received the same materials and
services.

It was expected that the greatest change reported by respondents in terms of the water system’s
impact would be substantial health improvement. The most prevalent response that was
highlighted by the majority of the households, however, was that the beneficiaries now had much
more free time and their quality of life had improved.
Prior to the implementation of the water distribution system, the families of La Amistad and La
Solidaridad spent approximately 90 minutes per day (1.25 times per day)22 gathering water from
either a personal or neighbor’s well.23 All households surveyed were very happy and satisfied
with having access now to clean, potable water, and felt that it had a significant impact on their
lives. Among the specific impacts mentioned, reduced stress received the most frequent mention
at 31%, followed by more free time and more accessibility at 29% each, and not having to bother
the neighbors anymore at 17% (See Figure 10).

The concept of having more free time has a multitude of implications, none of which was lost on
these communities. As can be seen in Figure 11, having potable water, and therefore more free
time, has had a significant impact on the daily lives and incomes of the households surveyed.
The members of these households now have more time to do housework and gather firewood for
cooking (43% of respondents), more time to rest (37%) and more time to work and generate
income for their families (31% of respondents).

51
Figure 10: Greatest Impact of Potable Water

Figure 11: Use of Free Time

52
Recommendations

Income Generating Skills Workshops

The team recommends that Asociación Mangle offer a series of workshops to the communities in
order to teach new income-generating skills that water recipients may utilize during their
increased free time. When asked what the biggest impact to their lives had been since the
installation of the water distribution system, the overwhelming majority of respondents reported
that it was the increased accessibility of water and the resulting increase in free time. Many of
those interviewed expressed great interest in learning new skills that would allow them to use
this additional time in order to earn more money, given the opportunity to do so. Both men and
women, whether they were heads of household or not, were asked what sort of skills or training
they desired. The majority of the women (31%) said that they would be interested in learning
how to sew, in order to make clothes not only for their family members but also to sell (See
Figure 12). The majority of men (33%) said that they would be interested in learning how to be
an electrician and 22% said they would like to learn anything that would allow them to earn
more money (See Figure 13).

Figure 12: Female Respondents’ Interest in Learning New Skill

53
Figure 13: Male Respondents’ Interest in Learning New Skills

Communication Between Asociación Mangle and Water System Beneficiaries

Given the considerable lack of understanding the team encountered in the communities regarding
the water services, the fees, and the administrative procedures entailed, it is highly recommended
that efforts be made to improve communication between Asociación Mangle and the
beneficiaries of the services. While a letter of agreement was signed upon implementation of
services, the beneficiaries frequently reported not knowing or understanding the details and facts
that were stated in the agreement. It is therefore recommend that upon signing any future
agreements, a member of Asociación Mangle meet down with the beneficiary to ensure that the
agreement and the details of service are understood, including payment dates and processes, rates
and fees, and the nature of the cuota base (baseline fee). Asociación Mangle should devise a
checklist that would be used during this information session to ensure that all aspects of the
service and the person’s responsibilities are covered in this meeting. Since many of the
beneficiaries do not read, the agreement may need to be read and further explained to them.

Additionally, it is recommended that recipients of the water distribution services be kept apprised
of changes to the system and the functioning of the administration as it pertains to them. The
recent and current changes taking place within the administration have caused confusion within
the communities, especially among those who had an understanding of the original agreement
and arrangement. In order to ensure that the people understand what happens with the system and
what their duties and responsibilities are it is recommended that they be notified of changes in
the administration that will affect them. While it may be too time-consuming to inform people
individually, this information could be imparted at a community meeting, or to a community
representative whose responsibility it would then be to pass the information along.

54
Drainage System and Eventual Water Treatment System

The team highly recommends the implementation of sanitary wastewater disposal practices, the
installation of individual drainage systems, and eventually the pursuit of a mass drainage system
for the communities that have access to potable water. One of the most salient needs the team
observed during the evaluation of the water system was that of an accompanying drainage
system. As a first step in addressing this necessity, it is recommended that during the installation
process the beneficiaries be given help to install a drainage system and instruction on how to
maintain it. The most functional personal systems observed simply employed a hose or tube that
carried the wastewater from the place it was used to a catch basin or hole that was kept covered
to protect it from mosquitoes. As long as the wastewater was transported in this contained
fashion, and as long as the catch basin was emptied regularly, there were minimal problems with
standing water around the house. However, while this solution may prove effective during the
dry season in small communities, it provides no remedy for problems caused during the rainy
season and will not suffice as a means of disposal for wastewater as the number of people using
the system increases.

In order to mitigate the problems caused by the mingling and inundation of rainwater and
wastewater during the rainy season, it is recommended that Asociación Mangle help the
communities to create a more extensive and comprehensive drainage system. Considering the
current funds and resources available to Asociación Mangle and the communities, the team
recommends as an immediate remedy, the adoption of simple, cost-effective approaches, such as
a French Drain system.11 This system could be used to transport the community’s used water to
an appropriate drainage site. If the funds or resources are available, the water from the drains
could be channeled to a storage unit or area where the community or a designated representative
could oversee and manage the disposal.

As a long-term objective Asociación Mangle should investigate the possibility of installing a

more effective and permanent drainage system, as well as water treatment system. The
construction and implementation of such a system would require the collaboration of several

55
agencies, the means to build the infrastructure, and likewise the means to maintain it. However,
as the communities continue to grow and as the water distribution system expands, the
consequences of having inadequate drainage will become increasingly detrimental to the health
and sanitary conditions of the people.

Overwhelmingly, 82.86% said that a drainage system was absolutely necessary, while only
17.14% said it was not.

Education About Potable Water

It is recommended that that there be a community focused informational session about potable
water to inform the beneficiaries about how the system functions and what potable water is, and
what the health consequences of drinking untreated water are. This information will help the
people to understand the importance of following the hygienic practices necessary to reap the full
health benefits of their access to treated water. Many of the respondents the team spoke to did
not fully understand the concept of potable water. They did not all understand that the water they
were receiving from the system was healthier, or that the chlorine added to purify it did not have
detrimental health consequences.

Education About Water Treatment

In order to avoid confusion over water treatment, the community should receive some sort of
education or training about the procedures involved. The health care workers provide families
with pills to put in their water that prevent it from becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
However, they also supply chlorine pills to some families so that they may purify their own
water when needed (as in the case of a power outage or other disturbance in the delivery of
potable water that would lead them to use water from artisanal wells again). The team
encountered confusion in the communities over which pill was to be used and when. This
confusion and lack of understanding have potentially hazardous consequences that could be
avoided if explanation and training were provided along with the pills.

Proactive Education and Preparation in Communities Awaiting Water System

The team further recommends that education about potable water, hygienic practices, water
treatment and drainage systems begin taking place in those communities that do not yet have
access to the water system. Proactive education about these issues could help to avoid
complications or confusion once the people have access to the system and become beneficiaries
with obligations to Asociación Mangle. Additionally, imparting the information prior to service
delivery could potentially alleviate some problems associated with sanitation and lack of
drainage that the communities may be currently experiencing.

Strengthening of communication between LC/AM and public health clinics

During interviews with potable water system administrations as well as the public health clinic,
which is run by the Ministry of Health, it was noted that there exists a lack of communication
and coordination between the two bodies with regards to the potable water distribution system as

56
well as previous community projects. Though historical and political circumstances may have
influence on the relationship between the two stakeholders, LC/AM provides the service delivery
while the Ministry of Health, through the public health clinics, has legal authority over projects
that affect community health. As it was conveyed to the Infrastructure Team, the public health
clinics have knowledge of health trends, terrain and geological information relevant to ground
water and wells, along with other demographical and technical data which they feel is essential
to such development projects. Citizens and associations such as Asociación Mangle allegedly do
not directly consult the public health clinic prior to initiating such projects and it is feared this
could lead to potentially negative environmental impacts. On the other hand, community project
organizers allege experiencing roadblocks, bureaucratic obstacles, and the imposition of being
charged lofty fees when attempting to initiate community projects, all of which prove to be
detrimental to the projects themselves. It is recommended that the stakeholders communicate an
understanding of each others’ needs in an open forum or through a series of focus groups, where
the two sides could discuss and communicate concerns and grievances to each other via a neutral
facilitator.

Suggestions for Additional Services

During the survey and household interview process, the Infrastructure Team asked the families
what improvements or modifications they would like to see in their communities. A large portion
of the respondents (31%) said that, first and foremost, they would like improvements to be made
to their homes. These included new walls, flooring, roofing, as well as additional rooms.
Additionally, 14% of respondents would also like a park or recreation area for their children to
play in (See Figure 14). Other suggestions included improvements in infrastructure, such as
paved roads and a drainage/sewage system, as well as new financial and entrepreneurial
opportunities.

Figure 14: Suggestions for Other Services

57
Needs-Based Distribution of Services

Finally, it is recommended that Asociación Mangle assess household need as a basis to

determine eligibility for services and consider hardship when dealing with an inability to pay (or
to pay on time) for water services. Selection for receipt of services and consideration for leniency
in application of penalties should be assessed strictly according to the circumstances the recipient
is facing, his/her willingness to cooperate with Associación Mangle, and the ability of the
association to provide aid or services. Eligibility for services and special consideration should be
equitable and offered based on need, not on any other criteria.

Conclusion

Implementing a potable water distribution system that reaches a number of communities is a

logistical and administrative challenge, and various elements have to be considered in order to
guarantee the system’s success. Some of the most critical aspects include educating the
communities with respect to the benefits of potable water, dispelling any preexisting health
myths that may exist, and ensuring that the communities understand the administration and
billing structure of a new system. Any changes to such a system, especially those involving
financing or payment structures, must be clearly and expediently communicated to the
beneficiaries.

Furthermore, a cost/benefit analysis should be conducted to assess the dynamics of an increased

number of water recipients, the necessity and numerical value of the cuota base and whether
current administrative practices should remain the same, and whether hiring and training
additional staff or plumbers to maintain the water system in the three additional communities
would be necessary.

Other important considerations include ensuring proper maintenance of the water system and
water-related hygiene practices, as well as the critical issue of how to address the lack of
drainage. The problem of stagnant water and increased possibility of mosquito-borne diseases
must be addressed, either via improved draining strategies or communal decisions on where to
dispose of wastewater.

Nevertheless, the impact of potable water on the two studied communities has been
overwhelmingly positive. Though still modest in health improvements, the quality of life has
vastly improved, along with a decrease in stress and an increase in free time as a result of not
having to make daily trips to gather well water. Also observed in many households was the
desire to acquire new skills and improve the family’s income generation options. Many women
expressed an interest in learning how to sew, make bread, and set up their own micro enterprises,
while men expressed interest in carpentry, electrical work, and construction. Both sexes
acknowledged that they would welcome learning just about anything “to earn money”.

What the Infrastructure team’s findings point to is a series of socio-economic dynamics which
present a picture of communities that desire and need further improvements in infrastructure and
living conditions just as much as they need new income generating opportunities to further
improve their quality of life. It is strongly recommended that future infrastructure projects focus

58
on garbage and waste treatment and collection efforts. These are critical for community and
family health as is the need for water drainage, an area that sooner rather than later should be
addressed.

Having said that, the Infrastructure team sees the above two areas, waste treatment and collection
and an expansion of the water project to address water drainage and administrative
improvements, as areas of future collaboration and continued partnership between La
Coordinadora and Team Monterey. Should agreement on either or both of the above project
proposals be mutually shared, Team Monterey is prepared to effectively transition into the next
phase of project work.

59
Appendix 1

Schedule of Activities

Week One:
Monday, January 4, 2010:
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM: Meeting with the Junta Directiva of La Coordinadora and Asociación
Mangle
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM: Meeting with Luis Orellana, Director of Infrastructure Program
2:30 PM – 6:00 PM: Tour of La Amistad, La Solidaridad and other communities in Tierra
Blanca
Met with Paula and Berta, community leaders for La Amistad and La Solidaridad
Tuesday, January 5, 2010:
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Day spent defining project objectives and infrastructure program needs.
Created work plan and timeline
Began working on survey questions

Wednesday, January 6, 2010:

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Meeting with Dina, water program administration supervisor.
2:00 PM- 6:00 PM: Worked on developing survey for meeting with the health clinics and
doctors.

Thursday, January 7, 2010:

8:30 AM – 2:00 PM: Visited the private medical clinic and the Unidad de Salúd (public health
clinic).
Met with the doctors from both clinics as well as the Inspector of the Unidad de Salúd.
3:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Prepared for community meeting in La Solidaridad on Friday.
Developed interview questions for Paula and Alex (the plumber).

Friday, January 8, 2009:

2:00 PM – 5:30 PM: Community meeting in La Solidaridad with the community members from
La Solidaridad and La Amistad.
Requested permission to visit each family in their homes the following week to interview them.
Interviewed both Paula and Alex

Week Two:
Monday, January 11, 2010:
8:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Completed household survey
2:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Visited La Amistad and conducted first interview
Interview last 1 ! hours

60
Team determined that the survey was too long and needed revision
7:30 PM – 9:30 PM: Debrief and began re-writing survey

Tuesday, January 12, 2010:

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Re-wrote survey, deleted unnecessary questions and added new ones.
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM: Tested survey by interviewing our host mothers
2:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Conducted 8 interviews in the community of La Amistad
7:30 PM- 9:30 PM: Debrief and designed template for inputting data

Wednesday, January 13, 2010:

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Inputted data from surveys
1:30 PM – 5:30 PM: Conducted 9 interviews in the community of La Solidaridad
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM: Debrief and data input

Thursday, January 14, 2010:

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Inputted data from surveys
1:30 PM – 6:30 PM: Conducted 9 interviews in the community of La Solidaridad
7:30 PM – 10:00 PM: Debrief and full team meeting

Friday, January 15, 2010:

Parque Nacional El Impossible

Week Three:
Monday, January 18, 2010:
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Inputted data from surveys
1:30 PM – 6:30 PM: Conducted 4 interviews in La Solidaridad and 5 interviews in La Amistad.
7:30 PM – 10:00 PM: Inputted data from surveys

Tuesday, January 19, 2010:

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Inputted data from surveys and began outline for preliminary report.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010:

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Met with Luis, Dina and Carlos (accountant)
1:00 PM – 5:30 PM: Assisted with the release of baby turtles on the Bay of Jiquilisco
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Completed outline for preliminary report and began writing preliminary
report.

Thursday, January 21, 2010:

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Completed preliminary report.
Two team members met with the health promoter from San Hilario

61
12:30 PM – 6:00 PM: Visit to sugar cane mill in San Vicente
7:00 PM – 11:00 PM: Edited and revised preliminary report in Spanish

Friday, January 22, 2010:

9:30 AM – 11:30 AM: Final meeting with the Junta Directiva of La Coordinadora and
Asociación Mangle
Presentation on preliminary report and initial findings/recommendations

Appendix 2 - Master Copy of Final Survey (Spanish)

Full Survey questions

Información personal
¿Cuántas personas viven en su casa?
1ª> Hay ninos de 13 anos o menos en su casa?
¿Qué tipos de trabajos hace usted para ganar dinero? Y su pareja?
2ª> hay otras personas en su casa que ganan dinero? (info on all working adults)
¿Cuántos días (promedio) trabaja por semana? Y su pareja?
¿Cuánto dinero gana usted (promedio) por día? Y su pareja?
Usted recibe remesas? If yes – cuanto?
Uso del agua
¿Tiene acceso a agua potable? S/N
¿Para qué utiliza el agua potable?
Cocinar
Agua para tomar
Lavar ropa
Limpieza del hogar
Bañarse/ducharse
Cepillarse los dientes
Lavarse las manos
Lavar los platos
Regar las plantas

Para los animales/ganado

62
 No utilizaba el pozo communal
Antes de que tuviera agua potable en su casa, ¿dónde iba a traer el agua?¿Cuántas veces
al día iba a traer agua?
¿Cuánto tiempo le tomaba ir a traer agua (ida y regreso)?
¿Tiene un pozo artesanal en su casa?
Si tiene un pozo artesanal en su casa, ¿todavía lo ocupa? ¿para qué?
¿Qué hace usted con el agua sucia (ya utilizada)?
Tirarla a la calle
Tirarla a la par de la casa o en el patio
La ocupa de nuevo
Si utiliza el agua de nuevo, ¿cómo es que la utiliza?
Para regar las plantas
Para los animales
Otras_____
¿Los charcos o agua estancada es un problema en su casa? S/N
Si su respuesta es si, que problemas son los que causa?
Explain the drainage system a little bit, then ask question.
¿Piensa usted que un sistema de drenaje es necesario? S/N
Los adultos en su casa llevan/usan zapatos o chanclas fuera y dentro de su casa? (observe
what kind of floor is present: wood, tile, dirt)
Los ninos en su casa llevan/usan zapatos o chanclas fuera y dentro de su casa?

Instalación/mantanimiento del sistema de agua

¿Quién participo en la instalación del sistema de agua en su casa?
la familia
los vecinos
el fontanero
representantes de Asociación Mangle
otras delegaciones

63
 ¿Cuánto dinero costaron los materiales y la instalación del sistema de aqua en su casa?

¿Cómo pago por los materiales para la instalación?

Efectivo
Crédito (ya pagado o todavía lo paga)
Otras maneras____________
De acuerdo a sus ingresos actuales, ¿le alcanza el dinero para tener agua potable? (Si o
No)

23A> Si usted no paga el recibe al tiempo, que ocurre?

23B> Alguna vez le han cortado el aqua? (Si o No) If yes- Por que?
23C> Tuvo que pagar para prenderla de nuevo? (Si o No) If yes- Cuanto?

¿Sabe usted que su recibo incluye una cuota base? ¿Sabe para que se utiliza esta cuota?
24A> Alguien vino para explicarle para que se usa la cuota base? If yes- Quien?

¿Cree usted que lo que usted paga por el aqua en su casa es razonable?
Si o No. If the answer is no- Por que?

¿Qué tan seguido tiene los siguientes problemas relacionados con el sistema de agua?
Fugas: nunca rara vez algunas veces a menudo
Quebradura de tubería: nunca rara vez algunas veces a menudo
Presión de agua: nunca rara vez algunas veces a menudo
Problemas de medidores: nunca rara vez algunas veces a menudo
Falta de luz: nunca rara vez algunas veces a menudo
¿Otros? S/N, si su respuesta es si ¿qué es? y ¿qué tan seguido? _______ n r av am

Si tiene problemas con el sistema de agua, ¿a quien llama para que le ayude?
Nadie – yo o mi familia lo arreglamos
Mi vecino
El fontanero
El representante de la comunidad

64
 Otros_______________
Información sociocultural (hábitos de higiene, vida diaria, recibos y pagos del agua)
¿Cuál ha sido el cambio más grande en su vida desde la implementacion del agua
potable?
¿Ha cambiado su dieta alimenticia con el agua potable? S/N Si su respuesta es si,
explique como?
¿Cree usted que el agua potable es más saludable que el agua de pozo? S/N , ¿por qué?
¿Tuvo usted dudas sobre el agua potable por ser diferente en color, olor y sabor? Por
que? Que tipo de dudas? Such as chlorine, water being white, etc.
Información sobre salud
Adultos (14 años de edad o mayores)
Desde que se instalo el sistema de agua , ¿qué tan seguido se han enfermado los miembros de su
hogar de las siguientes enfermedades?
Diarrea: S/N? Más, menos o lo mismo que antes del agua potable?
Parásitos: S/N? Más, menos o lo mismo que antes del agua potable?
Infecciones de hongos: S/N? Más, menos o lo mismo que antes del agua potable?
Otras enfermedades Crónicas S/N? Más, menos o lo mismo que antes del agua potable?
Niños (13 años de edad o menores)
Antes de la instalación del sistema de agua potable , ¿qué tan seguido se enfermaban los niños de
su hogar de las siguientes enfermedades?
Diarrea: S/N? Más, menos o lo mismo que antes del agua potable?
Parásitos: S/N? Más, menos o lo mismo que antes del agua potable?

Infecciones de hongos: S/N? Más, menos o lo mismo que antes del agua potable?
Otras enfermedades Crónicas? S/N? Más, menos o lo mismo que antes del agua potable?
¿Existen otras enfermedades crónicas en su familias? Si su respuesta es si ¿cuáles?
¿Estas enfermedades surgieron después o antes de que tuviera agua potable?
¿Cuándo uno de los miembros de su familia se enferman que hace?
A cual clínica va cuando se enferma? (Publica, privado, fondo de emergencia)
¿Cuántas veces al año visita al medico?
38A> Le visitan promotores de salud? If yes, ask when/how often.
38B> Los promotores de salud visitan/vienen mas ahora que antes del cambio del
gobierno el ano pasado?

65
 39. ¿Hay transporte para ir a la clínica? Que tipo?
40.¿Sabe usted de que con el cambio de Gobierno del año pasado, la atención medica y la
medicina es gratis?
¿Ha cambiado la salud de su familia en los últimos dos años? Si su respuesta es si, ¿cómo?

Papel de la mujer (or head of household)

Desde que tiene agua potable, tiene usted más tiempo libre? S/N
42A> Si su respuesta es si, ¿qué hace usted con su tiempo libre?
Si usted tuviera la oportunidad de aprender otro oficio ¿qué sería?

Preguntas sobre Asociacion Mangle

Aparte del proyecto de la distribución del aqua, ha tenido contacto con Asociacion Mangle? If
yes- que tipo de contacto?
Ha tenido una experiencia positiva o negativa con Asociacion Mangle?
Sabe usted que hace Asociacion Mangle? (que tipo de proyectos tienen?)
Si pudiera cambiar algo o recibir mas ayuda o servicios de Asociacion Mangle, que tipo de
servicios le gustaria?

66
 Team Monterey 4:

Production Program

Final Report 2010:

Organization of Producers

Monterey Institute of International Studies

Robert Taggart
Heidi Correa
Christopher Hanks
Elizabeth Romanoff

67
Executive Summary
The relationship between the Monterey Institute of International Studies and La Coordinadora is
continually strengthened through the commitments agreed upon within the Memorandum of
Understanding signed in San Nicolas in January of 2009. This year marks the fourth year of
Team Monterey project work in the Bajo Lempa and the Bay of Jiquilisco, and is the second year
of collaborative projects between the Team Monterey Production Team and the Production
Program of La Coordinadora-Asociación Mangle.

During the three weeks of project work in the region between January 3 and January 23 of 2010,
the Production Team of Team Monterey 4 (TM4) focused on the creation of an organization of
producers. Through meetings with local community groups and cooperatives, and individual
interviews of local producers, the Production Team determined that there is a need for an
organization of producers that can provide local producers a place where they can voice their
concerns and look for support for common problems faced in their respective communities. By
organizing, local producers can strive for their common goal of strengthening their productive
and marketing capacities for locally produced items.

After two weeks of interviews and meetings the Production Team facilitated a workshop on
January 20, 2010 for the purpose of introducing the concept of such an organization and to begin
the process of creating the mission, vision and name of the organization. The workshop also
provided an opportunity for those in attendance to begin the discussion of what requirements and
responsibilities would be important for potential members of the organization. At the conclusion
of the January 20th workshop, a follow-up meeting was scheduled by those present for February
10th to continue the creation process.

The Production Team documented the information gathered during the interviews, meetings and
the workshop and have included them in this report. Also included here are suggested
requirements, responsibilities, and benefits of membership, a suggested organizational structure
with specific job descriptions, funding options, and overall recommendations for the next stages
in the creation process.

This experience has provided the students of the Production Team with a “substantial
professional experience that enhances aspects of both their academic pursuits and career
aspirations,” as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding.

Introduction
The Production Program of Asociación Mangle is based at the Xinachtli Production Center in
Ciudad Romero, which is the headquarters for sustainable agricultural education in the region.
The Production Program manages multiple projects that strive to improve the health and quality
of living of the community while simultaneously reaching for the overall goals of food security
and food sovereignty. To achieve these goals, the Production Program supports and encourages
sustainable farming, crop diversification and rotation, the use of native seeds, and the application
of non-chemical based organic fertilizers and pesticides. The Production Program’s Agricultural

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School, organized and administered by the agronomists at the Production Center, is the driving
force behind community education for healthy and sustainable farming practices and has recently
finished its third year of courses and workshops.

Team Monterey worked with the Production Program in Ciudad Romero for the first time in
2009, when there two project groups, the Production Team and the Seed Bank Team, worked on
separate, but interrelated projects, listed below:

• A survey of local producers to determine existing community production and distribution

habits

• A survey of local producers to determine what types of seeds they currently purchased
and where they were purchased, and to better understand what other types of agricultural
inputs were being used within the region

• A Geographic Position System (GPS) mapping project to record the location of the
current Asociación Mangle member farms

In efforts to create a continuity of project work the 2010 Production Team examined the
recommendations of the 2009 report, specifically regarding the creation of local markets, to
further understand what aspects of project work would be the most helpful for our partners La
Coordinadora-Asociación Mangle.

The TM3 Production Team had recommended the creation of local markets to provide a location
where community members could sell and purchase locally produced quality products. During
2009 La Coordinadora-Asociación Mangle organized four local markets, and participation has
been increasing as community members have begun to understand the benefits of a local market.
The recommendations of TM3 have aided in the organizing of local markets, and this year the
Production Program requested further support to strengthen the organization of local production
and sales.

The Production Team of TM4 began project work on the ground on January 4, 2010 and initial
meetings with Production Program coordinator Juan Luna and the program agronomists led to
multiple project possibilities. In an attempt to strengthen local production and the sale of quality
products it was determined that the skills and abilities of the TM4 Production Team would best
be utilized to investigate the need to create an organization of producers and to facilitate the
creation process.

Project Scope
In July 2009, during a preliminary planning trip, Team Monterey’s Project Coordinator, Adele
Negro, and its student team leaders meet with Juan Luna, coordinator of the Production Program,
and other Production Program agronomists to initiate the process of project selection. Over the
next six months the scope of some of the proposed projects changed, but overall five projects
still needed further investigation, analysis and recommendations. Those proposed projects were:

69
 1. An expansion plan for the Xinachtli Seed Bank
2. An evaluation of impact of the Agricultural School
3. A business plan for cashew production, roasting, and distribution
4. A feasibility study for a subsidy system for local farmers
5. A needs assessment, and the creation of a proposal, for the formation of an organization
of producers

The Production Team recognized that many of the above listed projects could be addressed and
managed by an organization of producers; therefore, the development of a proposal for the
formation of an organization of producers was selected as the TM4 project. The proposal focused
on the organizational structure, the roles and responsibilities of the administrative body, and the
benefits, requirements and responsibilities associated with membership. Aiding to create an
organization that was representative of the diverse production in the area, the Production Team
focused on all types of community producers, not solely agricultural producers.

To maintain continuity between Team Monterey projects, the Production Team followed-up on
TM3’s recommendations for local markets by assisting with the evaluation process of a local
market held in Ciudad Romero on December 15th, 2009. The evaluation took place the second
week of project work in January. The Production Team participated in this process with the
intention of providing tools and techniques for a successful evaluation of future local markets, as
well as assessing how the proposed organization of producers could play a role in the planning
and organizing of future markets.

The Production Team was also asked to organize a workshop with the purpose of providing tips
and tools for community members on how to host their own workshops. Therefore, the
Production Team devised and facilitated a workshop on how to give workshops, which was
offered on the last week of project work, the afternoon of January 20th, following the
presentation of the proposed organization of producers.

Methodology
A project proposal was submitted to Juan Luna for review before interviews were scheduled with
community groups, cooperatives and farmers. At the following meeting, Juan Luna, Leonides
and the Production Team held a brainstorming session that led to a better understanding of the
project scope, after which a work schedule for the following weeks was created.

In order to create a framework for an organization of producers a general understanding of the

needs of diverse producers in the region needed to be established. The Production Program
agronomists organized meetings with local community groups and cooperatives so that the
Production Team could investigate the current organizational structures, communicate the
concept of an organization of producers to community leaders and conduct interviews with
potential members. Juan Luna noted that twelve recent graduates from the Agricultural School
had demonstrated leadership skills and could serve as the base for the organization of producers.
It was agreed that these recent graduates would indeed be a strong nucleus for the group that
would later participate in the creation process of the organization. However, there were concerns
that a group of solely agricultural producers would only partially represent the diverse

70
production in the region and would be detrimental to the long-term success of the organization.
Therefore, interviews were conducted within different community groups and cooperatives so as
to find a greater representation of producers in the area. Potential members were invited to
participate in the creation process that was to take place on January 20th.

Interview meetings were scheduled with the community groups of San Hilario, La Canoa, and La
Limonera, as well as with the local cooperatives of Asociación Coopertiva de
Aprovisionamiento, Ahorro, Crédito, y Consumo de Mujeres del Bajo Lempa “Marta Gonzalez”
(ACAMG), the Asociación Cooperativa de Producción Agropecuaria Nuevo Modelo de
Esperanza (ACPANME), and the Cooperative of Shrimp Farmers of La Chacastera. An
interview was also held with Mexabel Marroquin, who, in addition to being a graduate of the
Agricultural School, was recipient of credit from Asociación Mangle and from ACAMG, a
vendor at the local market, and an archetype of local producers in the region. The Production
Team created specific questions for each of the meetings and interviews (see Appendix). A
schedule of the various meetings and interviews is listed below.

Table 1: Schedule of Meetings and Interviews

Who Where Date Time
Asociación Cooperativa de Zamorán 1/11/2010 9:00 am
Aprovisionamiento, Ahorro,
Crédito, y Consumo de
Mujeres del Bajo Lempa
“Marta González”
(ACAMG)
Asociación Cooperativa de Nueva Esperanza 1/11/2010 2:00 pm
Producción Agropecuaria
Nuevo Modelo de
Esperanza (ACPANME)
Mexabel Varaona La Limonera 1/12/2010 9:00 am
Marroquín
Cooperative of Shrimp Chacastera 1/12/2010 2:00 pm
Farmers of Chacastera
Local group of La Limonera Ciudad Romero 1/13/2010 2:00 pm
Local group of San Hilario San Hilario 1/14/2010 9:00 am
Local group of La Canoa Amando Lopez 1/18/2010 9:00 am
Presentation of San Nicolas 1/20/2010 9:00 am
Organization
Workshop on how to give San Nicolas 1/20/2010 1:30 pm
workshops

SWOT Analysis
For comparison purposes a Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats Analysis (SWOT)
was conducted for each of the three cooperatives that were visited. A SWOT Analysis is a
strategic tool used to analyze the internal factors, strengths and weaknesses, and the external

71
factors, opportunities and threats, for a project or organization. The Analysis was used to create
similar metrics for comparison between the different cooperatives and to provide a quick
overview of their organizations.

Analysis of Cooperatives and Local Groups

SWOT Analysis of the Women’s Cooperative of Zamoran
Official name: Asociación Cooperativa de Aprovisionamiento, Ahorro, Crédito y Consumo de
Mujeres de Bajo Lempa “Marta González” (ACAMG de R.L.)
(Cooperative Association for Provisioning, Savings, Credit, and Consumption for Women of the
Bajo Lempa)

Table 2: SWOT Analysis of ACAMG

Strengths:
-Micro credit system
-Training programs
-98% repayment rate
-Bulk purchasing service
-Two stores
Opportunities:
-Expand loans to women for reasons other -Lack of penalties for default loans
than for the purchase of livestock
-Expand loans to include men
-Create a brand to attract more clients
-Improve transportation
-Offer childcare services so that women
who must look after their children have the
opportunity to attend the meetings
Weaknesses:
-Lack of communication or partnerships
with other local organizations
-Lack of collection methods for defaulted
loans
-Lack of transportation for members to
attend meetings and to distribute property
-No branding
-No member products sold at stores
Threats:
-Natural disasters or cattle diseases
-Traditional roles of men and women
-Machismo

Interviewees: Blanca Estela Ramirez, president

María Elena, accountant
María Santana Guevara, advisor and promoter

Invited to meeting: María Elena

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Overview of the Women’s Cooperative of Zamoran
Resettlement in the Bajo Lempa was beset by multiple challenges, including a diminished
population of men. Traditionally, men held most of the skills, trades and land. Many women in
the area had to confront a new reality: being the head of their households and needing to generate
income to support their families. This need was met in part by the formation of Asociación
Cooperativa Aprovisionamiento, Ahorro, Crédito y Consumo de Mujeres de Bajo Lempa “Marta
González”, (ACAMG). The group began as an informal collection of 68 women in 1993 and
became a legal entity in 2001. Requirements of membership under the new legal structure left
only 31 official members. The women had no experience in forming a legal enterprise. They
learned to build and administer an organization by trial and error over a long period of time, and
received advice from other organizations.

A group with only female members, like ACAMG, faces unique obstacles in El Salvador. In the
beginning, the group had no office, so they held meetings under the trees. Also, in the early years
of the group, some of the husbands and boyfriends believed that these women should not be
involved in this group. Oftentimes, they would wait outside the office and take away loan money
that had been distributed to the woman. The men want to control the money in their households
even if they did not use it as responsibly as it could be. Even in the most benign circumstances
women were stretched between traditional roles of caretaker of the home and their emerging role
as entrepreneur, cattle rancher, and head of household. They were expected to be home and have
dinner prepared, care for the children, and clean house regardless of any other enterprises they
took on. As an organization that advises women in non-traditional aspects of daily life, ACAMG
has often found its members dealing with issues of inequality between the sexes and attitudes of
machismo.

Structure
Currently, there are 250 active members who represent 15 communities. The administration,
structured in the standard format, is made up of 8 positions: president, vice president, treasurer,
secretary, one support staff member (vocal), and three alternates. The organization maintains
documentation on loans granted and the status of repayment. There is also a supervisory board
headed by five women who oversee all the committees and ensure that everyone is fulfilling their
duties and functions, in addition, there are two ACAMG representatives in each community.

Membership
Potential members must meet certain requirements before they are accepted as a member. A
candidate must be a woman of at least 18 years old. She also must own land and live inside the
zone. If she meets these requirements the representative of her community can invite her to join
the cooperative. Members are required to pay a monthly fee of $2.86 into a savings account,
which is utilized to grant loans to participating members. When a member leaves the
organization her individual contributions are returned with a 4% interest. There are three
mandatory meetings a year, which also serve as orientation for new members on how the
cooperative works and how to effectively spend and repay their loans.

The women of ACAMG primarily raise cattle and generate income from the sale of beef cattle,
with a smaller amount derived from the production of pigs. The group is also working to increase
production of dairy cattle. Approximately 50 to 70 women produce milk, most of which is

73
consumed by the producing families. The limited volume of locally produced milk surplus is
sold to ADIVAL (Asociación para el Desarrollo Integral de Valdejalón), a non-governmental
organization which operates a cheese-making facility. There are also 15 women working on a
corn project to improve the quality of cattle feed. The improvement of inputs for cattle farming is
growing in importance within the communities because it is recognized that quality inputs lead to
a higher quality of production. Dairy cows that receive a high quality diet produce a higher
quality of milk that can be sold at a higher price.

ACAMG Areas of Focus

Credit
Farmers have few credit options and women farmers have even fewer. El Salvador’s banks
recently became privatized, virtually ending credit to small farmers. However, the Agricultural
Bank of El Salvador is the one bank that will still give loans to small farmers. Banks charge high
interest rates that come with very high penalties for late payment or nonpayment. Farmers tend to
distrust bank loans due to the fear that banks will take away their land if they cannot repay the
loans.

ACAMG is functioning well, with one of the highest incomes of all the cooperatives in the
region. Their primary function is to extend credit service to its members. Members can apply for
small loans to purchase cattle and inputs for raising cattle. Applications are submitted for
approval to a committee that meets each month to discuss loan approvals and loan recovery
potential of applicants.

Once accepted, the member must then complete a training program for borrowers, on the process
and importance of using and repaying loans. Additionally, the training serves to shape the
mentality of members which, in turn, helps form organizational culture. The member must pay
back the loan with a 12% interest rate in one year. In extreme circumstances, such as the loss of
cattle due to disease, loan repayment options can be arranged. ACAMG does not penalize
members for late payments on loans. Members who have missed multiple payments, or have
suffered a hardship, will be visited by the supervisory committee in order to determine if the
cattle (the capital) still exists. In extreme cases of hardship, ACAMG has worked with members
to recover only the capital and waive the interest. The group has an impressive 98% repayment
rate despite the complete lack of enforcement methods. Loans are generally in the range of $400
to $1000; in 2009 just over $20,000 was loaned.

The organization meets yearly in February to determine the portion of profits generated by
interest on loans outstanding that will be distributed to members and the portion that will be
reinvested in projects. At the end of 2009, they held $10,000 in profit for both distribution and
reinvestment.

Supply
ACAMB provides a bulk purchasing service to members, and purchases cattle supplies, school
supplies and veterinary medicines, generally from Usulután or San Salvador, to sell to members.
They make a small profit, but are still able to offer a lower price than other outlets. The goal is to

74
secure products and make them conveniently available for members. They operate two small
stores of veterinary products. They also sell seeds, fertilizer, milk and beans at their stores.
However, members do not sell their own products in ACAMG stores.

Education
ACAMG helps the women to improve their pastures, improve cattle feed, build silos, transition
to organic inputs, and diversify production. One of the main concerns of the organization is
learning how to provide more and higher quality feed for their livestock.

The cooperative also provides a limited mentoring program. An experienced member will
accompany novices when buying and selling cattle. They teach them where and how to take
cattle to market as well as techniques of negotiating for a better price.

Needs
Based on the above information that was discussed at the interview with the representatives of
ACAMG, the Production Team recognized the following needs. Although the cooperative aids
members with production, every producer is responsible for organizing their own distribution
and sale of products. ACAMB recognizes the sales potential that local markets could provide,
but does not organize or participate in any at this time. The cooperative would likely provide
reliable vendors of beef and dairy products at local markets if markets were organized on a
consistent basis. Other recognized needs of ACAMB are transportation, branding, legal counsel,
and better communication between local organizations. Legal counsel is necessary for regular
organizational operations as well as to provide members affordable legal advice for their
personal needs. Legal aid is especially important for a women’s cooperative because of the
inherent difficulties for women in Latin America to own property, buy and sell capital, and
operate a business. Legal counsel could also help with ACAMB’s unofficial logo, which
members do not use because the registration process tends to be complicated and expensive. The
women of ACAMB need better transportation options both for product distribution and personal
needs. The women often miss meetings because of transportation difficulties. The cooperative
has at times used its truck to pick women up for meetings and to take members’ children to
school.

ACAMB is interested in an organization of producers because such an organization could aid in

strengthening the productive and marketing capacity of ACAMB members.

75
SWOT Analysis of the Cooperative of Nueva Esperanza
Official name: Asociación Cooperativa de Producción Agropecuaria Nuevo Modelo de
Esperanza
(Cooperative Association for Agriculture and Livestock Production, New Model of Hope)

Table 3: SWOT Analysis of ACPANME

Strengths
-Diversity of products
-Able to add value by processing products
-Processing plant
-Community unity
-Collective ownership of land
-Approved by Ministry of Health
-Some members obtained education
through the agricultural school
Weaknesses
-Unable to register their brand
-Unable to address consumer demand
-Lack of funds
-Lack of transportation and distribution
-Lack of marketing

Opportunities Threats
-Marketing and selling their processed -Lack of nutritional education
products -Natural disasters
-Obtaining a brand to sell at a national -Tax on collective ownership of land
level

Interviewees: Antonio, president

Soledad, supporting staff assistant
Pilar, counselor

Invited to meeting: Soledad

Overview of the Cooperative of Nueva Esperanza

The Nueva Esperanza cooperative is one of the last true cooperatives established by those
returning to El Salvador after the war. It is distinct due to its collective ownership of the land.
Nueva Esperanza community members had a cooperative while they were in Nicaragua with
support from the Sandinistas.1 When the community returned to El Salvador, its members
wanted to replicate the success they had had with their cooperative in Nicaragua. Their new
neighbors, the community members of Mata de Piña and Nancuchiname, helped them to
acclimate. At that time, communities that remained in cooperatives had to pay a land tax. The
government encouraged people to sell off their individual shares to avoid paying the tax and
thus effectively disbanded many cooperatives in the area. But people did not know how to
manage the land by themselves and no longer had access to capital that was distributed through
the cooperatives; today, therefore, many parcels remain uncultivated or abandoned. By October
20, 1993 they had formed an official cooperative with 15 men and 15 women to govern their

76
collectively held land. Today the organization boasts 101 members with a surprisingly larger
number of women than men, 56 women and 45 men.
Structure

The cooperative is structured in the standard format, consisting of a president, vice president,
treasurer, secretary, one supporting staff member (called a vocal), and 3 alternates. There is also
a supervisory committee of 5 members (president, secretary, 3 vocales), which ensures that
contracts and regulations are honored. The meeting with the Nueva Esperanza cooperative
included its president, Antonio; a vocal: Soledad; and the ex president and counselor, Pilar.
Both Antonio and Pilar are graduates of the Production Program of Asociación Mangle’s
agricultural school.

Membership
Membership in this cooperative is anchored in the concept of collectivism. Once a new member
has applied and has been approved by the general assembly, he or she receives certain benefits,
including a partnership guarantee, which outlines their responsibilities to the cooperative and
the benefits that they are eligible to receive. The members are allowed to draw a salary, which
the cooperative manages, and retain a certain percentage of the surplus of what they have
cultivated.

Each member receives two manzanas (a manzana is a measurement of area equal to 7000 m2).
Members are allowed to do with their land whatever they deem fit but are not allowed to sell
their share of land. An additional benefit is that each member over 60 years of age receives 5
bottles of milk each month. To join the cooperative a potential member must satisfy certain
prerequisites, such as, “being at least 16 years old, be honest, not have too many vices, be
willing to work, and pay dues of twelve dollars a year.”1 In turn, the administration of the
cooperative has the responsibility of managing and paying salaries, as well as managing 573
manzanas of collective land.

Membership Production
The cooperative collectively owns 573 manzanas of land of which 60 manzanas remain
forested, 70 are cultivated with sugar cane, 20 are planted with organic cashew trees and 25 are
planted with organic coconut trees. The sugar cane alone generates around $50,000 to $60,000
annually. Approximately one third of this pays expenses, one-third is distributed to members,
and one third is reinvested into the cooperative.

The cooperative also produces artisanal (small-scale) volumes of milk, cheese, cashew seeds,
cashew fruit syrup, cashew wine, hibiscus wine, coconut pulp (for juice), nance juice, coconut
sorbet, and jams of various fruits. The cashew syrup is made from the fruit of the cashew tree,
which is normally discarded in the process of collecting the cashew seed, and has higher
vitamin C content than any commercially available fruit. There are also two types of cashew
wine, one of which is normally served as an aperitif in El Salvador.

77
Cooperative Areas of Work

Supplies
The cooperative generally buys its supplies from AgroInter and Deagri. The decision to use
these companies is not based on price advantage but rather on the two-month credit line that
they receive. Ingenio is another company that gives the cooperative a credit line for purchasing
inputs and supplies. In this case it is a one-year repayment term, but a high interest rate is
charged. Often repayment of these loans takes all of the income generated from the harvest. The
cooperative makes some purchases in bulk and sells to members at a lower price than they
could obtain individually. For example, the cooperative purchases sacks of fertilizer in bulk for
$47 each. The sacks cost $55 in a typical resale store, and the coop charges $49 per sack to
generate a small profit while providing lower cost inputs to its members.

Value-Added Products
The cooperative is particularly interested in adding processing capability to its raw products
production. It seeks to add value to its productive capacity and generate more income. Twelve
women in the cooperative hold the production process knowledge for most of the processed
foods manufactured by the cooperative. The community has also received help from Brazilian
and Argentinean engineers to make jams. In addition, the community was able to install a
processing plant for their different products by soliciting help from Canadian organizations.

Obstacles
The leaders of the cooperative who met with the Production Team expressed many of the needs
they had identified. They indicated a lack of capacity in regards to expanding their business,
especially in the areas of marketing, branding, and processing of agricultural products. The
members of the cooperative generally have knowledge of local farming techniques, but lack
training in management, business, and legal skills. They expressed interest in having a brand or
trademark, but underlined the difficulties of registering the brand. They hope to address some of
these needs in order to gain market share and to find new sales outlets. They also hope to
leverage branding to reach an international market. Lack of credit sources is also a continual
problem in the area.

Other obstacles faced by the cooperative are natural disasters (flooding and drought),
dollarization (inflation), privatization of banks (lack of credit options), and free trade
agreements including NAFTA and CAFTA (increased imports of competitor products). An
important issue that emerged is health and nutrition education; for example most community
members prefer to buy a coke rather than a natural juice, even when the juice costs less. There
is rampant kidney failure in the region, in adults as young as 20 years old.

When asked why the cooperative had not worked with other cooperatives in the area, the
leaders highlighted a general lack of trust between local groups. Each group tends to hold to its
commitment to reaching its own goals. There was much interest on the part of the leaders of the
Nueva Esperanza cooperative when an umbrella organization, that can coordinate the many
cooperatives in the region, was proposed as a potential road for these communities to create
greater opportunities and unity.

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SWOT Analysis of the Cooperative of La Chacastera

Official name: Shrimp Farmers Cooperative of La Chacastera

!

Table 4: SWOT Analysis of La Chacastera

Strengths
-Organic shrimp farming techniques
-One of the few shrimp cooperatives in the -Emigration of members to the U.S.
area
-One of the most cohesive/bonded
cooperatives in the area
Opportunities
-Improving relationship with La
Coordinadora
-Obtaining a new pumping system
-Adding value to shrimp
Weaknesses
-Not a legal cooperative
-Lack of collateral to obtain funds
-Lack of sales outlets
-Lack of transportation and distribution
Threats
-Natural disasters, like hurricanes
-Depletion of mangroves
-Expropriation of land
-Over fishing, siltation
-Additional environmental regulation
-Shrimp disease

Interviewee: Don Jose

Invited to meeting: none

Introduction
In communities on the Bahia of Jiquilisco, people rely on resources from the sea instead of on
agriculture as is the case in the Bajo Lempa. One of the sources of livelihood in this area is
shrimp farming. The cooperative of shrimp farmers located in the community of La Chacastera
was established in 1996 in order to improve the shrimping sector, improve the quality of their
product, make the farms as natural as possible, and improve the lives of shrimp farmers.!
!
The shrimp farmers’ cooperative has faced several obstacles in the past. It suffered damage from
two hurricanes, Mitch in October of 1998, just 2 years after the formation of the organization,
and then Stan in October of 2005. The combined effect of these storms has left several of the
organization’s ponds filled with sediment. After Hurricane Mitch, the organization used the
$25,000 loan, received from international aid organizations, to clean some ponds; however,
Hurricane Stan sifted in even more ponds. At that point several delegations from 5 countries,
including the United States and Spain, donated money to La Coordinadora for the purpose of
restoring the functionality of the ponds. The shrimp farmers believe that La Coordinadora, while
acting as a broker, handicapped the project by distributing a large portion of the money to other
projects. !
!
The Production Team arrived for the interview with the shrimp farmer’s cooperative in a climate
of suspicion. The shrimpers believed that Asociación Mangle was responsible for the recent ban
on the extraction of marine turtle eggs and other marine resources. They thought that the
Production Team was part of Asociación Mangle, and feared they were working to shut down the

79
shrimp business. Soon after the interview began, the shrimp farmers voiced their concerns. After
the Production Team explained the concept of the organization of producers and asked the
shrimp farmers what their level of interest might be, the interviewees became more relaxed and
eager to participate in the interview. They commented very graciously that they were happy they
had not been forgotten and hoped that it was not the first and last visit made by the Production
Team or other delegations. It is also important to note the large percentage of members that
attended this meeting as compared to other meetings with cooperatives. There were 16 out of 26
members, including 5 children, in attendance, an indication of their strong dedication to the
cooperative and to each other.!
!
Structure!
The cooperative began with 15 members and grew to a membership of 36. Currently, however,
there are only 26 members because some families left for the United States. Although the
organization is structured as a legal cooperative, it has not met all requirements to be legally
registered. The group is organized in the standard format of 8 members consisting of a president,
vice-president, treasurer, secretary, supporting staff member (vocal), and three alternates. The
president generates funding and the vice-president serves as a liaison with other delegations.
There is also a supervisory committee of 5 members. La Chacastera is the only community
comprising the cooperative. The administrative personnel documents in a daily log what is
produced from the shrimp ponds and which member contributed labor that day. The days and
hours worked are recorded, as well as the number of pounds of shrimp that the member has
caught. !
!
Membership!
A new member must be recommended by 5 members in order to join and must complete a 6-
month probation period. Members, called “socios,” must satisfy certain requirements and
conform to certain responsibilities. They must work and participate actively in the cooperative in
such activities as cleaning hatchways and attending meetings, they also enjoy certain rights, one
of which is receiving a portion of the profits from what is produced. !
!
Member Production!
The farm consists of 11 ponds; however, only three are in use. They produce at a quantity
referred to as artisanal, meaning smaller-scale quantities than large industrial operations. They
typically produce 8-10 quintals each month, valued at approximately $200 per quintal (one
quintal is equal to 100 pounds). There are two fishing seasons each year, limited to 2-3 months
each. !
!
Areas of Cooperative Focus!
!
Artisanal Farming!
The cooperative works to produce as naturally as possible and to limit its environmental impact.
Shrimp farms typically use “concentrate,” a manufactured feed product. The use of concentrate
requires constant pumping of water with electric or gas powered pumps, which cause a build-up
at the bottom of the pond that increases the growth of bacteria. Cooperative members decided not
to use concentrate in their production because of the environmental damage that it causes-this
despite the fact that shrimp grown with concentrate often grow larger and sell at a higher price
per pound than naturally fed shrimp. They only use nets with large holes to catch only large

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shrimp, in order to protect the young shrimp and help maintain sustainable populations. They
also work with local organizations to replant mangrove trees around the edges of their shrimp
ponds.!
!
Obstacles!
The cooperative needs more avenues to sell its products. It claims to be able to farm and harvest
more shrimp than its members currently do, if there were a reliable way to sell it. Due to
unreliable distribution options, the shrimp produced is usually sold among members and people
in the community. The cooperative is also exploring opportunities to sell in other markets and to
restaurants, and to process the shrimp to provide a value-added product such as cooked shrimp or
consommé. !
!
This cooperative has very limited credit options. It does not own the land, which in turn leaves it
without collateral to secure a loan. In the past, due to hurricane relief funding, it was able to
secure a $25,000 loan to clean some of the ponds. According to the farmers, they paid back the
loan, including interest, in 3 months. !
!
The cooperative indicated that its primary need is for a pump system. A 24-inch pump system
would cost $17,000 used and $25,000 new, with an additional cost of $60 to $70 per 6-meter
segment of 24-inch diameter piping. They hope to obtain a pump to maintain water levels during
the hottest and driest seasons of the year. The combination of low water levels and the hot sun
cause fish and shrimp to die. A pumping system would allow the group to have higher yields
while better protecting the health of stocks.!
!

Community Group Meetings

The decision to present the concept of the organization of producers to three trial local groups
was born out of the importance of the “socialization” of ideas. Since illiteracy is a common
reality among the older generations, the socialization of ideas through word-of-mouth, using
local groups as the point of dissemination, is crucial for organizational function. The three trial
local groups were Zamoran–La Limonera, San Hilario, and La Canoa.
!
Given that the first local group meeting in Zamoran–La Limonera was organized for the purpose
of evaluating the local market held on December 15th, 2009, there was limited opportunity to
obtain community opinion about the idea of an organization of producers. However, two
recurring issues during the evaluation were how to sell efficiently and how to encourage
community members to buy local products. The Production Team was able to present the idea
and receive feedback from three community members: Gonzalo, Santo Velasquez, and Miguel
Hernandez. All local groups displayed a general interest in the organization of producers, though
there was some uncertainty as to how the organization would involve and affect them. The extent
to which politics affects activities and relationships between cooperatives and organizations in
the zone was also brought to the attention of the Production Team.!
!
The second local group visit to the community of San Hilario was fairly successful. The former
president of Asociación Mangle, Luis Ramos conducted an evaluation of the local market in the
same way as it was done in Zamoran–La Limonera. The Production Team noticed that the
method of evaluation of the local markets was passed down verbatim to the local group, which

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reinforces the importance of socialization of ideas through local groups. Although more time was
allotted to the presentation of the organization of producers, as compared to Zamoran–La
Limonera meeting, the concept was not fully understood. Nevertheless, some members showed
interest, and understood the importance of strengthening the commercialization of local
production.!
!
The third local group meeting with the local group of La Canoa was the most successful. The
local group more readily received and understood the concept of an organization of producers.
They saw the organization of producers as a potential solution to many of the challenges they
face as producers in the region, among which are ways to produce and consume organically and
to distribute and sell their products. They were also very aware that by working together they
would be able to set fair prices. A solution echoed throughout the meeting was that education
had to be an aspect of the organization, primarily with women and children. According to Juana
Hernandez Martines, a member of La Coordinadora’s administration, remittances from relatives
in the United States make it possible for many people to have a little extra income to buy items
like televisions and radios. This directly affects mothers and children, who prefer to watch and
listen to programming on television and the radio, and ignore household chores like investing
time into planning and preparing meals. To compensate for the lost time mothers will use the
extra income to buy convenience foods, which is detrimental to the health of families. Overall,
the local group of La Canoa was very receptive and interested in beginning an organization of
producers, and many volunteered be a part of the initial planning meeting for the organization.!

Analysis of Local Market Evaluations

The Production Team had the opportunity to attend two evaluation sessions of the local market
that took place on December 15th, 2009. A list of those local producers who were to sell
products at the local market was recorded by the Local Group of Zamoran–La Limonera and can
be seen in the Appendix. An official evaluation session of the market was held in Ciudad
Romero and included participation from the Production Program agronomists and the local group
of Zamoran-La Limonera. A second impromptu evaluation session occurred at a community
meeting in San Hilario.

Local Market Evaluation: Local Group of Zamoran–La Limonera

At the first evaluation of the local market in Ciudad Romero attendees were assigned to groups
and asked to answer three basic questions about the local market. In addition, attendees also
were asked to judge six aspects of the market as “bad”, “average”, or “good”. The three basic
questions were:

1. Is the local market useful? Why?

2. To whom does the market belong?
3. How many people in your local group participated in the local market?

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The six aspects of the local market judged as bad, average, or good, were:

1. The location
2. The date
3. The number of participants
4. The variety of products
5. The level of participation of the local groups
6. The publicity for the event

After the groups discussed and recorded their responses, they were then brought back together to
present their opinions to the whole group. The information was recorded by Juan Luna, the
coordinator of the Production Program, on a whiteboard in the front of the room. Below, Table 5
shows the evaluation tool used at the evaluation session, with each of the groups’ responses
indicated, where A is average, B is bad, and G is good, for each of the listed parameters.

Table 5: Local Market Evaluation

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5
Parameters A B G A B G A B G A B G A B G
Location X X X X X
Date X X X X X
Number of
Participants X X X X X
Variety of Products X X X X X
Level of Participation
by the Local Group X X X X X
Promotion of Event X X X X X

After all the groups had presented their finding, it was decided that the market had been an
“average” market overall. This process worked well in determining the overall success of the
market; however, it did not efficiently allow for determining why the groups thought each of the
parameters were “Average”, “Bad” or “Good”. For example, there was no discussion with the
whole group of the reason why Group 2 thought the location was bad. Such a discussion could
have given them the opportunity to target problem areas for improvements at the next local
market.

Strengths of the evaluation session:

• Provides a forum where community members and participants can share their experiences
• Small groups can evaluate different topics at a greater pace, allowing everyone ample
time to share their opinions

Holding a meeting to evaluate the local market is a very important step in understanding what is
successful, unsuccessful, and what must be changed to improve future markets. Over twenty

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people attended the session and gave feedback about the market held on December 15th, 2009.
Working in small groups improved the efficiency of the evaluation process and allowed for an
increased amount of feedback. Though the evaluation meeting took most of the afternoon, the
group realized that more time was needed to discuss and plan the next local market; it was
therefore agreed that the next planning session would be held on Friday, January 15th.

Areas for improvement:

• Establish a fixed date and time for the evaluation session

• Create clear and concise evaluation questions and criteria
• Seek out and record the constructive criticism from participants at the evaluation meeting

A couple of aspects of the evaluation meeting could be improved upon for future evaluations.
The meeting had originally been planned for the morning of Wednesday, January 13th, but only a
few days before the meeting it was rescheduled to the afternoon. Organizing meetings in advance
and not changing the date and time previously decided upon are important factors for consistency
and good attendance. It was mentioned by numerous people, including one of the agronomists,
that the meeting time change had caused fewer people to be able to attend the meeting.

In order to have a successful evaluation, it is also very important to create clear and concise
evaluation questions and criteria. The local group of Zamoran-La Limonera recognized that
some of the evaluation questions posed by the facilitators at the evaluation meeting were vague
and difficult to understand and answer. For example, the people attending the meeting were
asked to rate the date of the meeting as being bad, average or good. But the date of the meeting
could have been understood to mean the day of the week, Tuesday, or the date of the month, the
15th. By making the questions more specific, the answers will be more relevant.

One of the most important aspects of a local market evaluation is to identify tangible ways to
improve the market in the future. This was missing in the evaluation that took place in Ciudad
Romero. People were expected to indicate whether they thought the market was “bad”,
“average”, or “good”. However, only a few were asked to explain why they rated the market as
“bad”, “average”, or “good”. Though there were some follow-up questions, their responses were
not recorded and presented to the group as a whole; therefore, this valuable feedback was lost.
Appropriate follow up questions could have been: Why was the market bad? What could be done
to improve it? Why was the market good? What was your favorite part of the market? These
questions were not standardized during the meeting, and for that reason the evaluation did not
provide all of the solutions to the presented problems for the next local market.

Local Market Evaluation: Local Group of San Hilario

The second local market evaluation attended by the Production Team was in San Hilario. The
meeting was originally planned in order for the Production Team to introduce the concept of the
organization of producers to the local group in order to gage the interest of the community
members in joining the organization. It was also intended to judge whether any of the community
representatives in San Hilario would be good candidates for the administrative body of the

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organization. However, considering the local market evaluation session had just occurred in
Ciudad Romero the previous day, Luis Ramos, the former president of Asociación Mangle, saw
fit to utilize part of this meeting in order to further evaluate the local market held on December
15th, 2009, using the same evaluation tools used the previous day. Many of the questions asked at
the local market evaluation in Ciudad Romero were repeated in San Hilario. The Production
Team was impressed by the ability of the leadership of La Coordinadora to disseminate
information.

One important contribution the Production Group made to the meeting in San Hilario was
performing a live survey to determine when the people at the meeting would be able to attend a
local market. Since a common complaint about the previous local market was that it had been
held on an inconvenient day, the Production Group felt it was important to test-run a live survey
in order to generate a well-defined answer to the question “What day and time would the
community representatives of San Hilario be able to attend a local market?” A Monday through
Sunday calendar was written on a chalkboard and the participants were asked to raise their hands
for each day of the week they feel was convenient for them; they were told they could raise their
hands an unlimited number of times.

Table 6: Design of Live Survey

Times Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Morning 8 –
12am
Midday 12 –
3pm
Afternoon 3 –
6pm
Evening 6 –
9pm
Totals

The exercise was quite challenging, as the Production Group had split up each day into morning,
midday, afternoon and evening. The community members attending the meeting had been used
to having markets all day, so they were not completely comfortable with either choosing the time
of day that was most convenient for them, or raising their hands for multiple times of day.
Another important factor making the exercise less successful was that the people attending the
meeting were in one large group, not divided into smaller groups. In one big group, power
dynamics among community members came into play: one person dominated much of the
conversation, shouting out which day would be best for the market, and pressuring other people
to agree. Others may have been too intimidated to contradict her opinion. In the end, the group
collectively voted for the market to be held all day on Saturday. Sunday was the second choice
for the market, and nobody seemed to support a Tuesday market, which had been the day
selected for the previous one.

The greatest strength of the evaluation process that was observed during the meeting in San
Hilario was the speed and accuracy with which information was passed from the meeting in

85
Ciudad Romero to the meeting that took place in San Hilario the following day. The exact
questions asked in Ciudad Romero were repeated, in the same fashion, in San Hilario. This is
generally a strength of La Coordinadora because it demonstrates that information transfers very
easily in three directions: (1) from community to community, (2) from community leaders to
representatives and (3) from representatives to community members. However, the Production
Team recognized that information does not flow as easily up the chain, from community
members to community leaders and then ultimately to the administrative body of La
Coordinadora and the program coordinators. This is reflected in the lack of constructive feedback
that the leaders of the local groups and the Production Program received about the local market
in the evaluation sessions.
!

Needs Assessment
The Production Team, through meetings with the Production Program specialists, community
groups, and aforementioned local cooperatives, recognized a number of needs that currently exist
in the region, which are detailed below. Based on these needs the Production Team determined
that the creation of an organization of producers would be the first step in devising solutions for
the many problems that community members face. An organization of producers would be able
to manage and carry out solutions to some of the following problems and challenges:

• Insufficient number of stores or markets for consumers to purchase locally grown food on
a regular basis
• Inadequate locations for producers to sell locally grown produce on a regular basis
• Food distributed and sold by picacheros (door-to-door salesmen in pickup trucks) usually
comes from San Salvador, Usulután, or even as far as Guatemala, and is generally not
produced organically and is believed to contain high levels of harmful agricultural
chemical residues
• Money spent on food is not spent locally and is therefore not supporting local production
• Coyotes (local purchasers) and picacheros determine the price at which products are
bought and sold in the community
• Major health problems such as kidney failure, industrial exposure, and other diseases are
common occurrences; many believe that they are caused by the over use of
agrochemicals in the region
• Although many nutritious foods including fruits, fruit juices, vegetables, and nuts are
produced locally, many people in the community frequently consume processed food and
beverages that are not part of a nutritious diet
• A lack of information-sharing regarding the harmful use of pesticides and chemical
inputs for agricultural products is observed throughout the region
• There is no registered brand or distinctive labeling to differentiate products produced
locally and sustainably from those produced outside the community
• Special skills that people in the community have, including graduates of the Agricultural
School, are not being taught to other community members
• There is a lack of transportation for producers and consumers to get to local markets
!

86
Launch of the Organization of Producers
Following the interviews and meetings with the local groups, cooperatives and various local
producers, the Production Team facilitated the presentation of the organization of producers
during the last week of project work on January 20th, 2010. This included guided activities for
the creation of the organization’s mission statement, membership requirements and
responsibilities, and possible names for it. An outline of the day’s activities, a list of those who
were present, the worksheets used during the presentation and the work completed by the group
doing the meeting can be seen in the Appendix.

In all there were 31 people present: 6 Team Monterey members, 3 agronomists from the
Production Program, and 22 producers from 13 different communities and at least 3
cooperatives, that together represented a wide variety of production in the region. It was noted
that, for the first time, the Women’s Cooperative of La Limonera participated in a meeting at the
offices of Asociación Mangle in San Nicolas and were excited to be a part of the creation process
of the organization.

For those who were present, the concept and the importance of the creation of an organization of
producers were presented by Juan Luna and Leonides (last name?), and the Production Team
facilitated the activities and group work. The Production Team was impressed with the overall
understanding of the concept of the organization on the part of the participants, the passion that
they demonstrated for the creation of an organization of producers, and the overall quality of
work that was produced.

For the activities, the Production Team divided all the participants into four separate working
groups with a Production Team facilitator in each group. The first two activities focused on
creation of the requirements and responsibilities of membership in the new organization.
Following each activity the small groups would present their work to the rest of the participants.
It was surprising to note the variety of responses on the one hand, and the similarity of tone and
understanding in what they came up with, on the other.

The resulting proposed requirements and responsibilities of members are included in the
Production Team’s recommendations for the organization of producers and, as pointed out by
one participant, will grow and change during the subsequent creation process of the organization.

The next set of activities was aimed at creating the mission statement for the organization and
possible names for it. Once again, many quality suggestions and responses resulted from the
discussion. This activity, however, was intended only as a starting point for a longer process of
mission creation and name development. A list of all their input and feedback was documented
and distributed to each participant, so that they could report back to their respective local groups
regarding the work that had already begun.

Before adjourning the meeting, the participants decided to hold a follow-up meeting on February
10th, 2010 to continue the creation process for the organization of producers.

87
Workshop on How to Give a Workshop
The afternoon session on January 20th consisted of a workshop on how to give workshops, again
facilitated by the Production Team. A few of the morning participants were unable to stay, but a
large majority remained for the presentation.

It was mentioned by Juan Luna during the first week of project work that many community
members were experts in a specific skill, and that their fellow community members could benefit
from learning these skills from one another by means of an educational workshop. However, the
problem is that many of these talented community members do not have the experience of
running an educational workshop. This is also the case for those who have graduated from the
Agricultural School, and sharing with their fellow community members the lessons learned at the
Agricultural School is part of the contract they enter into in order to attend the Agricultural
School. Considering that local producers and graduates of the Agricultural School were both
present at the presentation for the organization of producers, at the request of Juan Luna, the
Production Team facilitated a workshop on how to give a workshop to those present.

The first step in the workshop was to emphasize the importance of transferring skills and
information. The importance of teaching people by having them practice a skill rather than
telling them was also emphasized. The approach during the workshop was to teach basic steps
that could be applied to the transfer of different types of skills.

1. Preparation- The first step is for the facilitator to obtain the essential supplies and equipment
in sufficient quantity so that the skill can be demonstrated, taught, and practiced. Preparation
also means that the facilitator should have carefully thought through a manner in which to teach
the skill so that the learner can understand its usefulness.

2. Explanation- The second step is to introduce the skill by giving an overall explanation on its
function and utility. This step also serves to describe the skill in a simple and complete way. The
learners should become aware of the importance of putting the skill into practice.

3. Demonstration- This step allows the facilitator to show learners how to utilize the skill. All
steps involved in performing the skill should be demonstrated slowly and clearly, and repeated.

4. Practice- The fourth step allows the learners to try out the skill under the direction of the
facilitator. Learners should be able to practice the skill several times, in order to feel comfortable
with it. It was emphasized during the workshop that not everyone learns at the same speed; some
will be quicker than others.

5. Application- The final step gives learners an opportunity to demonstrate the skill to the
facilitator or someone else.

A percentage of the time was allotted to each of the steps: explanation is 10 percent of the time,
demonstration is 25 percent of the time, and practice is 65 percent of the time. This ensures that
learners will become more proficient at the skill.

88
Throughout the workshop, participants were enthusiastic about becoming facilitators of skills.
Two women volunteered to teach skills to the group; one demonstrated to makes cheese and the
other showed the group how to make pineapple vinegar. Participants also felt that it was
important to add a sixth step to the process: evaluation, which is important to improve the
workshop being given.

At the end of the workshop the Production Team requested that participants take the outline of
giving the educational workshop and apply it in their respective communities by offering a
workshop on one of their skills or abilities.

Recommendations
Organization of Producers

An analysis of interviews with several cooperatives and of the needs assessment leads to the
conclusion that an organization of producers aimed at the creation of sales outlets for the entire
Bajo Lempa region would be the solution to many of the challenges previously noted. The
purpose of this organization is to create a structure through which producers of the region who
use its services can also control the organization. These producers would finance and operate the
services for their mutual benefit. Working together, they would be able to reach their objectives
instead of attempting to reach them alone, which would be very difficult. By providing the
services members deem necessary, the proposed organization could provide them with many
benefits, such as increased income and a healthier lifestyle.

Although the agronomists from the Production Program of Asociación Mangle volunteered to
facilitate meetings during the first phases of creating the organization, ultimately the
organization should exist and function outside of the structure of Asociación Mangle. The
administrative body of the organization of producers should also strive to establish and maintain
alliances with cooperatives and other groups working in the area in order to facilitate
communication between all organizations and their people.

NOTE: The role of the Production Program of Asociación Mangle will be paramount in the
beginning phases of the creation process, but as the organization begins to grow in leadership
and numbers, the Production Program should step back from this organizational role. The
Production Program, however, can offer other services to members of the proposed organization
of producers by way of discounts from the Xinachtli Seed Bank and through the Agricultural
School, both of which are discussed further in the recommendations section under Membership
Benefits.

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Organizational Structure

Figure 1: Organizational Hierarchy of Cooperatives

Due to the legalities involved when a new organization is registered, the Production Team had to
be flexible in designing a new organizational structure. Figure 1 represents the positions that
must exist and be filled within every cooperative or organization. The problem encountered with
the above structure, however, was that functions for each role were ill-defined. Some roles had
overlapping functions while others had no function at all. In keeping with the legal structure of
organizations, it was decided to create job titles and function that the organization could use
internally. The structure, where the green boxes represent internal job titles, would be as follows:

Figure 2: Modified Organizational Structure with Defined Job Titles

To avoid confusion among roles and increase the efficiency of each administrative member,
specific functions were assigned. However, in the formation of the actual organization, the
creating body can modify any position and function to meet the needs of the organization.

90
President
The President will represent the organization’s mission and vision, and will serve as its
spokesperson. He/she must also recognize critical problems, and take the initiative to solve them.
The President should facilitate meetings by drawing up the agenda and maintain order during the
meetings.

Vice President of Production

The Vice President of Production will ensure that all members are on the path to producing
organically and/or sustainably following good practices. He/she is responsible for verifying that
members are indeed complying with the membership requirement of sustainable production. It is
his/her responsibility to document and track all progress in this area while encouraging a diverse
range of products. The person in this position will work closely with the Vice President of
Membership.

Treasurer
The treasurer will be in charge of all organizational funds. He/she will oversee membership fees
and loans to members. An additional responsibility will be to create new avenues for the
generation of funds.

Secretary of Communications
The Secretary of Communications will be responsible for documenting meetings and distributing
pertinent information to all administrative members. He/she will organize all logistics for
meetings, including the location of the meeting, inviting those who are expected to attend, and
the date and time of the meeting. It will be the duty of the Secretary of Communications to
communicate with the leaders of the local groups on decisions made by the organization.

Supporting Staff Member: Vice President of Membership

The Vice President of Membership will be the chief recruiter of the organization. He/she will be
responsible for ensuring that potential members employ good practices and auditing the practices
of current members. This responsibility also includes bringing before the administrative body
any violation of the member’s contracts for the purpose of determining if to revise or revoke
membership. The Vice President of Membership will work closely with the Vice President of
Production.

Alternate Member: Vice President of Publicity

The Vice President of Publicity will be responsible for developing and maintaining a brand that
will serve to identify members empowering sustainable and organic practices. He/she will also
develop relationships with other agricultural or production organizations, such as cooperatives.
The Vice President of Publicity will promote the organization and its events through various
methods, such as fliers, radio, or public announcements.

Alternate Member: Vice President of Education

The Vice President of Education will recruit participants outside and inside the organization for
different workshops. He/she will organize new workshops that are requested by members as well
as contract the facilitators and design the schedule of workshops. Since workshops will be used

91
for publicity of the organization as well, the Vice President of Education will work closely with
the Vice President of Publicity.

Alternate Member: Vice President of Local Markets

The Vice President of Markets will expand the communities currently involved in local markets,
secure market locations and provide better service to vendors and consumers that attend the local
markets. He/she will also seek and/or create new outlets to sell members’ products.

Legal Advisor
The Legal Advisor should be well versed in the laws pertaining to the creation of an organization
and brand usage in El Salvador. He/she will also be able to provide counsel to individual
members.

Membership Benefits
Branding
A brand name, registered directly under the organization of producers, will be available for use
on approved products generated by organization members. The brand will only be available for
use by members once the vice-president of production has observed and certified their
production techniques. Certain products may need organic certification to qualify for brand use.
Some fees may apply to certain promotional materials, such as banners or product labels.

Advertising
The organization of producers will provide advertising and promotional material related to the
brand, as well as for local markets and special events. Promotion may include radio, flyers,
loudspeaker, billboard, newspaper, magazine, and television media. These efforts will be the
responsibility of the Vice President of Publicity. Funds for advertising efforts may be generated
from brand usage fees.

Seed bank
Products and services of the Xinachtli seed bank, operated by Asociación Mangle, will be
available to members at a discounted rate. It will also be the responsibility of the Vice President
of Production to aid in the expansion and administration of a network of seed banks. A catalog of
available seeds and inputs will be provided at each location.

Discounted Production Inputs

The organization of producers will manufacture and distribute various organic and natural
fertilizers, herbicides and pest control products. Members may purchase these products at a
discount as compared to the general public.

Agriculture School
Membership will help a member to meet entry requirements for the Agriculture School and
provide networking opportunities that can improve chances of being nominated for attendance.

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Economies of Scale
Members producing within similar sectors will gain stronger supplier power similar to union
protection. Members will have more power to infiltrate new markets and negotiate and compete
with picacheros, brokers and other intermediaries.

Economies of Scope
Membership allows producers to specialize and build a comparative advantage against
competition without sacrificing diversity within the organization.

Purchasing Power
The organization of producers will generate purchasing power by acquiring bulk quantities of
those production inputs needed by members, who may purchase individual quantities from the
organization. A small fee will be included that will go to the general organizational fund.

Organic Certification
The organization of producers will work toward providing an organic certification for its
members. This certification will not be registered at a national level and will only be recognized
locally, but will likely follow internationally agreed upon standards such as those of USDA
Organic or QAI (Quality Assurance International) in order to eventually make possible
international exportation. Organic certification will be available free of charge to members.
Certain products will require organic inspection before the brand name may be attached. This
falls under the supervision of the Vice President of Production.

Transportation and Distribution

The organization of producers will work to provide limited distribution of products, primarily to
achieve the goal of increasing participation at local markets and improving regional diversity of
products within the Bajo Lempa and the Bay of Jiquilisco. The transportation and distribution
will be the responsibility of the Secretary of Communications.

Micro Financing
A portion of funds generated by the activities of the organization of producers’ will be deposited
in an account managed by the Treasurer. Members qualify for use of these funds under
emergency circumstances. Other uses may include input purchases, infrastructure development,
skill building and expansion activities. Members are required to repay all borrowed money and
an additional interest payment. Approval of loan, repayment schedule and interest rates will be
determined by the Treasurer and approved by a majority vote of the board of directors.

Education
Education and skill building may be provided on any topic where there is a community need.
Some initial workshops to be considered may be on production techniques or capacity building;
for example, how to make cheese or organic fertilizer, or on management and accounting
practices. Workshops designed to increase productivity and build capacity will be free to
members. Workshops will be organized by the Vice President of Workshops, who will facilitate
scheduling and help determine the topics to be covered. Note: Some workshops will be free to
the public and will serve as a membership recruiting activity.

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Network with other organizations
The organization of producers will actively work to generate strong relationships with other Bajo
Lempa organizations, associations, cooperatives, and businesses for mutual benefit. Outreach
efforts will be the responsibility of the President, the Secretary of Communications, and the
Vice-President of Publicity.

Local Market
Members are strongly encouraged to participate in the planning of and vending at local markets
hosted by the organization of producers, Asociación Mangle and local groups. Members who
have been approved to use the brand will be able to use promotional materials and branding
during these events to differentiate their products from others within the communities and
especially from vendors from outside the community.

Legal Counsel
The organization may make legal counsel available to members. It is recommended that the
organization include members on the board of directors with significant knowledge of legal
matters, who will assist the organization with legal registration of the organization, branding, etc.
Members would also have access to this service for personal matters. Services may be offered
free of charge or for a small fee.

Environmental Consultation
Members will have access to a member of the board of directors who specializes in
environmental matters. This environmental consultant will aid producers in determining
environmentally responsible methods of production. The environmental consultant will also have
a voice in the development direction of the organization of producers takes in the region.

Membership Requirements
Requirements of membership must be met before a candidate is eligible for membership. The
founding participants should identify community members who will be strong assets to the
organization. The potential member can then continue to work toward meeting the requirements,
at which time, the organization will vote and admit the new member.

Some recommended requirements, which can be modified as needed, are as follows:

1. Must be a producer in the Bajo Lempa and Bahia de Jiquilisco regions.

• The candidate can produce or raise any type of agricultural product or livestock.
Also eligible for membership, are community members, including artisans, who
perform value-added processing of raw materials produced in the region.
Members must live and carry out their productive activities in the Bajo Lempa or
the Bay of Jiquilisco areas.

2. Must have begun the process of and be committed to becoming an organic producer
within a reasonable time period.
• The organization will inspect the potential members’ farm and/or production
facility and work with the potential member to develop an individual transition

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 plan. The plan will focus on environmental sustainability as the producer
transitions to sustainable practices. Production practices should match the
standards used by the Agricultural School of Asociación Mangle, including
avoidance of chemical inputs and diversification of production. The plan should
be completed within 1 to 3 years.

3. Must commit to work with other group members to promote the organization in local
communities through regular committee meetings.

4. Must complete orientation activities that inform the members of what the organization
expects and the benefits the member can receive.

5. Must pay a membership fee.

6. Must have completed an introductory workshop on sustainable production and/or be a

graduate or participant in the Agricultural School (if applicable).

Responsibilities of Members
Member responsibilities are those activities and characteristics that must be continuously
exhibited during membership. Some suggested responsibilities are as follows:

1. Actively seek and mentor new members.

• Each member has the obligation to seek out new members and to recommend
strong candidates to the organization for membership. Each member should also
search for informal opportunities to aid, support and mentor new members.

2. Educate other producers and the community about the importance of organic and
sustainable production.
• Education of both producers and the community is crucial to promote and expand
organic production in the area. It is also extremely important for the protection of
the environment and improvement of public health in the region.

3. Participate in the group in an ongoing manner: attend meetings on a regular basis, a

schedule of once a month is recommended, except in the case of hardship.

4. Participate in organizing and vending at the local markets.

• Each member should assist with the organization, operation, and/or cleanup of the
local markets according to a schedule that is suitable for each member. Vending at
the market should be viewed, not only as an opportunity to increase sales, but as
an obligation of each member.

5. Contribute to and expand the Xinachtli Seed Bank.

• The seed bank will be available to all members who wish to borrow seeds to plant
their crops. In order to borrow the member will generally be required to pay back

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 seeds at a one to three ratio. For example: If the member borrowed one pound of
seeds, then following harvest, the member must return three pounds of seeds.

6. Fiscal responsibility.
• A member who has utilized the credit/microfinance program of the organization
of producers must repay all borrowed money and interest, according to the
organization’s repayment schedule.

Funding Opportunities
Funding is necessary to make possible the operation and expansion of the organization. Funding
will increase the value that the organization provides to members. The following are possible
funding options for consideration by the organization of producers:
1. The organization can require membership fees. An initiation fee for new members or an
annual fee schedule can be implemented.

2. Local markets organized by the organization of producers can provide numerous funding
opportunities. One option is to charge fees to venders at the local markets. For example,
the local group may charge $0.50 per week for a vender to attend and sell at a local
market. A discount rate of $1.00 per month (4 weeks) can be offered to increase repeat
attendance.

3. Raffles may be held at the local markets. A raffle would involve selling tickets to all
attendees at the market. A portion of the proceeds would be given as a prize to the
winning ticket, while the remaining profit would be distributed among organizations that
are responsible for the organization of the market and the raffle.

Other opportunities for funding exist that have previously been mentioned, such as:

• The sale of products purchased in bulk by the organization

• Interest payments on microfinance loans
• Membership fees
• International aid organizations

The Treasurer will seek out opportunities to acquire outside funding to support all organization
activities. Grants should be sought from international organizations with an overlapping or
comparable vision and mission statement. Special attention should be paid to finding grant
funding for special projects.

Fundraising Projections from Local Markets

The Production Team recognizes that local markets could be a potential source of fundraising for
the organization of producers or even for the local groups that host them. A two year projection
of possible income was created based on fees charged to vendors at local markets for their sales
space and selling raffle tickets to attendees. Utilizing the First Chicago Method4 for valuation,

96
the Production Team developed best case, base case, and worst case scenarios and assigned
probabilities. Vendor and consumer attendance growth rates were estimated in order to provide
an idea of their attendance at local markets over the next two years. Starting points for estimation
were based on the data provided by the Production Program on vendor and consumer attendance.
At the December 15th, 2009 market there were 20 participating vendors and over 50 consumers
in attendance, and these numbers were used as the base case scenarios for estimates.

It is assumed that the organization of producers has the authority to charge vendors for
participation at local markets. If this authority is not within their powers, the projection could
also be used by the local groups to generate funds. The local groups indicated interest in having a
local market on a regular basis, but currently only monthly markets seem feasible. It is hoped
that weekly markets and ultimately a permanent market will be created. Therefore, income
projections for both monthly markets and weekly markets were created.

Monthly Market Projections

Income from fees charged to vendors

Using the attendance numbers provided by the Production Program, of both consumers and
vendors at the local market held on December 15th, 2009, the Production Team was able to
calculate estimates of vendor and consumer participation growth at local markets. Using the First
Chicago Method for valuations, the best case scenario took February 2010 as a starting point
with 30 vendors and over the next two years grew it to 70 vendors total, by December of 2011.
The base case scenario started with 20 vendors in February 2010, the number of vendors that
were present for the December 15th market, and reached a total of 40 vendors by December of
2011. The worst case scenario started with only 10 vendors in February 2010 and did not have
rapid growth, ending in December of 2011 with only 15 total vendors.

Taking into account the occurrence probability of each scenario, the Production Team
determined that the local market would see growth in participation from about 20 vendors in
February 2010 to 45 vendors in December 2011. These are just estimated participation numbers,
however, that may be used to determine possible income generation from charging vendors $1 to
sell their products at each market.

Table 7: Vendor Participation Projections

Base
Best (25%) (60%) Worst (15%) Total
Vendors February 2010 30 20 10 20
Vendors December
2011 70 40 15 45
Projected total vendor attendance at 22 markets over two years 780

Between February 2010 and December of 2011 there will be a total of 22 monthly markets with
an estimated total vendor attendance of about 780, approximately. The Production Team

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 estimates that if over the next two years, each vendor is charged $1 to sell products at each of the
monthly markets; a total of $780 will be raised through vending fees by the end of 2011.

Income from a raffle

A raffle can be organized as another form of income generation from the local markets. A few
options exist for raffle prizes, one of which would be to collect an item from each vendor who is
willing to donate and the winner of the raffle receives a bag of products. A second option is to
sell raffle tickets and the winner receives half of the proceeds. However the prize options are
handled, a projection was created on the basis of local market attendees with a three case
scenario for attendees as well as for raffle ticket sales. Once again, attendance numbers from the
December 15th, 2009 market, provided by the Production Program, were used as a starting point
for projections and the following scenarios were determined.

Table 8: Raffle Ticket Projections

Best (25%) Base (60%) Worst (15%) Total
Attendees February 2010 75 50 25 55
Attendees December 2011 200 100 60 120
Projected total attendees for 22 markets over the next two years 1,830

As reliability and marketing of local markets increase, so will consumer attendance. The
Production Team estimates that there will be 55 consumers who attend the market in February of
2010, and that number will grow to 120 by December 2011. Over the specified two year period,
there will be 22 markets, and the Production Team estimates that there will have been a total of
1,830 attendees.

It is understood that not all of these attendees will purchase raffle tickets, but some will purchase
more than one; therefore the Production Team created three scenarios based on the probability of
attendees purchasing raffle tickets. The Production Team estimates the best case scenario of one
raffle ticket sold per attendee has a 25% probability of occurring, a base case scenario of three
tickets sold to every four attendees has a 60% probability, and a worst case scenario of one ticket
sold to every four attendees has a probability of 15%. Based on these numbers and projections, it
was estimated that of the 1,830 attendees, about 1,360 raffle tickets could be sold. If raffle tickets
sold for $0.25 per ticket, a raffle could generate about $340 over the next two years.

Table 9: Possible revenues from a monthly local market

Source Total income from February 2010 – December 2011
Vendor Fees ($1 per vendor per market) $780
Raffle ($0.25 per ticket) $340
Total projected revenue for the next two years $1,120

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On the basis of these estimations, the Production Team estimates the sale of raffle tickets for a
quarter and a vendor charge of $1 at local markets could generate about $1,120 over the period
of two years.

Weekly Market Projections

Income from fees charged to vendors

With regular markets as a goal, the Production Team generated projections for weekly occurring
markets. The assumption was made that vendor participation in local markets would be 10% less
for weekly markets than for monthly markets, due to the regular occurrence of markets. With
weekly market projections, the same strategy of probabilities and the three-case scenario model
was implemented.

Table 10: Vendor Fee Projections

Best (25%) Base (60%) Worst (15%) Total
Vendors February 2010 117 78 39 80
Vendors December 2011 273 156 59 170
Projected total vendor attendance at 88 markets over the next two years 3,050

These numbers are based on weekly markets over a two year period. The group estimated that
the total number of vendors participating at weekly markets each month will grow from 80 to
170 over the next two years. Implementing the same three case scenario formats with associated
probabilities, the group determined that if each vendor was charged $1 to participate in the local
market, a total of about $3,050 could be generated within two years.

Income from a raffle

It was assumed that with weekly markets, attendance would be slightly lower. Therefore,
projected attendance at weekly markets is 10% lower than the attendance at monthly markets.
Using the same projected growth rate scenarios presented previously the Production Team
determined that total attendees at weekly markets each month would grow from 205, which is
about 50 attendees per market, to 465, which is a little over 100 attendees per market, within the
next two years. These figures are based on weekly markets and represent the total number of
attendees during each month.

Table 11: Raffle Ticket Projections

Base
Best (25%) (60%) Worst (15%) Total
Attendees February 2010 293 195 98 205
Attendees December
2011 780 390 234 465
Projected total attendees for 88 markets in the next two years 7,130

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If the same logic that was used for the monthly raffle income projection is applied here, the best
case scenario of one raffle ticket sold per attendee has a 25% probability of occurring, a base
case scenario of three tickets sold to every four attendees has a 60% probability, and a worst case
scenario of one ticket sold to every four attendees has a probability of 15%. Based on these
projections, the Production Team estimates that if $0.25 raffle tickets are sold at each of the
weekly markets over the next two years, approximately $1,315 that could be raised.

Table 12: Possible revenues from weekly markets

Source Total income from February 2010 – December 2011
Vendor Fees $3,050
Raffle ($0.25 per ticket) $1,315
Total $4,365

On the basis of these estimations, the Production Team estimates the sale of raffle tickets for a
$0.25 and a vendor charge of $1 at local markets could generate about $4,365 over the period of
two years.

Membership Fee Collection

Membership of the organization was projected to grow over the next two years at a best case rate
of ten new members per month, a base case rate of five new members per month, and a worst
case rate of two new members per month. Probabilities were assigned to each scenario: the best
case was given a 25% probability, the base case a 60% probability, and the worst case a 15%
probability. Utilizing the First Chicago Method, the Production Team determined that there will
be about 125 members in the organization by December 2011. Based on the previously
mentioned growth rates, the group estimated that if members paid a $1 per month membership
fee, within two years’ time $1,420 could be collected through membership fees.

Total Fundraising Projections: Monthly and Weekly

Based on the occurrence of either monthly or weekly markets, the Production Team estimates the
following fundraising opportunities: By charging vendors $1 to sell at each market, organizing a
raffle and charging membership fees for the organization of producers, the Production Team
estimates that the organization of producers could generate $2,540 for monthly markets and
$5,785 for weekly markets over the course of two years’ time. These funds could then be used
for other purposes within the organization.

100
Table 12: Total fundraising estimates based on monthly markets
Source Total income from February 2010 – December 2011
Vendor Fees ($1 per vendor per market) $780
Raffle ($0.25 per ticket) $340
Membership fees ($1 per month) $1,420
Total projected income over two years $2,540

Table 13: Total fundraising estimates based on weekly markets

Source Total income from February 2010 – December 2011
Vendor Fees $3,050
Raffle ($0.25 per ticket) $1,315
Membership fees ($1 per month) $1,420
Total projected income over two years $5,785

Local Markets and Local Market Evaluations

The Production Team has compiled a list of recommendations to improve future local markets
based on meetings in Ciudad Romero, San Hilario and La Canoa, as well as information gathered
through individual interviews. Each recommendation, with accompanying explanation, is as
follows:

1. Make the market permanent

• Perhaps the most important recommendation for the local market is to make it
permanent. The local market should not be thought of as a special event, but
rather as a recurring event. It is fundamentally necessary to create a sense of
stability and confidence within the community in regards to the market. The
market should take place in the same site, and at the same time each week. It
should eventually rotate to other communities throughout the week. An option to
consider for the future would be to have the market everyday of the week and
rotate through seven different communities. This gives vendors an opportunity to
have access to consumers on a dependable schedule and would allow the same
vendors to go to other communities, thereby diversifying product availability.

2. Expand publicity, advertise early and in more communities

• Advertising the market frequently and in advance, at least two weeks, is crucial to
consumer attendance. Consumers need sufficient time to organize their schedules
so as to be able to attend the market. It gives them time to inform their family and
friends and organize a ride. It also allows them to plan what they will purchase at
the market and avoid buying those products from picacheros in the meantime.

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3. Limit the timeframe of the event to only a half-day, either the afternoon or morning
• Keeping the market limited to a morning or an afternoon is advisable so that
producers do not have to give up their entire day to be at the market. If the market
is held in the afternoon, for example, farmers can go to their fields in the morning
and pick fresher produce instead of having to prepare the previous day.

4. Track how many people come to the market

• It is important to know how many people from the community attend the market,
and to get their feedback on what they liked, what they disliked and what they
would like to see changed about the market. A survey for people attending the
market is included in the Appendix.

5. The organizers should conduct a survey of when the market is more convenient for
producers and buyers: which day of the week, and what time of day (morning or
afternoon)
• In order to have the best market possible, with the most vendors and the most
buyers, the a survey should be conducted of community members and
representatives to find out when the market would be most convenient for the
majority to attend.

6. Choose a location that is suitable to the market needs, preferably somewhere with shade
• The Production Team heard complaints in regards to the location of the December
15th market. One complaint was about the lack of shade during the hottest portion
of the day, even though a canopy was provided by Asociación Mangle.

7. Have water available at the market

• Having water provided or for sale at the market would help to keep people at the
market for longer periods of time rather than having them leave early due to thirst.

8. Have trash and recycling containers available

• Trash and recycling containers would speed up the post-market cleanup and
would keep the market nice for late arrivals.

9. Supply more transportation to vendors and buyers

• Transportation is one of the major challenges for many sellers and buyers who
want to attend the local market. Expanding transportation for both groups to and
from the market will help increase the number of people who attend, thus making
the market more successful overall. This may not be feasible in the short-term, but
is a good long-term goal.

10. Set competitive prices at the local market

• It was noted by attendees at the last local market that the prices for certain
products were much higher than the prices of the picacheros, and sometimes those
of the local store. While it may not be possible to undercut the prices of the
picacheros, it is important for vendors to offer fair and competitive prices in order
to be successful at selling their product.

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 11. Allow participation of local vendors as well as vendors from outside the communities
• Allowing vendors from all communities, including vendors from outside the
communities is an advantage for expanding and diversifying the market. A fee
structure could be set to encourage consumers to purchase locally grown products.
However, competition will be a benefit to vendors and consumers.

12. Provide promotional material (ex: flag, banner, eventually a brand) to members of the
organization to differentiate between organic or local products and those that are not.
• Providing promotional material, even without an officially registered brand or
organization name, could lead to increased sales for members of the organization
of producers. Flags and banners could be used to draw attention to vendors. For
example, a uniform flag could indicate organic producers, or a banner could be
placed at the stand of each who is a member of the organization of producers.

13. Include fundraising activities like raffles at the market

• Fundraising activities like raffles can provide for services such as transportation,
space rental, tables tents, and cleanup. They also provide entertainment and
incentive for people to attend, possibly for a longer period of time.

14. Consider games and activities at the market

• In addition to music and prepared foods, other activities, games and entertainment
could be offered to increase attendance. If consumers are encouraged to attend for
longer periods of time, sales of prepared foods and drinks will increase.

Obstacles
It is common for new organizations to face trouble spots and be the most vulnerable during the
first few years. The following are potential obstacles that a new organization of producers might
encounter:

1. An unclear mission. Producers should not form a new organization just for the sake of
forming one or for power control; a clear mission statement must be articulated along
with distinct objectives and goals.

2. Poor planning. Well-defined plans are needed for reaching said goals and fulfilling the
mission statement.

3. Lack of member commitment and leadership. In order to be successful, the new

organization must have support from a broad base of members. Also, the support of
people who are experienced in leading and organizing a group is important.

4. Lack of financing. Although they may have projections, most new organizations are
underfinanced due to high startup operations, the need to complying with regulations and

103
 delays. It is quite common for the first months or years of work to be unprofitable;
therefore, sufficient financing is crucial in this period.

5. Inadequate communication and transportation. A new organization needs to keep

financiers, suppliers, members and the community well-informed. Therefore, a lack of
information can create a lack of interest in the organization. The leadership must decide
with whom and how communications are to be maintained. Transportation will also be a
critical issue for members with regards to attendance at meetings and local markets. It is
suggested that a vehicle be purchased for the organization, which might solve or avoid
some of the possible difficulties.

Conclusion
Following three weeks of project work, the Production Team would like to reemphasize the
importance of a strong organization that focuses on the strengthening of the productive and
marketing capacity in the Bajo Lempa and the Bay of Jiquilisco. Following multiple meetings
and interviews, it was determined by the Production Program, the Production Team, and the
local community groups and cooperatives, that an organization of producers was necessary in
providing communities with sales outlets for their local, healthy, and sustainable products, with
the goal of increasing production, improving health, and bolstering the local economy.

Jose Roberto Moreno, an agronomist for the Production Program, mentioned at the local group
meeting in Amando Lopez, “the problem is not producing, we are all excellent producers, but it
is finding a place where we can sell what we produce. That is the problem.” These words were
repeated time after time during the course of project work. With the growing popularity of local
markets and the organization of producers at the beginning stages of creation, the Production
Team is confident that sales locations will continue to grow, and with them, production.

The communities in the Bajo Lempa and the Bay of Jiquilisco demonstrate a strong character of
autonomy and self sufficiency. It is the hope of the Production Team that the Monterey Institute
of International Studies and La Coordinadora-Asociación Mangle will continue to strengthen
their relationship as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding, through continued
collaboration.

The Production Team presents this report as a guide for the continued process of organizational
development for the organization of producers, and for the expansion of healthy and sustainable !

!
!
!
!
!
!

104
 Appendix
Actividad para crear la organización de productores

A. ¿Qué deben ser los requisitos para ser un socio de la organización? Por favor, dar dos requisitos:

Ejemplo ______Ser un productor en el Bajo Lempa _________________________________

1. _________________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________________

B. ¿Qué deben ser las obligaciones o responsabilidades de un socio de la organización? Por favor,
dar dos responsabilidades:

Ejemplo __Compromiso continuo con la producción orgánica y la sostenibilidad ambiental._

1. ________________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________________

C. Por favor, contestar las siguientes preguntas:

¿Cuál es el propósito principal de la organización?

____________________________________________________________________________

Completar esta frase:!

!
Nosotros somos _________________________ del Bajo Lempa. Tenemos el propósito de!
!
____________________________________________________________________________!
!
!
D. Por favor, en su grupo, crear un nombre para la organización que implique la participación de toda clase de productor.
¡Sean creativos y diviértanse!!
!
_____________________________________________________________________________!

105
 El trabajo de los participantes por la presentación de la propuesta para la organización de productores, el 20 de enero de 2010
Requisitos para ser socio:
1. Tener tierra para cultivar;
2. tener la capacidad de producir en todos los rubros;
3. tener buenas prácticas y mostrar responsabilidad en el trabajo;
4. ser mayor de edad;
5. haber iniciado el proceso de producir de forma orgánica;
6. tener que pasar por un proceso de capacitación, o por la Escuela
Agrícola, o tener ya el conocimiento de cómo producir
orgánicamente;
7. pasar por un taller de orientación;
Responsabilidades de los socios:
1. Asistir a capacitaciones y poner lo aprendido en práctica;
2. producir con tendencia a la disminución del uso de productos
químicos;
3. solidaridad y comunicación adecuada, así como asistir a reuniones y
talleres;
4. mantener una diversificación, escalonamiento y producción
constantes;
5. apoyo a otros socios;
6. cumplir con los requisitos;
7. participar en las actividades de la organización;
8. asistir a los mercados locales y talleres de capacitación;
9. dar talleres y estar motivado a llevar una vida sana.
Un nombre para la organización:
Productores los perlas de la brisa marina del Bajo Lempa
El grupo de productores de esperanza del Bajo Lempa
Unión de productores sostenibles del Bajo Lempa
Asociación de productores y productoras del Bajo Lempa
Brisas Marinas del Nuevo Despertar del Proyecto Nuevo Modelo de
Productores y Artesanos Unidos del Bajo Lempa y la Bahía de
Jiquilisco.
El nombre elegido debería incluir los productores del Bajo Lempa y la
Bahía de Jiquilisco e incluir todas las clases de productores y
productoras.
Misión de la organización:
Somos productores y productoras, lo que incluye a todos los sectores
de producción del Bajo Lempa, y pretendemos producir
orgánicamente, así como comercializar localmente para contribuir a la
buena salud de los habitantes de las comunidades.
Somos un grupo de productores diversificados con la identidad social
del Bajo Lempa. Nos proponemos mejorar las condiciones de vida de
las familias de la región mediante el fortalecimiento de una
organización para lograr una producción sostenible.
Somos productores orgánicos del Bajo Lempa que tenemos conocemos
el tipo de producción que existe en la zona para obtener un mejor
precio a través de la comercialización, así como para incluir a todo
tipo de productores/as.
Somos los productores del Bajo Lempa y tenemos como propósito
cultivar, producir, educar, vender y promover los productos locales y
producidos en una manera sana y de alta calidad.
Nuestra misión debería ser comprensiva de todas clases de productores
y productoras de la región y dar su propósito principal.
La próxima reunión del 10 de febrero de 2010
Tarea para la próxima reunión:
Antes de la próxima reunión tendrán que completar las siguientes
tareas:
Comunicar la propuesta de la organización a sus grupos locales;
identificar personas que quieren presentarse como candidatos para los
puestos de la Junta Directiva y explicarles que tendrá lugar una
votación en el transcurso de la próxima reunión;
ponerse en contacto con los socios potenciales.
Taller sobre cómo dar talleres

La importancia de socializar las ideas y dar talleres

Cómo dar un taller:

a. Cuando uno imparte un taller a otra persona o grupo de personas debería fomentar
la participación;
b. La gente aprende mejor cuando está participando de forma activa.
Pasos:

1. La preparación:
i. Es muy importante saber cuántos participantes estarán presentes;
ii. asegurarse de que se tienen los materiales necesarios para impartir el taller
y para que los estudiantes o participantes puedan aprender al hacer;
iii. Diseñar un esquema que describa los pasos que se tienen que dar para
conseguir el conocimiento técnico que se enseñará.
2. La explicación (10 % del taller)
i. Explicar por qué es importante aprender estos conocimientos y destrezas;
ii. Explicar todo de la manera más sencilla posible.
3. La demostración (25 % del taller)
i. Demostrar la técnica a los estudiantes o participantes.
4. La práctica (65 % del taller)
i. Hacer que los estudiantes o participantes ¡practiquen, practiquen y
practiquen sin cesar!
5. La aplicación
i. Que los estudiantes o participantes les demuestren a otros lo que acaban de
aprender.
6. La evaluación

Consejos

-Asegurarse de que el grupo de estudiantes sea pequeño:

a. enseñarles despacio para que entiendan bien;

b. animar a los estudiantes con comentarios positivos y evitar comentarios negativos;
c. permitir que lo/la evalúen a uno/a sus estudiantes para asegurar que el próximo
taller mejore;
d. es importante aclarar la hora y la duración de actividades:
i. Establecer un límite de tiempo;
ii. notificarlo a los participantes antes de empezar la sesión y no cambiarlo;
iii. es muy importante que la sesión evaluativa sea breve y concisa para evitar
que los estudiantes pierdan todo interés.
Los participantes en el mercado local, 15 diciembre 2009

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Los participantes de la reunión de miércoles, 20 de enero 2010

La Reunión de Miércoles - 20 de Enero

Número de
Nombre Comunidad Teléfono
1 Maria Santana Guevara Zamoran 26347939
2 Blanca Estela Ramirez de Clave Zamoran 26347939
3 Ana Francisca Martinez La Canoa 75702053
4 Maria Orbelina Marquez La Canoa 75316999
5 Trancito Enrique Florez San Juan Letran 75904675
6 Solidad Guardado Nueva Esperanza 9536572
7 Pilar Martinez Nueva Esperanza 79185744
8 Martir de Jesus Leiva Mario Numero 2 75682299
9 Eusebio Ortiz Amanado Lopez 26437259
10 Delmy Josefina Viera San Hilario 75402781
11 Francisco Jabier Delgado Los Ensallos
12 Nicolas Hernandes Martinez Los Ensallos
13 Leonidas
14 Blanca Rubenia Villalobos El Marillo H2 74845956
15 Rosa Miro? Escalante El Marillo H2 72009513
16 Carmen Arguita Amando Lopez 75284185
17 Mario Martinez Amando Lopez 26322871
Juan Luna Ciudad Romero 72101414
18 Jose Leonidas Ciudad Romero 77976939
19 Jose Roberto Moreno Las Mesitas 75813425
Programa de
20 Luis Ramos Organizacion 72300800
21 Armando Selva Ciudad Romero 75214998
22 Jose Ofelio Herrera Isla de Mendez 77319531
Preguntas para los organizadores del mercado local, 15 diciembre 2010

1. ¿Trajeron los vendedores mesas para sus productos?

2. ¿Cómo llegaron los vendedores?
3. ¿Cuántos vendedores planificaron participar en el mercado?
4. ¿Cuántos en total estuvieron?
5. ¿Había cualquier razón porque los que planificaron estar no estuvieron?
6. ¿Registraba alguien la variedad de productos que estaban a la venta al mercado?
7. ¿Tienen suficiente productos los vendedores para poder participar en los mercados cada
mes? ¿Dos veces al mes? ¿Cada semana?
8. ¿Había comida preparada a la venta?
9. ¿Había música?
10. ¿Estuvieron los vendedores desde la mañana hasta al final del mercado?
11. ¿Más o menos cuantas personas asistieron al mercado?
12. ¿Cuáles fueron los productos que se vendieron más?
13. ¿Había algunos productos que estuvieron a la venta por muchos vendedores?
14. ¿Había productos que no fueron comida a la venta?
15. ¿De cuáles comunidades fueron las personas que asistieron al mercado?
16. ¿Saben como las llegaron?
17. ¿Quién estuvo encargado de recoger la basura después del mercado?
18. ¿Había recipientes para la basura y el reciclo?
19. ¿Había quejas sobre el mercado?
20. ¿Había complementos sobre el mercado?
21. ¿Qué sugerencias tienen para mejorar el próximo mercado?
22. ¿Por qué escogieron martes, 15 de diciembre para el día del mercado?
23. ¿Estuvieron los niños en escuela?
24. ¿Cuándo decidieron que el mercado sería aquel día?
25. ¿Cambiaron el día del mercado durante la planificación?
26. ¿Quién se encargo del mercadeo para el mercado?
27. ¿Qué tipo de mercadeo había?
28. ¿Cuál fue el proceso de informar los miembros de la comunidad?
29. ¿Estaban involucradas otras organizaciones de la comunidad en la planificación o
mercadeo del mercado?
30. ¿Cuántas reuniones tuvieron antes del mercado? ¿Dónde? Quiénes asistieron?
31. ¿Les designaron papeles distintos a los organizadores?
32. ¿Cuántas comunidades fueron informadas sobre el mercado y cuándo?
33. ¿Informaron vendedores personalmente sobre el mercado?
34. ¿Pudieron asistir al mercado todos los vendedores que quisieran?
35. ¿Había obstáculos en la planificación del mercado?
36. ¿Había una persona en el mercado por la mañana para ayudar y dirigir los vendedores?
37. ¿Había un lugar específico designado por cada vendedor, o podían vender sus productos
donde querían?
38. ¿Por cuánto tiempo duró el mercado?
39. ¿Sienten ustedes de que el horario del mercado, 8 a 3, fue muy largo, muy corto, o
perfecto?
40. ¿Llegaron los vendedores antes de que empezó el mercado?
Entrevistas para los referentes y los grupos locales

Una Introducción:

Formamos parte de un grupo de estudiantes quienes están aquí trabajando con la Coordinadora y
Asociación Mangle como consultores. Hemos firmado un convenio y es la cuarta vez que
nuestro grupo ha venido acá para trabajar. Nosotros estamos trabajando con el centro de
producción de Mangle y estamos investigando la posibilidad y necesidad de formar una
organización de productores aquí en el Bajo Lempa. Ayer tuvimos una reunión con la
cooperativa de mujeres en Zamoran y la cooperativa de Nueva Esperanza, ahora queremos
hacerle algunas preguntas sobre su experiencia trabajando con las varias organizaciones en la
zona. Antes de empezar queremos presentarnos para que podamos conocernos mejor.

1. ¿Por cuánto tiempo ha sido granjero?

2. ¿En su finca que cultiva?
3. ¿Han cambiado los tipos de cultivos que usted siembra ahora después de haber asistido a
la escuela agrícola?
4. ¿Ha cambiado o mejorado el tamaño y la calidad de su cosecha después de haber asistido
a la escuela agrícola?
5. ¿Por qué quiso participar en la escuela agrícola?
6. ¿Qué ha sido lo más útil que aprendió en la escuela agrícola?
7. ¿Está usando las técnicas que aprendió en la escuela agrícola? ¿Como cuáles?
8. ¿Ha ensañado las técnicas que aprendió en la escuela agrícola con otras personas? Si la
respuesta es sí, ¿con quién? Si no, ¿por qué no? ¿Cómo? ¿Dónde?
9. ¿Qué obstáculos ha enfrentado con respecto a la agricultura sostenible?
10. ¿Con que organizaciones o programas en el Bajo Lempa participa? ¿Hay otras que
existen en esta área?
11. ¿Ha notado usted que hay competición o conflicto entre las entidades?
12. ¿Tiene usted una forma de crédito extendido? ¿De cuales organizaciones?
13. ¿Cuánto interés cobran?
14. ¿Si nos permita, puedes compartir con nosotros cuánto dinero pidió prestado?
15. ¿Ha tenido usted problemas cumpliendo con los pagos? Si… ¿Había alguna forma de
multa?
16. ¿Para qué usó los préstamos?
17. ¿Hay retos trabajando con varias organizaciones?
18. ¿Qué piensa usted de todas estas organizaciones?
19. ¿Ha tenido una mala experiencia con alguna de ellas?
20. ¿En su opinión, cuales son las necesidades de las comunidades aquí en el Bajo Lempa, y
piensa que las organizaciones proveen soluciones para estos problemas?
21. ¿Estaría usted interesado en unirse a alguna organización para educar a miembros de su
comunidad sobre lo que ha aprendido y ayudar a organizar mercados locales?
Preguntas para las cooperativas

1. ¿Cuándo se formó la cooperativa?

2. ¿Por qué se formó la cooperativa?
3. ¿Cómo se formó la cooperativa?
4. ¿Quiénes decidieron formarla?
5. ¿Cómo generaron los fondos para formar la cooperativa?
6. ¿Cómo los generan estos fondos actualmente?
7. ¿Cuántas personas forman la cooperativa?
8. ¿Cuántos miembros forman el núcleo de la organización y de que se encargan? ¿Cuáles
son los diferentes papeles?
9. ¿Qué comunidades de Bajo Lempa son representadas en esta cooperativa?
10. ¿Cuáles son los requisitos para hacerse miembro de la cooperativa?
11. ¿Cómo contribuyen los miembros a la cooperativa? ¿Pagan para ser miembros?
12. ¿Cuáles son algunos de los beneficios que les ofrece a la membrecía?
13. ¿Qué obstáculos han enfrentado durante la existencia de la cooperativa?
14. ¿Cuánto dinero genera la cooperativa al ano?
15. ¿Cuántas libras de camarones venden cada mes? ¿Y cómo lo documentan?
16. ¿Cómo documentan sus ganancias?
17. ¿Sólo venden sus camarones acá o hay otros lugares o personas a que los vende?
18. ¿Tienen acceso a transporte para llevar sus productos a otras comunidades o mercados?
19. ¿Tienen una marca o logotipo? ¿Cómo lo consiguieron?
20. ¿Estarían interesado en unirse a alguna organización que le proveyera beneficios como….
Una sello de calidad, distribución y mercadeo?
The Impact of the Ban: One Year Later
An evaluation of El Salvador’s ban on turtle egg harvesting and its
socio-economic impact in the Bajo Lempa

Monterey Institute of International Studies

A Graduate School of Middlebury College

Prepared by:
Amy Holste
Alexandra Ogden
Jacqueline Spear-Cerda
Andrew Volkman

114
Acknowledgements
This research project would not have been possible without the support, dedication and
collaboration of many partners, colleagues, and friends. The spirit of partnership and
unwavering dedication of La Coordinadora and Asociación Mangle to their work enabled
this project to take shape and fulfill its key goals and objectives. We thank our esteemed
colleagues and project coordinators Walberto Gallego, Oscar Carranza, and Carlos
Barahona, for welcoming us with such professional and personal warmth, for sharing
their expert knowledge and valuable insight, and for the facilitation and coordination of
meetings and project logistics during our three weeks in country.

We are also extremely grateful to Jose Douglas Chica Hernandez and Rigoberto Antonio
Silva Nuñez, members of La Coordinadora’s Youth Leadership Program, for
accompanying us during the interviews and dedicating their time and energy to ensuring
successful data collection and communication. Their collaboration, insight, and positive
attitudes were a welcome and valuable contribution. Our guides and drivers, David
Marroquin and Jacobo Rodriguez Zelaya, were also indispensable resources and trusted
partners. We thank them for their patience, confidence and adept logistical
competencies.

We extend heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to our expert translators and interpreters,
Deborah Radilla Laureano and Hilda Diaz. The results of this endeavor are directly
related to their hard work, dedication, and guidance as both linguistic and cultural
counsel.

Lastly, we’d like to extend thanks to all of the turtle harvesters, nursery caretakers, and
community leaders who graciously welcomed us into their communities and openly
shared their thoughts, opinions, and concerns with such sincerity. We hope that the
information provided in this report will aid in their continued pursuit of economic
development and social justice.

115
Executive Summary
The Bay of Jiquilisco in southeast El Salvador provides important nesting and foraging habitat
for four species of endangered and threatened sea turtle populations. In February of 2009 the
Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources in El Salvador (MARN) issued!*!
+*(=$+S=@&!I&#-*+&+(!-$#*($#=:-!$+!(9&!9*#<&5(=+,!$N!5&*!(:#(1&!I#$@:'(5!N$#!&'$+$-='!
,*=+\ The intent of the ban was to strengthen national conservation efforts for the four species of
threatened marine sea turtle species that nest and forage on the beaches of El Salvador. These
species include the Hawksbill, Olive Ridley, the Green, and the Leatherback. However, new
regulatory frameworks do not take into account local impoverished areas and the socio-economic
incentives to exploit this biodiversity.

In January of 2010, four graduate students from the Monterey Institute of International Studies,
as Team Monterey participants, conducted primary research to assess and evaluate the impact of
the government ban on the turtle egg harvesters of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula one year
after implementation. Key project objectives included an evaluation of the socio-economic
impact on the turtle egg harvesters and their communities, an investigation into the possible
emergence of a black market for the sale of turtle eggs, and a preliminary assessment of options
for alternative sources of income. Target communities were located on the San Juan del Gozo
Peninsula, home to over 400 turtle harvesters and their families and the location of key nesting
beaches for all four species of sea turtles. Over a three-week time frame from January 3 to
January 23, 2010, 89 harvesters were interviewed, representing 12 local communities, and three
site visits were made to local markets.

Research findings show turtle egg harvesting continues to represent a significant source of
income for harvesters and their families and is used to support basic needs such as food and
household expenses. Additionally, fifty-five percent (55%) of respondents reported either very
limited or no alternative opportunities for income generation in their immediate area. The
alternatives that do exist hold similar potential to be unsustainable in the long-term or present a
considerable degree of financial and technical start-up costs. A moderate black market was
found to exist within the regional markets of Úsulutan and Zacatecoluca.

Overall, the first year of the ban on harvesting and selling turtle eggs has not shown a
considerable socio-economic impact on the communities of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula.
This, however, can be directly attributed to the presence of emergency funding. During its first
year of implementation, the ban has been successful in limiting the supply of turtle eggs to local
markets. A sizable change in the supply chain - from historical market channels to strategically
established turtle egg nurseries supporting conservation efforts – has taken place. However, the
implications for the future of both conservation efforts and most importantly, socio-economic
viability of the communities of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula, are of concern. Should the
2010 nesting season move forward with an absence, or very retracted level of funding, there is
strong evidence to suggest that turtle egg harvesters will be incentivized to decrease supply to the
nurseries and increase supply to black market channels. The lack of short-term and immediate
alternatives reinforces this prediction and exacerbates the unintended consequences of a well-
intentioned regulatory statute.

116
Recommendations include a continuation of direct payments for sea turtle eggs to the egg
harvesters via the nurseries throughout the 2010 nesting season. Additional recommendations
include further development of alternative and supplemental sources of funding to support on-
going direct payment programs through the turtle egg nurseries; additional analysis of the
emerging black market; a feasibility study on viable opportunities for alternative income
generation; exploration of in-situ conservation strategies; and an initial feasibility study to inform
possible implementation of a formal performance payment conservation incentive agreement
within the Bay of Jiquilisco region.

117
Project Background

Sea turtles in El Salvador

The Bay of Jiquilisco is El Salvador’s largest protected area, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and
Wetland of International Importance under the 1971 Ramsar Convention.1 Representing
outstanding biodiversity of high ecological significance, the Bay of Jiquilisco also provides
important nesting and foraging habitat for four species of endangered and vulnerable sea turtle
populations. These species include2:

• Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), categorized as critically endangered with a

decreasing population trend by The International Union for the Conservation of Nature
Red list (IUCN), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species List
(CITES) and the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA)
• Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), categorized as vulnerable with a decreasing
population trend by IUCN, CITES and the ESA.
• Green (Chelonia mydas), categorized as endangered with a decreasing population trend
by IUCN, CITES and the ESA
• Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea). Categorized as critically endangered with a
decreasing population trend by IUCN, CITES and the ESA.

Sea turtles play a vital role within marine and coastal ecosystems, helping to strengthen their
ecological health and in turn, the quality of life for human populations that depend on them.
Through activities such as grazing on sea grass beds, sea turtles increase key nutrient volume and
productivity of coastal habitats. Due to their highly migratory nature, sea turtles also contribute
to important nutrient transport between marine habitats and coastal zones3. Unfortunately, over
the past 200 years the populations of sea turtle species have drastically declined. Key threats
include incidental capture in commercial fisheries, loss of nesting habitat, pollution, and direct
take in the form of egg harvesting and exploitation of adults for meat and the commercial sale of
shells.

The Bajo Lempa and San Juan del Gozo Peninsula

The Bajo Lempa region of El Salvador represents over 80 coastal and inland communities in
southeast El Salvador, located around the Bay of Jiquilisco and along the San Juan del Gozo
Peninsula. (see map in Appendix) Like many developing societies in coastal areas, local
populations rely heavily on natural resources for their livelihoods. For generations many
families in the Bajo Lempa region have relied on harvesting and selling marine turtle eggs as a
critical income-generating activity. El Salvadorans are accustomed to eating turtle eggs as an
aperitif or perceived stimulant and eggs are considered a common form of protein.

A study conducted in 2009 by Team Monterey showed that 11% of all egg harvesters relied on
turtle egg harvesting as their primary source of income. For the remaining 89% of harvesters,
egg harvesting represents an essential source of secondary income - sometimes the only
economic activity available during certain seasonal timeframes4. The majority of income
generated is used in support of basic needs, such as food and household items. Lack of

118
alternative options for sustainable and diversified income generation exacerbates the dynamic
between economic self-sufficiency and conservation goals.

Historically, sea turtle conservation efforts in the region have consisted primarily of establishing
strategically located incubation sites or turtle nurseries near key nesting beaches and coastal
areas. Established nurseries in Isla Mendez, Isla Montecristo, Corral de Mulas II and El Icaco –
all on the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula - have functioned periodically over the last several years
during the high nesting seasons. In addition to acting as incubation sites, funded nurseries
purchase turtle eggs directly from harvesters at a competitive market price. Harvesters have also
been encouraged to donate a portion of their collection to the nurseries for conservation purposes
– typically representing one dozen eggs per nest or approximately 12 out of every 100 eggs.5
However, funding for nursery operations and conservation payment programs is limited. Past
conservation efforts have received support from various local and regional organizations, the El
Salvadorian government, and international non-governmental organizations; however, efforts
have lacked consistency and coordination and have typically focused on either one species in
isolation or one or two nesting beaches at a time.

The Ban
In February of 2009 the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources in El Salvador
(MARN) issued!*!+*(=$+S=@&!I&#-*+&+(!-$#*($#=:-!$+!(9&!9*#<&5(=+,!$N!5&*!(:#(1&!
I#$@:'(5!N$#!&'$+$-='!,*=+\ The intent of the ban was to strengthen national conservation
efforts for the four species of threatened marine sea turtle species that nest and forage on the
beaches of El Salvador. However, the new regulatory frameworks do not take into account local
impoverished areas and the socio-economic incentives to exploit this biodiversity. Official
governmental actions such as bans and seasonal restrictions serve to further reduce endemic
sources of income for local coastal communities. Since the institution of the February 2009 ban,
an important source of income in local communities has become threatened.

As an interim solution, emergency funding was provided from the Fondo de la Iniciativa para las
Americas El Salvador (FIAES) and NGOs, such as Friends of the Earth-Spain and the
Foundation for Self-Sufficiency in Central America6, to support conservation efforts during the
2009 nesting season (July-December). Funds were utilized to support the operation of four egg
incubation sites, which included paying nursery staff and the purchase of locally harvested turtle
eggs from harvesters during the high season. Nurseries offered a competitive market price of
$US3.00 per dozen eggs. Eggs were then incubated and cared for until they hatched, at which
time the newborn turtles were released into their natural habitat at nearby oceanfront beaches.
Biologists from Asociación Mangle estimate that over 150,000 newborn turtles were released in
the 2009 nesting season as a result of the nurseries’ activities.7 Unfortunately, emergency
funding is not expected to continue into 2010.

It is under these circumstances that El Salvador is faced with the interrelated challenges of
economic development and biodiversity conservation. The biological significance of sea turtles
and the important social role of these animals and their eggs as a source of protein is widely
accepted. However, the debate over proper use, strategies for conservation and pathways to
creating sustainable livelihoods for local communities continues.

119
Research conducted in January 2010 by Team Monterey 4 builds on the 2009 research effort
conducted by Team Monterey 3, which established a profile of turtle egg harvesters and created a
comprehensive market study of the sea turtle egg supply chain prior to the ban.8 Results and
information from the January 2010 effort will help inform decision-making as it relates to the
protection, conservation, restoration and management of sea turtle populations. Additionally,
this study will help inform the development of viable economic incentives for sea turtle
conservation in key local coastal communities.

Project Scope & Methodology

Project Scope
The core goal of this project was to evaluate the impact of the government ban on the turtle egg
harvesters of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula one year after implementation.

Key project objectives included:

1. Evaluation of the socio-economic impact on the turtle egg harvesters and their
communities
2. Investigate the possible emergence of a black market for the sale of turtle eggs
3. Explore options for alternative sources of income

Target communities were located on the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula, in the Bajo Lempa region
of southeast El Salvador, home to over 400 turtle egg harvesters and their families and the
location of key nesting beaches for all four species of sea turtles. Over a three-week time frame
from January 3 to January 23, 2010, 89 harvesters were interviewed, representing 12 local
communities. Interviewed communities include Isla de Mendez, Isla Montecristo, La Pita, La
Tirana, San Juan del Gozo, Corral de Mulas I, Corral de Mulas II, El Icaco, Ceiba Doblada, Los
Llanos, El Aguacate y El Tular.

The Environmental team made site visits to the three local markets of Úsulutan, Zacatecoluca
and Jiquilisco to assess the existence of black market sales and explore the impact of the ban as it
relates to quantity of eggs being sold to and purchased from the markets. Several vendors were
interviewed about turtle egg prices, quantity of eggs demanded and supplied and the
understanding on the part of the vendors of the ban and its regulatory implications.

Methodology
Core research data was gathered through direct in-person interviews with turtle egg harvesters
and turtle egg vendors. All interviews were voluntary and coordinated through community
leaders with the help of La Coordinadora-Asociación Mangle (LC-AM) staff. Due to logistics
and geographical parameters, in several cases more than one community was represented during
an interview session.

Each interview session lasted approximately two and half to four hours and was held in the
morning or afternoon timeframe. Individual interviews lasted approximately 20 minutes each and

120
consisted of 25 open-ended qualitative and quantitative questions. All interviews were
conducted on an individual basis. The questions were broken into three groups consisting of
demographic questions; questions about egg collection activities and understanding of the law;
and questions on how the law has impacted the lives of the harvesters and what other income
opportunities exist in their communities. There was also open-ended discussion on what kind of
training or skill set the harvesters would want to learn if given the opportunity. The participant
could opt to not answer any or all of the questions and all interviews were anonymous.

The four-person environmental team conducted the interviews. When necessary, professional
interpretation and translation assistance was provided to help facilitate and clarify questions and
responses. During the course of the six sessions, the survey was adapted slightly to strengthen
clarity of communication and meaning of each question. Direct, straightforward and simple
questions elicited the strongest response and were used whenever appropriate. All data was
recorded manually and then transferred into a master electronic database for purposes of analysis
and aggregation.

Site visits to the three markets were conducted in the morning timeframe to take advantage of
high market activity. Market interviews were considerably less formal than those in the
communities and relied heavily on the assistance of the interpreter as well as the team’s
driver/guide to bridge cultural boundaries and provide a non-threatening environment for
communication. Turtle egg venders, if present, were asked informal conversational questions
about the supply, pricing, and demand for eggs. Opinions and understanding of the ban were
also solicited.

Results and Analysis

Results
Demographic Profile
Of the 89 harvesters interviewed, forty-seven percent (47%) were the sole income generator for
their immediate family unit. Another twenty-two percent (22%) shared income generation with
one other household member. An average of five people lived within each household unit.

The number of years spent collecting eggs by the majority of turtle egg harvesters ranged
between eight to twenty-one years, with the average being 12 years. Smaller numbers of
harvesters either began harvesting within the last one to two years or have been collecting for
well over 21 years. This data supports anecdotal reports that the harvesting community is
comprised of a mixture of harvesting profiles. These include: life-time harvesters, those who go
out every night of the season (or in rare cases, every night of the year) in search of nests;
seasonal harvesters, those who harvest regularly during the high season while supplementing
harvesting revenue with one or two other income generating activities throughout the year; and
new harvesters, those who have begun collecting eggs within the past two seasons. While no
empirical evidence is available, anecdotal wisdom suggests that a portion of new harvesters may
be experimenting to see if harvesting is a viable revenue source – especially as a reaction to the
ban and subsequent funding of existing turtle nurseries during the 2009 nesting season.

121
However, the majority of turtle egg harvesters work seasonally and rely on income generated
from harvesting activities to support basic needs.

Income and Expenses

Exact records and documentation of local per-capita income were not readily available.
Therefore, to establish benchmark historical income ranges, the team members asked questions
concerning income earned over the turtle harvesting season as a whole and income earned on a
monthly basis. Along the same lines, daily or ‘per 15 day’ increments were used to assess
average household and living expenses. Harvesters earned an average of $253.00 from
harvesting activity over one high season.9 This equates to an average income from harvesting
activity of $12.05 per week.10

Monthly expenses for basic necessities such as food, medicine, and in some cases, electricity
were $79.00 per month on average, or $19.75 per week. In the majority of cases, income
reported from egg harvesting was less than, or at the most equal to, the income spent directly on
basic living necessities.

Due to the unofficial nature of income and expense records within local communities, the team
also examined harvesting income by looking at payments disbursed by the turtle egg nurseries.
On average, each harvester reported collecting between 8-12 nests per season, with change on a
weekly basis due to natural variation. Some weeks produced no nests. Others, ‘with luck’, could
produce up to four or five nests per individual harvester, representing approximately 400-500
eggs. The average reported price earned per nest was $21.00. Extrapolated over the season, this
data provides a seasonal income distribution of $168.00-$252.00, which aligns with the $253.00
earned per season ascertained through direct income inquiries.

Behavioral Changes since the Ban

One hundred percent (100%) of respondents reported bringing all of their eggs to the turtle
nurseries since the start of the ban. However, this was true only during the high season and only
when the nurseries had funds to purchase the eggs. Many turtle egg harvesters said that they did
not currently harvest when it was not the high season either because nests were too hard to find,
the nurseries no longer bought eggs, or both.

Eighty-eight percent (88%) of respondents reported that the nurseries paid them three dollars
(US$3.00) per dozen eggs, while twelve percent (12%) of respondents reported receiving various
prices other than three dollars per dozen from the nurseries. When asked about the reason for
varying prices, responses indicated that some nurseries had used an adjustable price structure (for
example, US$3.00 in the beginning of high season vs. US$2.00 toward the end) to conserve
available funds throughout the entire high nesting season.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of respondents reported that they still donated a portion of their eggs
to the nurseries, even after the ban was implemented and emergency funding was available for
full payment of all nests. Of those that reported donating eggs to the nurseries, forty-one percent
(41%) donated two eggs per dozen, twenty-two percent (22%) donated one egg per dozen, and
twelve percent (12%) reported various other donation rates. The continued egg donation is

122
consistent with the strong evidence of social reciprocity found in Team Monterey 3’s 2009
research study.

When asked what they did with the turtle eggs when the nurseries did not purchase them, sixty-
four percent (64%) of respondents reported that they would sell their eggs on the market, while
thirteen percent (13%) reported that they would eat the eggs that they collected. Twenty percent
(20%) reported that they would not participate in the collection of eggs at all if the nursery was
not purchasing them and two percent (2%) gave other responses.

Graph 1. Actions taken if Viveros have no funding.

Opinions and Understanding of the Ban

When questioned about their opinion of the ban, forty percent (40%) of the harvesters responded
outright that the ban was ‘good’ and twenty-four percent (24%) responded that the ban was
‘bad’. The remaining respondents either didn’t respond directly or reported that it was both good
and bad. Of those responding affirmatively, the majority associated the ban being good due to its
role in providing consistent income, especially through the winter season when other alternatives
for income generation were scarce. Just over a quarter, or twenty-six percent (26%), of all
respondents also mentioned that the ban was good for the future production of turtles. Of those
responding negatively, consistent reasons given included the loss of essential income and a
significant reduction in their ability to support themselves and their families. Several responses
included a mixture of opinion indicating the ban was good for the production of turtles, but bad
for the local people.

Across all 12 communities surveyed, understanding of the ban - including its rules, how it
functioned, and its implications - was mixed. Of all the communities, a few stood out by
displaying a strong understanding of the ban or a poor understanding of the ban. In Corral de
Mulas I and Corral de Mulas II seventy-one percent (71%) of respondents had a strong and
accurate understanding of the ban; followed by fifty percent (50%) of those interviewed from El
Tular and forty-seven percent (47%) of those in El Icaco. The highest rate of confusion and

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misunderstanding was found in San Juan de Gozo, with sixty percent (60%) of respondents being
unclear about the rules of the ban and how it functions.

In this analysis, a strong understanding implies knowledge of the permanent restriction on

collecting and selling eggs, regardless of the season. Usually, knowledge of the fines or the
consequences of being caught selling or harvesting was also communicated by the interviewees.
In some cases, knowledge of the reasons behind the ban (conservation of the species) was also
exhibited. A poor understanding of the ban was displayed through responses that indicated the
ban to be confined only to the high nesting seasons, or only to selling but not eating the eggs
(implying that the actual activity of harvesting was still allowed), or by associating the ban with
the nurseries newfound ability to pay for all collected nests.

The following are samples of feedback on the ban and its impact. Many responses reflect the
confusion between the ban and the ability of the nurseries to buy eggs, associating one with the
other. Those statements marked with an astrick* represent evidence of confusion between the
ban and the nurseries ability to buy eggs.

Understanding of the rules of the ban:

• It’s illegal to sell eggs, but not to eat them. Es ilegal venderlos, pero no comerlos.
• (The ban) is bad. The problem is that the people have to bring all of the eggs to the nursery
now, but it only functions in the high season. La veda no es buena. El problema es que ahora
la gente tiene que traer todos los huevos al vivero, pero esto solamente funciona durante la
temporada alta.
• The ban applies only during the high season. La veda solo se aplica durante la temporada
alta.
• One can’t collect eggs in the low season. No se pueden recolectar huevos durante la
temporada baja.
• It is prohibited to sell or consume eggs; the consumption or sale of eggs is prohibited to
preserve the environment. Queda prohibido vender o consumir huevos. El consumo y la
venta de huevos quedan prohibidos con el fin de conservar el medioambiente.

General Opinion of the Ban:

• It’s (turtle harvesting) the only source of income available to survive. Recolectar huevos de
tortugas es la única fuente de ingresos que tenemos para sobrevivir.
• Without the ban, we wouldn’t have any work in January. In January we aren’t able to fish or
to harvest crabs. Sin la veda, no tendríamos trabajo en enero. En enero no podemos pescar o
recolectar cangrejos.
• The ban is part good and part bad. It’s bad for employment, but good for the future quantity
of turtles. La veda es en parte buena y en parte mala. Es mala para el empleo, pero buena
para la población futura de tortugas.
• The ban hasn’t affected me because of the nursery. The nursery buys the eggs and has
helped us immensely. La veda no me ha afectado gracias al vivero que compra los huevos y
nos ha ayudado muchísimo.
• The ban is good for the people because it is income that is surely there and we don’t have to
search for buyers. La veda es buena para la gente porque se traduce en una fuente segura de
ingresos y no tenemos que buscar compradores.

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• The ban is good because it produces more turtles. La veda es buena porque produce más
tortugas.
• The ban has been well supported. People follow the rules. It’s been positive overall, with
more stable income and also preservation of the turtles for the future. La veda ha contado
con mucho apoyo. La gente sigue las reglas. En su conjunto, ha sido positiva porque ha
aportado ingresos más estables, así como la conservación de las tortugas para el futuro.
• There is a stable price for eggs, therefore the ban is good.* Hay un precio estable para los
huevos; Por lo tanto, la veda es buena.
• It hasn’t really affected me much. (I think the ban) is good because it produces more turtles
and it pays more.* No me ha afectado much. Creo que la veda es positiva porque se
reproducen más tortugas y se pagan mejor.
• The ban is good for (turtle) production, but affects us because we can’t sell the eggs and earn
money. La veda es buena para la reproducción de las tortugas, pero nos afecta porque no
podemos vender los huevos y ganar dinero.
• If the nursery doesn’t buy all the eggs, we have to sell them on the market and the prices are
much lower now. Si el vivero no compra todos los huevos, tenemos que venderlos en el
mercado y los precios ahora están mucho más bajos.
• In general, (the ban) has had a positive effect on our income, I would like the ban to be
applied all year long.* En general, la veda ha tenido un efecto positivo en nuestros ingresos;
me gustaria que la veda estuviera vigente todo el año.
• The people have benefited greatly from the work of the institutions and the nurseries. The
consumption and the sale of eggs are prohibited to preserve the environment. La gente se ha
beneficiado mucho gracias al trabajo de las instituciones y los viveros. El consumo y la venta
de huevos han quedado prohibidos con el fin de conservar el medioambiente.
• The price in the markets is lower, but in general, (the ban) is better because we can sell the
eggs to the nurseries during the high season. I’d like to see the nurseries able to buy the eggs
all year round.* Los precios en los mercados son más bajos, pero, en general, la veda es
mejor porque podemos vender todos los huevos a los viveros durante la temporada alta. Me
gustaría que los viveros pudieran comprar los huevos a lo largo de todo el año.
• For the animals, it’s good. For the people, it’s bad. Para los animales es buena, pero para la
gente es mala.
• The ban is positive. The ban made many organizations come here and create the ban.
Without the ban, there would be a crisis.* La veda es positiva. Hizo que muchas
organizaciones vinieran aquí y la crearan. Sin ella, habría una crises.
• After the season, we have to sell the eggs in the market because the funds are gone and the
people need to survive. Una vez terminada la temporada, tenemos que vender los huevos en
el mercado porque los fondos se agotan y la gente tiene que sobrevivir.

Turtle egg harvesters were also asked about their opinions regarding what they would like to see
happen in the future. The majority of responses included one of the following two requests:

• “The ability to sell eggs to the nurseries throughout the entire year”
• “Continued assistance (monetary) from the government and other institutions”

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One harvester responded, rather astutely, by saying: “It’s a question of economics. If they (the
nurseries) don’t buy the eggs here, we are not able to work. We need a source of work so that all
are able to work and survive.” “Es una cuestión económica. Si los viveros no compran aquí sus
huevos, no podremos trabajar. Necesitamos una fuente de trabajo para que todos podamos
trabajar y sobrevivir.”

Black Market Activity

Sixty-nine percent (69%) of harvesters responded that turtle egg buyers are still operating within
their communities and surrounding areas. Twenty-two percent (22%) denied the continued
presence of buyers, six percent (6%) claimed not to know, and three percent (3%) didn’t answer
definitively. Harvesters reported that generally, when the nurseries are funded, few intermediary
buyers are present in the communities. Additionally, since the inception of the ban, the number
of intermediary buyers working within the communities has decreased significantly, but has not
disappeared completely. A handful of harvesters admitted to knowing that buyers were still
active in the regional area, however not in their particular home community. Those who reported
no knowledge of active buyers stated that the main reason was due to the prohibition of egg sales
under the ban. Many of these same respondents also mentioned the heightened fear of
repercussions if individuals are caught illegally selling or buying eggs under the ban.

Intermediary buyers, under the ban, were reported paying a between a range of US$1.00 and
US$2.50 per dozen eggs, dependant on seasonal timeframes and availability. Eight percent (8%)
of harvesters reported the price received for selling eggs to intermediaries has increased since the
inception of the ban; seventy-five percent (75%) reported prices as lower than what they received
prior to the start of the ban; and seventeen percent (17%) reported prices per dozen being offered
by the intermediary buyers remained relatively constant since the start of the ban.

Enforcement Efforts
Just under half of all harvesters interviewed, or forty-nine percent (49%), reported seeing more
police on the beaches now compared to the time before the ban went into effect. During times of
large collection in the high season, harvesters reported seeing the police going to the nurseries
themselves, although they were generally not seen actually patrolling the beaches. Forty-one
percent (41%) of all harvesters interviewed had heard about eggs being confiscated through
second-hand stories or information; however, only two of the 89 interviewed were able to report
on a personal experience. The majority of harvesters seemed generally aware that fines and jail
time are possible consequences for those found selling eggs; however, as pointed out previously,
the overall understanding of the ban’s rules, function, and ramifications varied greatly. The
general sentiment expressed by the harvesters was that police presence has increased to some
degree in the communities and on the beaches (especially near the turtle nurseries) since the start
of the ban; however, few harvesters had direct personal experience with any enforcement
activities.

Alternative Income Information

When asked what other income-generating activities they engaged in other than collecting turtle
eggs, thirty-five percent (35%) reported fishing, thirty-three percent (33%) reported working in
agriculture, twelve percent (12%) reported gathering mollusks (curiliar) or other types of
shellfish, nine percent (9%) reported harvesting crabs, and the remaining eleven percent (11%)

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reported varying answers that included the following: hunting iguanas, working as an evangelical
preacher, bread-making, construction, and security. One respondent reported that collecting turtle
eggs was his primary and only source of income.

Graph 2. Options for Alternative Income on the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula.

Alternative income-generating activities are broken down by community below. Communities

with limited sample sizes and corresponding data have been omitted.

• Isla Montecristo: Agriculture: 38%; Fishing: 25%; Crabbing: 13%; Security: 13%;
Construction: 6%; Egg Nursery: 6%
• Corral de Mulas II: Agriculture: 36%; Fishing: 36%; Church: 14%; Egg Nursery: 7%;
Security: 7%
• Isla Mendez: Agriculture: 29%; Fishing: 24%; Gathering Mollusks: 24%; Construction:
6%; Bread-making: 6%; Crabbing: 6%; Vivero: 6%
• El Icaco: Fishing: 55%; Agriculture: 25%; Gathering Mollusks shells: 20%

When asked about the availability of other job opportunities in their zone, twenty-seven percent
(27%) reported that no other income opportunities were available, and twenty-eight percent
(28%) reported that there were no other job opportunities outside of fishing or harvesting
mollusks or crabs. Therefore, fifty-five percent (55%) of respondents said that there were either
no additional job opportunities in their area or that those options were limited only to fishing and
the harvesting of mollusks and crabs.

When asked what jobs they would like to receive training for, responses included: auto
mechanic, bicycle mechanic, carpentry, agriculture, business, restaurant, sewing or tailoring,
construction, making fish nets, bakery, accounting, and teaching/working with youth. Twenty-
two percent (22%) of respondents did not give a specific answer, instead stating that they wanted
or were willing to learn “anything.”

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Market Visits
Researchers visited the three local markets of Úsulutan, Zacatecoluca, and Jiquilisco. Turtle
eggs were being offered for sale in the markets of Úsulutan and Zacatecoluca, but not in
Jiquilisco. Two venders were found in Úsulutan and one vender was found in Zacatecoluca.
Venders were asking between $4.00 and $5.00 per dozen eggs. All eggs for sale were reported
to be Olive Ridley. No sellers were found at the market in Jiquilisco, however, a formal sign
was posted prominently in the seafood section of the market communicating the rules of the ban
and reinforcing the prohibition and possible consequences if violated. (See Appendix for photo)

In the markets of Úsulutan and Zacatecoluca vendors reported eggs sales were prohibited during
the high season. However, once the high season was over (roughly during the research
timeframe in January), they stated it was legal to sell eggs in the marketplace. All three sellers
reported a lower quantity of eggs present in the market over the past season and a reduced
presence of intermediary sellers bringing eggs to market.

Analysis
Low-income communities rely on turtle egg-harvesting
Several important conclusions can be drawn from an analysis of these survey results. First and
foremost, turtle egg harvesting represents a significant source of income for harvesters and their
families. Approximately half of the harvesters reported being the sole income-generator for their
household. With an average family size of five people per household, this indicates a significant
number of people in the coastal communities of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula who rely on
income from turtle egg harvesting to support basic needs.

Furthermore, an average harvesting income of $253.00 per high nesting season provides a
substantial portion total income earned. It is reasonable to assume that with average monthly
expenses of $79.00 per household unit, income from turtle egg harvesting provides an important,
even critical contribution to family income. In many cases harvesting also serves as an income-
generating bridge across the winter months, when even fewer alternative sources of income
generation are available.

Alternative income-generating opportunities

Additionally, fifty-five percent (55%) of respondents reported either very limited or no
alternative opportunities for income generation in their immediate area. This underscores the
important role of turtle egg harvesting as an essential source of income simply because there are
very few easily identifiable alternatives. Options for income generation reported as most viable
were limited to fishing, agriculture, and the harvesting of mollusks and crabs. However, it is
important to recognize that these alternative sources of income are equally dependent on the
extraction and exploitation of natural resources. For example, in the case of fishing or harvesting
crabs and mollusks, an increase in these activities could also result in the depletion of natural
resources.

Agriculture also was listed prominently as an option for income generation. However,
agriculture is dependant on access to land and requires a basic investment in baseline equipment
and input. This creates some barriers in the way of start-up costs, ease of transition and its

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ability to employ large portions of the community. Similarly, other alternatives such as the
creation of local small businesses or expanding local trade skills were identified as possible paths
forward. These also, however, would require a certain level of training, education, and baseline
financial and technical start-up investment. While these alternatives should not be ruled out
completely, a deeper level of market analysis would be needed to assess their true viability as
alternative options for generating sustainable income.

The last factor to consider is the dimension of time. A lack of income from turtle egg harvesting
can potentially have immediate and direct socio-economic impact on the communities of the San
Juan del Gozo Peninsula. Any alternative options for generating sustainable income will require
at least a modest amount of time and planning for education, training, and transition strategies.
With over 400 officially identified harvesters (MARN certification cards) and unofficial
estimates of over one thousand active harvesters, the probability that only one alternative and
sustainable solution can be found to substitute egg harvesting revenues is low. In realistic terms,
a full economic transition for a population of this size will require a holistic, integrated and long-
term approach to economic development and self-sufficiency.

Black Market Activity

A black market was confirmed, through site visits, to exist in the departments of Úsulutan and La
Paz, within the regional markets of Úsulutan and Zacatecoluca. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of
harvesters also reported the continued activity of intermediary turtle egg buyers in their
communities. This data supports the conclusion that the ban has not yet prevented all eggs from
reaching local markets. However, feedback gained through interviews with market venders and
with harvesters themselves, showed evidence of a significantly lower amount of turtle egg supply
reaching the regional markets during the 2009 nesting season. This can also be confirmed by
looking at the positive correlation and increase in the quantity of eggs purchased, incubated and
released through regional hatcheries in comparison to 2008 nesting season data.

It is slightly more difficult to identify direct circumstances that may be supporting or enabling
this black market activity. Some persisting activity may be attributed to poor enforcement.
While most respondents reported a sense of increased police presence and acknowledged the
confiscation of eggs as a consequence for being caught with them, almost none reported
experiencing repercussions or consequences personally. This suggests that the threat of police
enforcement and legal consequences has a strong and positive effect on changing behavior and
eliciting compliance. However, for those harvesters who choose to ignore the ban – or feel that
they have no other economic choice but to utilize black market channels – strong enforcement
mechanisms are not in place to prevent this from occurring.

Another reasonable conclusion explaining the continued presence of eggs in the markets may be
explained by the widespread confusion regarding the regulations of the ban. Approximately
sixty percent (60%) of respondents were unclear about the ban’s exact regulation, including
confusion on timing and what activities were considered illegal. Interviews with market stall
venders demonstrated that knowledge existed of a ban; however, it was not thought to be
applicable in the low season months. Many harvesters made similar comments, demonstrating
confusion over seasonality, legality of harvesting for consumption versus sales activity, and

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permission to sell eggs on the markets if the nurseries were not able to purchase the eggs
directly.

Socio-economic Impact of the ban

The first year of the ban on harvesting and selling turtle eggs has not shown a considerable
socio-economic impact on the communities of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula. This, however,
can be directly attributed to the presence of emergency funding. The ability of the nurseries to
pay harvesters a consistent US$3.00 per nest throughout the majority of the 2009 nesting season
has in effect allowed the nurseries to supplement market demand, delaying any true socio-
economic impacts the ban may create.

Since the inception of the ban, data supports evidence of a widespread change in behavior of the
harvesters in relation to the turtle egg supply chain. Harvesters reported a shift from selling eggs
through historical marketplace channels to using the nurseries as the main channel for egg sales.
By providing consistent and reliable demand, the nurseries are competitive with the marketplace
and offer a compelling and viable alternative to incentivize regional sea turtle conservation
efforts. A report on conservation activity across all four turtle egg nurseries by biologist Oscar
Carranza documents a total of 198,899 eggs incubated during the 2009 season, supporting strong
ex-situ success for this conservation strategy.44

However, there are several indications that without funded nurseries, turtle eggs will flood a
black market in much larger numbers. The two most prominent forces at play include:

• The current existence of a black market. While much smaller in scale, sales channels and
market forces are still intact and easily reactivated with the right economic, social, and
political conditions and incentives.

• A lack of viable income generating alternatives. There is strong evidence to suggest that
without viable alternatives, economic incentives and subsistence needs will overpower
regulatory compliance in a manner much greater than has been evidenced during the
ban’s first year.

A high level of misunderstanding exists around harvester’s perception and understanding of the
ban. As we’ve seen from a review of the interview results, the majority of harvesters who
reported the ban as being ‘good’ attributed positive perceptions of the ban to the nurseries ability
to provide a steady source of income. This underscores the widespread association made by
harvesters between the inception of the ban and the increased ability of nurseries to consistently
pay for turtle egg nests. The majority of harvesters who reported the ban as being ‘bad’ attributed
negative feelings to the nurseries inability to purchase turtle eggs all year round. This, as well,
shows evidence of the incorrect correlation being made between the inception of the ban and the
ability of nurseries to purchase eggs.

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Conclusions
During its first year of implementation, the ban appears to have been successful in terms of
limiting the supply of turtle eggs to local markets. The largest effect has been observed on the
supply side, with a significant change in the supply chain from historical market channels to
conservation efforts through strategically established turtle egg nurseries. While a moderate
black market does exist, more analysis and investigation would be needed to comprehend its full
dynamic and role.

Due to emergency funding which enables nurseries to replace market demand, the socio-
economic impact on harvesters and the communities of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula has
been minimal during the first year of the ban. The 2009 nesting season saw increases in
incubation and hatching rates through the turtle egg nurseries and strong community support for
conservation efforts. However, strong ex-situ success and an absence of negative socio-
economic impact can be directly related to the nurseries ability to buy the eggs, is not considered
sustainable on a long-term basis. The real impact of the ban will be seen in the coming years and
will have a direct relationship with the ability of the nurseries to disperse funds.

A very preliminary assessment indicates that alternative sources for income generation in the
region are very limited. The alternatives that do exist are likely to be unsustainable in the long-
term or require a degree of financial and technical start-up costs. Easily transferrable, short-term
opportunities for supplementing income from turtle egg harvesting are scarce.

Overall, the implications for the future of both conservation efforts and most importantly, socio-
economic viability of the communities of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula, are of concern.
Should the 2010 nesting season move forward with an absence, or very retracted level of
funding, there is strong evidence to suggest that turtle egg harvesters will be incentivized to
decrease supply to the nurseries and increase supply to black market channels. The lack of short-
term and immediate alternatives reinforces this prediction and exacerbates the unintended
consequences of a well-intentioned regulatory statute.

Recommendations
As the real socio-economic impact of the ban on harvesters and communities of the San Juan del
Gozo Peninsula will only be seen in the absence of supportive conservation funding, the real
question is what to do in the future. The following recommendations are drawn from research
conducted in El Salvador from January 3 through January 23, 2010. They are based on
observations made during interviews with the turtle egg harvesters, nursery caretakers, and turtle
egg sellers in local markets.

The recommendations are organized along short-term, mid-range, and long-term timescales to
aid future decision-making. Recommendations are made with the underlying long-term goals of
strengthening nation-wide conservation efforts and developing viable economic development
paths for local communities.

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Short-Term Recommendations: Continued viability of the nurseries

• Continue direct payments to the egg harvesters for sea turtle eggs via the nurseries
throughout the 2010 nesting season. This presents the surest way to maintain turtle
populations and conservation success through ex-situ measures; allocate sufficient time
for the development of concrete strategies to strengthen regional partnerships, national
conservation efforts, and economic alternatives; and--perhaps most pressing – sustain
sources of income for the local communities of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula.

• Identify – in concert with local, regional, national and international partners when
appropriate - alternative and supplemental sources of funding to support on-going direct
payment programs through the turtle egg nurseries. Available sources may include
global environmental institutions, governmental sources, and non-governmental sources.

• Conduct further analysis of emerging black market in the 2010 high nesting season (July-
December), including supply and demand channels, pricing structure and seasonality.
Further analysis will help to inform future regulatory, enforcement and implementation
decision-making as it relates to the ban.

Mid-Range Recommendations: Strengthening local/regional conservation effort and

partnerships

• Continue to coordinate activities with local organizations, research institutions, existing

partnerships and governments to build capacity for technical training (conservation,
management, surveying, monitoring), applied research (populations, habitats),
conservation education and community outreach, and information exchange.

• Develop and execute regional or national marine turtle conservation management plans.
Inform and involve local people in the decision-making process while continuing to base
management decisions on science.1

• Conduct in-depth feasibility study on viable alternative income potential for fishing
cooperatives and local skills-based training programs (mechanic, baker, accountant,
tailor). A deeper level of market analysis will assess the true viability of these options as
alternatives for diversifying local income generation.

• Conduct initial feasibility study, within the Bay of Jiquilisco and San Juan del Gozo
region, to inform possible implementation of a formal performance payment conservation
incentive agreement, a conservation approach based on a willing buyer-seller model
between resource users and conservationists where the sellers deliver conservation
outcomes in exchange for a negotiated payment. A framework for this model may follow
the Conservation Agreements Model, put forth by Conservation International’s
Conservation Stewards Program.1 Incentive-based conservation programs may be used
to compliment and strengthen traditional regulatory and development-based approaches.

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 • Explore feasibility of in-situ conservation strategies (nest protection payment schemes;
local monitoring and enforcement of nests)

Long-Term Recommendations: Alternative livelihoods / Integrated Management

Strategies

• Explore viable alternative income opportunities that may include but are not limited to:
the development of ecotourism, microcredit loan programs to encourage small business,
and technical skills training opportunities to develop alternative livelihoods and
strengthen economic well-being in the region.

• Incorporate marine turtle management into larger coastal and regional ecosystem
management regimes to ensure habitat quality and ecosystem functions are maintained.
Involve local, regional, and global stakeholders in management strategy to increase and
strengthen success of conservation planning.

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Appendix
Endnotes
1
UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program.
http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?mode=all&code=SLV+02
RAMSAR Site List: http://www.ramsar.org/pdf/sitelist.pdf
2
IUCN RedList http://www.iucnredlist.org/ ; CITES Species Database:
http://www.cites.org/eng/resources/species.html ; United States Endangered Species Act
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/whatwedo.html
3
IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group. “A Global Strategy for the Conservation of Marine Turtles.” The
IUCN Species Survival Commission.
4
Negro, Adele et.all. "Equipo Monterey El Salvador Prácticas Profesionales de Desarrollo: Reporte Final." El
Instituto de Monterey de Estudios Internacionales. Mayo 2009.
5
US Fish and Wildlife Service. Sea Turtle Fact Sheets.
http://www.fws.gov/northflorida/SeaTurtles/Turtle%20Factsheets/olive-ridley-sea-turtle.htm
6
FSSCA, a US based non-governmental organization that helps provide financial, technical and moral support for
low-income communities in Central America, will be called EcoViva as of May 1, 2010.
7
Carranza, Oscar. “Sistematizacion Proyectos de Conservation de Tortugas Marinas en la Peninsula San Juan del
Gozo”. Reserva de Biosfera Bahia de Jiquilisco. El Salvador C.A. Diciembre 2009.
8
Negro, Adele et.all. "Equipo Monterey El Salvador Prácticas Profesionales de Desarrollo: Reporte Final." El
Instituto de Monterey de Estudios Internacionales. Mayo 2009.
9
The high season is defined as the 21-week timeframe from August 1st to December 15th
10
Yearly sea turtle nesting patterns are influenced by changing weather patterns, mating cycles, anthropogenic
impacts, and varying biological cycles. Weekly nesting is therefore not typically uniform. Income is averaged
based on equal weekly distribution across the season for analysis purposes only.
11
Carranza, Oscar. “Sistematizacion de Proyectos de Conservation de Tortugas Marinas en la Peninsula San Juan
del Gozo”. Reserva de Biosfera Bahia de Jiquilisco. El Salvador C.A. Diciembre 2009.

Survey
Preguntas demográficas
¿En qué comunidad vive?
¿Durante cuánto tiempo ha recolectado huevos de tortuga?
¿Cuántas personas viven en su casa?
¿Cuántos de ellos trabajan?
¿Cuántos de ellos están involucrados en la recoleccion de los huevos/cuántos de ellos recolectan
huevos con usted?
¿Cuántas son mujeres y cuántos son hombres?
Durante la temporada de huevos de tortuga, ¿cuál es su ingreso total al mes?
Durante la temporada,¿cuánto paga por la canasta básica al mes/gastos básicos en su casa (por
ejemplo: alimentación, agua, luz, etc.)?
¿Qué porcentaje de su sueldo viene de la recolección de huevos de tortuga?
¿Aparte de ser tortugero, qué otra actividad hace para obtener ingresos?

Preguntas sobre las actividades de recolección

Durante la temporada de recolección, ¿cuántos nidos recolecta cada semana?
De los nidos que recolecta, ¿cuántos nidos trae al vivero?
¿A partir de la veda, ha aumentado la cantidad de recolección, ha disminuido, o se ha mantenido

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igual?
¿El vivero le compra a usted todos los huevos de tortuga que recolecta?
¿A cuánto le paga el vivero la docena de huevos?
Si el vivero no compra los huevos, ¿qué hace con ellos?
Aparte de donar huevos al vivero, ¿qué hace usted para apoyar y contribuir a que el vivero siga
funcionando?
Antes de la existencia del vivero, ¿qué hacia usted con los huevos?
¿Todavía hay compradores de huevos en los mercados y restaurantes de su comunidad?
¿Sabe si existe algún mercado negro dónde se venden huevos de tortuga?
¿Cuánto pagan los compradores por la docena de huevos de tortuga?
¿Sabe si el precio de los huevos ha subido o bajado desde la veda?
Desde el inicio de la veda, ¿ha observado que aseguren la aplicación de la ley, con multas o
presencia policial? ¿Alguna vez la policia ha decomizado los huevos?

Preguntas sobre la conservación

Si no pudiera recolectar huevos, ¿a qué se dedicaría para ganarse la vida?
¿Existen otras opciones de trabajo en su zona? ¿Cuáles son?
¿Qué tipo de entrenamiento o educación necesitaría para poder trabajar en esas otras opciones?

Photo at Jiquilisco Market.

Photo taken by Deborah Deborah Radilla Laureano.
!

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Map of the San Juan del Gozo Peninsula. Harvester Communities in Yellow.

Summary of Activities
This project took place over the course of four weeks, three of which were spent in the Bajo Lempa
region of El Salvador with the final week spent back in Monterey, California. The time in El Salvador
was used to identify project goals and objectives, design surveys, and then conduct them in the
communities throughout the region. The week spent back in Monterey was devoted to data analysis and
the creation of the final report on the project’s findings. The specific activities of the group for each of
these four weeks are as follows.
Week One
Team Monterey arrived in El Salvador on Sunday, January 3rd. Students spent the day settling in with
their home stay families in Ciudad Romero and recovering from travel fatigue. In the evening, the team
was given a tour of the community by Don Antonio, who also gave a brief historical account of the
origins of Ciudad Romero.
Project work officially began on Monday, January 4th when the team met at San Nicholas with the Board
of Directors for Association MANGLE. After the larger group meetings, the Environmental Group met
with Walberto Gallego to discuss his goals for the project. After specifying the focus of the project, group
members returned to Ciudad Romero and spent the afternoon discussing and outlining preliminary ideas
for the project.
On the morning of Tuesday, January 5th, the Environmental Group met at San Nicholas again with
Walberto Gallego as well as biologist Oscar Carranza to hear about the status of El Salvador’s sea turtles
and the ban on sea turtle egg harvesting from a biological perspective. Team members presented initial
ideas and plans for the project to obtain feedback and final approval from Mr. Gallego and Mr. Carranza.

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The afternoon was then spent designing the first draft of surveys for the tortugueros, the markets, and
consumers based on their initial feedback. Wednesday, January 6th was also devoted to survey design.
The first draft of the surveys was presented to LCAM representatives, Oscar Carranza, Walberto Gallego,
and Carlos Barahona on the morning of Thursday, January 7th for their review. After discussing and
preliminarily editing the surveys, team members then took the chance to relax in the afternoon by joining
students from the other project groups on a trip to the beach. On the way back from the beach, however,
team members did get the chance to stop and briefly tour the vivero at Isla Mendez. Upon returning to
Ciudad Romero in the evening, group members spent a few more hours revising the surveys based on Mr.
Carranza, Mr. Gallego, and Mr. Barahona’s earlier recommendations.
On Friday, January 8th, the Environmental Team, accompanied by members from the Capacity-building
Team, visited the market at Úsulutan in an attempt to locate and interview sellers of marine turtle eggs.
Two vendors were ultimately located and interviewed that had marine turtle eggs for sale in their stalls.
After touring the markets and conducting interviews, the group went to a restaurant at Puerto Triunfo
called La Mariscada for lunch. Team Monterey 3 had visited this restaurant the previous year and had
been served turtle eggs at that time; the group ate at this restaurant again in order to ascertain whether
turtle eggs were still being served ther, which they were not Upon returning from Puerto Triunfo, group
members spent the afternoon relaxing and debriefing on their experiences earlier that day.
On January 9th and 10th, Team Monterey visited Suchitoto and Sister Peggy’s Centro de la Paz. Students
spent their first weekend in El Salvador learning about El Salvador’s civil war and its aftermath from
Sister Peggy and exploring the local culture and customs of Suchitoto.
Week Two
The Environmental Group visited a second market, in Zacatecoluca, on Monday, January 11 th, followed
by doing final revisions of the survey for the tortugueros back in Ciudad Romero in the afternoon and
evening. One vendor was found and interviewed who had sea turtle eggs for sale.
On Tuesday, January 12th, group members conducted their first surveys of tortugueros in the communities
of the San Juan del GozoPeninsula. Interviews with egg harvesters were conducted in La Pita in the
morning; however, only three tortugueros came to be interviewed, so plans were made for the group to
return to La Pita the following week. The team had lunch in the community of Isla Monte Cristo and then
interviewed tortugueros there, as well as a group of tortugueros that had come from the community of La
Tirana.
Interviews with the turtle egg harvesters continued on Wednesday, January 13th in the community of
Corral de Mulas 2 in the morning and in the community of Isla Mendez in the afternoon. In addition to
the tortugueros from Isla Mendez, there were numerous tortugueros present at the interviews in the
afternoon who had come from neighboring communities to take part in the survey.
On the morning of Thursday, January 14th, group members caught up on data entry in the morning,
inputting information gathered from the interviews conducted earlier in the week into the group database.
In the afternoon, tortuguero interviews continued in the community of San Juan de Gozo.
From Friday, January 15th through Sunday, January 17th, all of the students from Team Monterey visited
El Imposible National Park, staying at the El Imposible Eco-lodge located just outside the park. On the
way back to Ciudad Romero on Sunday, students also had the opportunity to spend a few hours at a beach
near La Libertad before returning to their home stays families.
Week Three
On Monday, January 18th, two group members visited the market at Jiquilisco in order to try to locate
more turtle eggs for sale while the remaining group members caught up on data entry back in Ciudad
Romero. In the afternoon, the group returned to La Pita to attempt to interview the tortugueros there

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again. However, no one came to be interviewed so, after waiting for approximately half an hour and being
unable to find out if anyone might be coming later, the group returned to Ciudad Romero.
On Tuesday, January 19th, the Environmental Team began the process of discussing its preliminary
observations and writing the preliminary report.
On Wednesday, January 20th, team members conducted their last round of egg harvester interviews in the
community of El Icaco in the morning. The team then travelled with members of the Infrastructure Team
to the El Icaco vivero in order to participate in the release of almost 500 newly hatched sea turtles in the
afternoon.
Team members spent Thursday, January 21st doing final revisions of the preliminary report of their
findings, as well as final preparations for the presentation of the report to the Board of Directors of
Asociación MANGLE.
The meeting with the Board of Directors took place on the morning of Friday, January 22 nd. Group leader
Amy Holste presented the group’s initial findings and observations to the Board of Directors, as well as
presenting Mr. Oscar Carranza and Mr. Walberto Gallego with a hard copy of the group’s preliminary
report. Students then spent the afternoon at the beach and the evening saying good-bye to their friends and
host-families at the team’s “despedida” in Ciudad Romero.
The team departed El Salvador early in the morning on January 23rd, returning to Monterey by the
evening. On Sunday, January 24th, students unpacked, rested, and recovered from their jet lag.
Week Four
From Monday, January 25th through Friday, January 30th, the Environmental Team worked diligently to
analyze the data gathered while in El Salvador, draw conclusions, research and outline its
recommendations, and write the final report including the aforementioned components for Asociación
MANGLE.

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Interpretation and Translation Team
Final Report

Monterey Institute of International Studies

A Graduate School of Middlebury College

Prepared by:
Deborah Radilla
Hilda Díaz

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Introduction

This report serves as an evaluation of the experience of participating as members of Team

Monterey in the Development practicum in El Salvador. The report will focus specifically on the
work of the interpreters and translators and offer an evaluation of: the abilities of the interpreters
and translators before and after the practicum period; the goals to be met by the end of the
period; the methodology followed and tools used; the challenges encountered during the
experience; and the results obtained, for example translated documents, improved skills and
personal benefits. Furthermore, it includes a reflection regarding the inherent aspects of the
interpreting and translating profession, as well as recommendations for future students in the
Master’s Program in Translation and Interpretation at the Monterey Institute of International
Studies who wish to take part in Team Monterey-El Salvador.

The practicum presents students in translation and interpretation the opportunity to

practice their skills during winter vacation. This practicum complements the knowledge and
techniques that students acquire in the classroom. Adele Negro, professor and conference
interpreter, heads the project, and guides and supervises the different activities related to
translation and interpretation, as well as other important aspects of the project.

The purpose of participating in the practicum is to gain exposure to the interpretation and
translation field in real world situations outside the academic setting, to strengthen language
skills (English and Spanish), to enrich students’ vocabularies on different topics, as well as
provide interpretation and translation services to facilitate oral and written communication
between Team Monterey members and Spanish speakers as needed.

Of the 16 students from Monterey Institute of International Studies that made up the
Team Monterey-El Salvador group, two were students from the Translation and Interpretation
program. The translation and interpretation team was coordinated and led by Adele Negro, with
first year student Hilda Diaz, and second year student Deborah Radilla Laureano completing the
team.

The first year of the Translation and Interpretation program is designed to be a general
introduction to the field, with the goal of learning and developing skills and basic knowledge
required in the profession. Second year studies allow students to refine their skills and make use
of all they learned in the first year. During the second year more specific topics are introduced,
such as economics, technology, law, politics and medicine, and at this time students are expected
to choose their specialty as well as perfect their technique. Furthermore, second year students
learn about translation and interpretation as a career, and what it entails: job market opportunities
at national and international levels, employment in international organizations, translation and
interpretation agencies and freelance work, state and national certifications, medical and legal
specialty certifications, and other aspects. They also receive advice about work conditions,
personal finances, starting their own businesses, how to invoice work rendered, and other topics.

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 The following is an evaluation of both students’ skills in interpretation and translation, as
well as a description of their perception of their academic situation before the practicum period
in El Salvador.

Hilda, the first year student, had just completed her first semester before the practicum.
At the end of the semester she had improved in many areas in both interpretation and translation.
Given that she is Salvadoran and has lived in the United States for the last ten years, her A
language is Spanish and her B language is English. Using both languages presented the
phenomenon of linguistic interference, and she did not feel totally certain using either her A or B
language. As she had lived in the US for many years, she had lost some command of Spanish, in
both idiomatic and syntactic uses. The same happened in her command of English. Linguistic
interference and anglicisms that she used to express herself in class made the job of translation
and interpretation intimidating for her.

Despite the challenges Hilda faced during her first semester, she still had certain
advantages: since Spanish is her first language she has a natural accent, yet she has a near-native
English accent as well.

Deborah is Mexican by birth; her A language is Spanish and English is her B language.
During her third semester in the Translation and Interpretation program, Deborah faced
challenges that sometimes made her doubt her career choice and her ability to become an
effective interpreter and translator. In these moments Deborah’s level of English was questioned,
specifically when trying to produce idiomatic English phrases while interpreting and translating,
as well when using a formal register. In interpretation, her note-taking primarily consisted of
writing down whole words and did not include many symbols, which was hardly efficient in
producing a concise and accurate interpretation. Furthermore, her confidence was wavering
because of her self-doubt, which in turn seriously affected her performance in class and on
exams. For these reasons, she thought that she should experience the work of an interpreter and
translator in a real world context, and therefore joined Team Monterey.

Since both students are of Latin American origin and have also lived in the US, they
posses an understanding of both cultures, which was useful to them when helping participants in
the program (members of Team Monterey, Salvadoran community members, other people that
Team Monterey was in contact with in El Salvador and the participating organizations) to
appropriately interact with others and understand the differences between them.

Preparation for the practicum

It is essential for students to be adequately prepared to be able to effectively carry out

their roles once in the field. Preparation should begin before the practicum and continue
throughout.

Students should begin their preparation by researching the country where they will carry
out their practicum, in this case El Salvador, and learn everything necessary to facilitate their
understanding of the current situation in the country in regards to the environment, politics,

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economy, historical events, cultural norms as well as the projects that Team Monterey is to carry
out.

Students should also research the practicum projects that are in the planning phase and
will be implemented in the future. With this in mind, they should refer to the relevant literature,
encyclopedias, online resources and informative documents that Team Monterey provides, as
well as those that have been compiled by EcoViva (formerly, FSSCA--Foundation for Self
Sufficiency in Central America).

Furthermore, it is of the utmost importance that students attend the meetings Team
Monterey organizes in order to be informed of the possible projects that will be pursued in El
Salvador, obtain information about the topics that will be discussed and begin compiling
glossaries on pertinent subjects. Additionally students should contact other members of Team
Monterey to learn about the specific activities and the possible projects they may collaborate on.
This will facilitate the T & I students’ work during the practicum period and will strengthen their
confidence as interpreters and translators.

Field experience

Once in El Salvador, students are required to provide interpretation and translation

services constantly. Although translation is needed, interpretation takes up the majority of the
time spent in the practicum. The bulk of writing, editing and translating takes place the semester
after the practicum.

To be most efficient, interpreters work independently of one another to help those

members of the team that have more difficulty with Spanish. At first the translation and
interpretation team members rotated between the different groups to learn and benefit from the
specific terminology used in each project and to understand all aspects of the work that each
team was performing. After one week, it was decided that the interpreters would stay with the
team that they had worked most with up until that time, the goal being to provide specialized
interpretation and translation support.

The students should be prepared to adapt to any situation that arises, and over time, they
will be able to overcome those conditions that they are either not accustomed to or that are not
ideal for interpretation. Given the types of projects that Team Monterey effectuates and the
different focus of each group within Team Monterey, it is not easy to determine a set schedule or
plan ahead when and how much time students must dedicate to interpreting and translating;
therefore, on occasion they will have to interpret for many hours or translate a document that is
needed the very same day or the next morning.

Often interpretation is considered to be a profession of little importance, but throughout

the duration of the project it was proven that without appropriate communication it would be
impossible to carry out quality work. Thr students faced many challenges in different areas, such
as the accent, regionalisms and specific terminology for each activity. The interpretation need
was great since members of Team Monterey had such different levels of Spanish, and often the

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use of interpreters was required. Many times, three interpreters (including Professor Adele
Negro) were not enough. Cultural differences were also an obstacle for both team members and
Salvadoran community members. The interpreters served not only to bridge communication, but
also as cultural intermediaries. Of course, many team members had ample knowledge of the
Spanish language, but frequently it was difficult to communicate without the interpreters, which
occasionally caused confusion and frustration on the part of those involved in the conversation.

The presence of Professor Adele was highly important to the interpreters. Her deep
understanding of the interpretation field as well as her vast experience in development proved to
be an asset for the interpreters. Adele, as coordinator of the translation and interpretation team,
guided the students by assigning exercises, practices and implementing methodologies.
Furthermore, she offered constructive criticism and gave advice, which demonstrated her
aptitude for teaching and her interest in her students’ learning.

Both T & I students benefited greatly from the opportunity to work in the different areas
of development that Team Monterey was involved in, namely infrastructure, environment,
production and capacity-building for the Board of Directors.

Hilda worked with the environmental and production teams, but spent the majority of her
time with the infrastructure team. Deborah participated in the infrastructure and production
projects, but spent most of her time working on the environment team. Each area presented
unique challenges, not only because of the terminology, but also because of the different levels
of communication that were required. For more information and details about the projects
mentioned, please see the reports by the individual work teams.

Although most of the interpretation performed was simultaneous, consecutive

interpretation, translation and sight translation were also employed. Each student interpreted
between 100 and 120 hours of meetings, interviews, surveys and presentations, as well as other
activities. The teams created the surveys, interviews, financial reports, manuals and presentations
in English, while the translation and interpretation students translated the vast majority of these
documents used by each team during the course of their project work or produced as
deliverables. Each student translated more than 3,000 words. The translation and interpretation
team edited preliminary reports which then were presented by the project team members to the
Board of Directors of La Coordinadora and community leaders at the final joint meeting with
Team Monterey in El Salvador. Each translation and interpretation member edited between six
and ten hours worth of documents.

Internet tools were used to help in the translation, research and editing processes, such as
monolingual and bilingual dictionaries, corpora and encyclopedias. To carry out the editing of
documents Ether Pad and Google Docs were used. Both of these tools were useful to collaborate
in real time with group participants on various documents, surveys and reports. All tools
mentioned helped the translation and editing process to be more efficient.

The second year translation and interpretation student, Deborah, noticed that because of
her experience with Team Monterey she has the tools and ability to carry out the optimal role
and function of a professional interpreter and translator. In fact, her technique improved and her

143
knowledge also grew even more than she expected at the outset of the trip. The practicum period
in El Salvador helped her to regain confidence in herself and to confirm that she had made
progress in interpretation and translation techniques over the previous semester.

Since Deborah communicated with her colleagues in El Salvador mainly in English and
interpreted into English, a marked improvement was seen in her command of the language, more
specifically in her intonation, pronunciation and interpretation production. Furthermore, she
increased her vocabulary and general knowledge regarding development and other topics with
which she worked. She considers her experience of being immersed in a culture similar to her
own and having daily contact with colleagues who specialize in different fields and have
knowledge distinct from her own as invaluable. Moreover, it was evident that fieldwork allowed
her to adapt her abilities and to be flexible in a professional setting. In short, the practicum in El
Salvador with Team Monterey was a unique personal and professional experience.

Similarly, Hilda gained a new perspective of translation and interpretation. She was
transitioning between first and second semester in the translation and interpretation program. Her
participation in the practicum allowed her to focus on improving her technique, specifically her
mental agility, by improving short-term memory and summarizing information. Thanks to the
wide range of topics and projects that Hilda worked on in El Salvador, another aspect in which
she advanced was her command of both English and Spanish (for example, she expanded her
vocabulary, learned to use synonyms and worked on improving register). She practiced and
boosted her note-taking in consecutive interpretation and studied the standards for being a liaison
between all participants in an interpreted event. The practicum allowed Hilda to experience
whisper interpreting and simultaneous interpretation, two techniques that are not taught until the
second semester of the program. The combination of skills and techniques that Hilda used in El
Salvador gave her the confidence to continue in her studies as well as to use them as a base to
advance her work and overcome her interpreting weaknesses.

Recommendations:

In conclusion, the following recommendations serve to improve the translation and

interpretation team dynamic and to assure a more efficient and effective role in future practices.

Students who wish to participate in the Team Monterey practicum should review all
relevant documents in preparation for the practicum. Likewise, it is essential for students to
attend meetings organized by and for Team Monterey to familiarize themselves with the projects
that will be carried out in El Salvador. Based on the information gleaned during the meetings,
students should begin to compile pertinent glossaries for each project.

During the practicum period in El Salvador, the students should review and add to their
glossaries daily. It is of absolute importance that the translation and interpretation team keep a
record of their activities that includes dates, times, locations, topics and the kind of service
needed (translation or interpretation, simultaneous or consecutive, etc).

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 Another recommendation is that each member of the translation and interpretation team
write a daily diary reflecting on the work carried out that day, what challenges were encountered,
what went well and how skills were improved in every situation.

Given the settings in which they will work, the T & I students must be patient, flexible
and have a good attitude so as to adapt to the difficulties they will face.

All team members must have a clear understanding of the important role that the
interpreters and translators play in the communication process of the team as a whole, which
includes obtaining reliable results and other information central to the effectiveness of the work
performed by Team Monterey.

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 "#$%&'(!$)#*+!,(+!-./)0%!,(!"#1(&0&(1*2)3#!4!5&*,/22)3#!
! ! ! ! ! ! !
El presente es un informe y una valoración de la experiencia al participar como miembros
de Team Monterey en el Prácticum de Desarrollo en El Salvador. El informe se refiere
específicamente a la labor del intérprete/traductor y ofrece una valoración del nivel de
capacidades de interpretación y traducción antes y después del periodo de prácticas; los puntos
sobre los cuales se trabajó durante dicho periodo; las metas a cumplir para el final del Prácticum;
la metodología a seguir y las herramientas utilizadas; las dificultades que surgieron durante la
experiencia; los resultados obtenidos (documentos en que se trabajó, mejora de capacidades y
beneficios personales). Asimismo, se expone una reflexión sobre los aspectos inherentes a la
profesión del intérprete/traductor, así como recomendaciones para futuros estudiantes que cursen
la maestría en Traducción e Interpretación que ofrece el Monterey Institute of International
Studies y que deseen participar en las prácticas con Team Monterey en El Salvador.

El Prácticum presenta una oportunidad para que los estudiantes de traducción e

interpretación participen en prácticas durante el periodo de vacaciones. Dichas prácticas
complementan el conocimiento y técnicas adquiridas en el aula. Adele Negro, profesora e
intérprete de conferencia, está a cargo del proyecto, y es quien guía y supervisa las diferentes
actividades pertinentes a la traducción e interpretación, entre otros aspectos importantes.

Los propósitos que se pretenden lograr con la participación del alumno en el Prácticum
son la exposición al campo de la interpretación/traducción en una situación real y fuera del
ambiente académico; fortalecer las destrezas del uso de la lengua (combinación inglés-español);
enriquecer el vocabulario que el alumno posee en lo que concierne a diversas áreas, al igual que
proveer servicios de interpretación/traducción para facilitar la comunicación oral y escrita entre
los miembros de Team Monterey y los hispanoparlantes a medida que se requiera.

Entre los 16 alumnos del Monterey Institute of International Studies que formaron parte
del Team Monterey El Salvador participaron dos estudiantes del programa de maestría de
Traducción e Interpretación. El equipo de traducción e interpretación estaba compuesto por
Adele Negro, coordinadora y líder, Hilda Díaz, alumna de primer año y Deborah Radilla
Laureano, de segundo año.

El primer año en el programa de Traducción e Interpretación está diseñado como una

introducción general a ambos campos de estudio, con el fin de desarrollar y aprender las
habilidades y conocimientos básicos que son pertinentes a la profesión. El plan de materias de
segundo año permite al alumno afinar sus destrezas y hacer uso de lo aprendido durante el primer
año. Durante este periodo se tratan temas más específicos, tales como economía, tecnología,
derecho, política, medicina, y se espera que el alumno, además de perfeccionar las técnicas
aprendidas, elija su especialización. Asimismo, el alumno de segundo año aprende sobre la
traducción e interpretación como profesión y los diferentes aspectos que esto involucra: empleo
en el mercado de trabajo a nivel nacional e internacional, empleo en organizaciones
internacionales, agencias de traducción o interpretación o trabajo "freelance", certificación —a
nivel nacional, estatal, médica, jurídica, entre otras—, también recibe asesoría sobre cómo iniciar
un negocio propio, sobre las condiciones de trabajo, sobre cómo manejar las finanzas personales
dependiendo del tipo de trabajo que desempeñe, entre otros aspectos.

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 A continuación se evalúa el nivel de destrezas de ambas alumnas en interpretación y
traducción, y se describe la percepción de cada una sobre su situación académica antes de
experimentar el periodo de prácticas en El Salvador.

Hilda, la alumna de primer año cursó únicamente un semestre previo al periodo de

prácticas. Al final del semestre debía mejorar en varias áreas de su desempeño, tanto en la
interpretación como en la traducción. Dado que la alumna de primer año es de ascendencia
salvadoreña y ha vivido en los Estados Unidos los últimos diez años, su lengua A es el español y
su lengua B es el inglés. Asimismo, carecía de confianza en su lengua A y en su lengua B ya que
al utilizar ambos idiomas presentaba el fenómeno de la interferencia lingüística. Los años que
vivió en los Estados Unidos provocaron una pérdida del español, tanto en el uso idiomático de la
lengua como el empleo correcto de la sintaxis. Lo mismo sucedía en el caso del idioma inglés.
La interferencia lingüística y los anglicismos utilizados al expresarse en clase provocaron que la
interpretación y la traducción se convirtieran en tareas intimidantes para ella.

A pesar de las dificultades que la alumna enfrentó durante su primer semestre, ella posee
ciertos puntos a su favor: carece de acento pronunciado en español ya que es su lengua materna y
exhibe un ligero acento en inglés que es poco evidente.

Deborah, es mexicana y su lengua A es el español y su lengua B es el inglés. Durante el

tercer semestre de la maestría en Traducción e Interpretación, enfrentó retos que en varios
momentos le hicieron dudar sobre su vocación y capacidad para desempeñarse como
intérprete/traductora. Durante ese momento batallaba con su nivel de inglés, específicamente con
la producción de frases idiomáticas al momento de interpretar/traducir y el uso del registro
formal de la lengua. En la interpretación, su sistema de toma de notas consistía en su mayoría de
palabras completas y no incluía símbolos, lo cual resultaba poco eficaz para lograr una
interpretación concisa y fidedigna. Asimismo, su autoestima se encontraba en tela de juicio ya
que dudaba sobre sus propias capacidades, lo que afectaba severamente su desempeño tanto en
clase, como durante el periodo de exámenes. Por las razones descritas, decidió que debía
experimentar lo que es labor del intérprete/traductor en un contexto real y decidió ser parte de
Team Monterey.

Ya que ambas alumnas son de origen latinoamericano y han vivido en el continente

Americano y en los Estados Unidos, poseen un conocimiento de ambas culturas, lo cual resultó
útil para ayudar a las partes interesadas que participaron en este proyecto a manejar
apropiadamente y comprender las diferencias culturales que surgieron entre ellas (los
participantes del equipo, los miembros de las comunidades salvadoreñas, las personas con las
que el equipo tuvo contacto en El Salvador y las organizaciones que participan en este proyecto).
Preparación previa para el Prácticum

Es esencial que el estudiante tenga la preparación adecuada para poder desempeñar sus
funciones de manera eficiente en el campo de práctica. La preparación debe comenzar en el
tiempo previo al Prácticum y durante este.

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 El alumno comienza por investigar sobre el país donde se llevarán a cabo las prácticas, en
este caso El Salvador, y debe informarse con todo lo necesario para facilitar su comprensión
sobre la situación actual del país con respecto al medio ambiente, la política, la economía, los
antecedentes históricos del país, las normas culturales, así como los proyectos que llevará a cabo
Team Monterey.

El alumno también debe investigar sobre los proyectos que están en etapa de planeación y
que se pretende implementar en un futuro. Con tal propósito, recurre a libros, enciclopedias,
recursos en línea y debe leer el paquete de documentos informativos que Team Monterey le
proporcionará y que han sido redactados por la Fundación para la Autosuficiencia en América
Central (FSSCA, por sus siglas en inglés), la cual el primero de Mayo del presente año adoptará
su nuevo nombre, EcoViva.

Asimismo, es de suma importancia que acuda a las reuniones organizadas por Team
Monterey para tener conocimiento sobre los proyectos potenciales que se desarrollarán en El
Salvador, obtener información sobre los temas que se discutirán, y así poder comenzar la
compilación de glosarios sobre los temas pertinentes. Con tal propósito el alumno también
puede contactar a los miembros de Team Monterey e informarse sobre su el tema de su
preferencia y el enfoque potencial del proyecto en el que piensan colaborar. Todo lo anterior
facilitará la tarea del alumno durante el periodo de prácticas y fortalecerá su confianza al
desempeñarse como intérprete/traductor.
Trabajo de campo

Una vez estando en El Salvador se requiere que el alumno provea sus servicios de
interpretación y traducción constantemente. Aunque la traducción es necesaria, la interpretación
ocupa la mayor parte del tiempo del periodo de prácticas. Gran parte del trabajo de redacción,
edición y traducción será requerido durante el semestre posterior al Prácticum.

Con el fin de desempeñar su función de manera más eficiente, las intérpretes trabajaron
por separado para ayudar a aquellos miembros del equipo que tenían alguna dificultad con el uso
del español. Al principio los miembros del equipo de traducción e interpretación rotaban entre
los grupos para poder beneficiarse de la variedad de terminología específica de cada proyecto y
poder comprender todos los aspectos del trabajo de desarrollo que cada equipo llevaría a cabo.
Después de una semana, se decidió que los intérpretes permanecieran con el equipo con que
trabajaron más hasta ese momento, con el fin de brindar un apoyo de interpretación y traducción
más especializado.

El alumno debe estar preparado para adaptarse a cualquier situación que pueda surgir, y
con el paso de los días, superará las condiciones que no siempre serán ideales para interpretar o a
las cuales quizá no esté acostumbrado. Dado el tipo de proyectos que Team Monterey lleva a
cabo y el diferente enfoque de trabajo de cada grupo que lo conforma, no es fácil determinar un
horario fijo y planear de antemano cuándo y cuánto tiempo deberá el alumno prestar sus
servicios, por dicha razón, quizá haya ocasiones en que sea necesario que interprete por varias
horas o deba traducir un documento que se requiere ese mismo día o a la mañana siguiente.

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 A menudo, la interpretación es considerada como una profesión sin importancia, pero
durante la duración del proyecto se comprobó que sin la comunicación apropiada no es posible
realizar un trabajo de calidad. Las alumnas enfrentaron muchas dificultades en diferentes áreas:
el acento, los regionalismos y la terminología específica para cada área de trabajo. La necesidad
de interpretación era mucha ya que los niveles de español de los miembros de Team Monterey
variaban y la intervención del intérprete era necesaria con frecuencia. Varias veces, tres
intérpretes (tomando en consideración a la profesora Adele Negro) no fueron suficientes. La
diferencia cultural también fue un obstáculo entre los miembros del equipo y los habitantes de
las comunidades salvadoreñas. Las intérpretes no sólo servían como puentes de comunicación,
sino como intermediarias culturales. Fue evidente que varios de los integrantes del equipo
poseen un amplio conocimiento del español, pero con frecuencia, se esforzaban por comunicarse
sin ayuda de los intérpretes lo que ocasionaba confusión y frustración entre los participantes de
la conversación.

La presencia de la profesora Adele fue de gran importancia para las intérpretes. Su

amplio conocimiento en el área de la interpretación, al igual que su vasta experiencia en el
ámbito de desarrollo ofreció una gran ventaja a las intérpretes. Adele, como la coordinadora del
equipo de interpretación y traducción, guió a las alumnas por medio de la asignación de
ejercicios, prácticas e implementación de metodología. Asimismo, ofreció crítica constructiva y
dio consejos, demostrando su disposición para enseñar y su interés por el aprendizaje del
alumno.

Ambas alumnas se beneficiaron de la oportunidad de trabajar en las distintas áreas de

desarrollo que Team Monterey examinó, estas fueron infraestructura, medio ambiente,
producción y capacitación de la junta directiva.

Hilda participó en los equipos de medio ambiente y producción, pero se concentró

durante más tiempo en el equipo de infraestructura; Deborah participó con los equipo de
producción e infraestructura, pero se dedicó por más tiempo al equipo de medio ambiente. Cada
área presentó diferentes dificultades no sólo por la terminología, sino porque las necesidades de
comunicación variaron. Para más detalles e información sobre dichos proyectos consulte los
informes de los equipos de trabajo.

Aunque la mayor parte del trabajo requirió la interpretación simultánea, también fue
necesaria la interpretación consecutiva, la traducción y la traducción a la vista. Se estima que
cada alumna interpretó de 100 a 120 horas, incluyendo reuniones, entrevistas, encuestas y
presentaciones, además de actividades extracurriculares. Los equipos crearon encuestas,
entrevistas, informes financieros, manuales y presentaciones que redactaron en inglés. Las
alumnas tradujeron gran parte de la documentación utilizada por cada equipo. Se calcula que
ambas alumnas tradujeron más de 3,000 palabras, entre las encuestas, las entrevistas y las
presentaciones. El equipo de traducción e interpretación editó los informes preliminares que
cada equipo presentó a los miembros de la junta directiva durante la última reunión con Team
Monterey en El Salvador; cada uno de los miembros del equipo de traducción e interpretación
editó de 6 a 10 horas.

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 Se utilizaron diferentes herramientas de Internet para traducir, investigar y editar:
diccionarios monolingües, diccionarios bilingües, corpus y enciclopedias. Para la edición de
documentos se utilizó Ether Pad y Google Docs. Ambas herramientas sirven para colaborar en
tiempo virtual con los participantes de los equipos en los distintos documentos, encuestas e
informes. Estas herramientas ayudaron a que el proceso de traducción y edición fuera más
eficaz.

En base a la experiencia con Team Monterey, la alumna de segundo año, Deborah, se

percató de poseer las herramientas y la capacidad para poder desempeñar el papel y la función de
un intérprete/traductor profesional de manera óptima. De hecho, sus técnica mejoraron y su
conocimiento se expandió más allá de lo esperado al inicio de dicho viaje. El periodo de
prácticas en El Salvador contribuyó a recobrar la confianza en sí misma y a confirmar que sí
logró un progreso en cuanto a sus técnicas de interpretación como de traducción durante el
semestre previo al periodo de prácticas.

Puesto que durante la mayor parte de su estancia en El Salvador Deborah debió

comunicarse en el idioma inglés con sus colegas, así como interpretar hacia ese idioma, una
notoria mejoría en su dominio del idioma se hizo evidente, la cual se tradujo en una mejor
entonación, pronunciación y producción de la interpretación. Asimismo, la alumna expandió su
vocabulario y conocimiento general sobre el tema del desarrollo y los subtemas pertinentes a los
equipos con que trabajó. La alumna considera que tener la oportunidad de estar inmersa en una
cultura similar a la suya, mantener diariamente contacto con colegas especializados en diferentes
campos de trabajo y que poseen conocimientos diversos fueron aspectos invaluables para ella;
además, el trabajo en campo le permitió percatarse de su capacidad de adaptación y flexibilidad
en el ámbito profesional. En suma, el Prácticum en El Salvador con Team Monterey es una
experiencia única tanto para su vida profesional como personal.

Asimismo, la experiencia ofreció una nueva perspectiva en cuanto a la traducción e

interpretación para Hilda. La alumna estaba en un momento de transición entre el primer
semestre y el segundo semestre en el programa de traducción e interpretación, y la participación
en el Prácticum brindó un ámbito en el cual podía enfocarse en mejorar su técnicas, tales como
su agilidad mental por medio del desarrollo de la memoria y resumen de información. Gracias a
la extensa gama de temas y proyectos que se trataron en El Salvador, otro aspecto en el cual la
alumna mejoró fue en el control de la lengua —vocabulario, uso de sinónimos y registro—,
tanto en inglés como en español. En cuanto a la interpretación la alumna práctico y mejoró la
toma de notas para la interpretación consecutiva y las normas utilizadas para servir como vínculo
de enlace (liaison) entre los agentes involucrados en la interpretación. El Prácticum introdujo a la
alumna la interpretación susurrada (chuchotage) y la interpretación simultánea, dos técnicas que
no empiezan a desarrollarse hasta el segundo semestre de la maestría. El conjunto de habilidades
y técnicas que se pusieron en práctica en El Salvador le dieron a Hilda la confianza para
proseguir con sus estudios, además de utilizarlos como base para mejorar su rendimiento y sus
debilidades como intérprete.

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Recomendaciones:

A manera de conclusión, se ofrecen las siguientes recomendaciones para poder mejorar la

dinámica del equipo de traducción e interpretación y asegurar un desempeño más eficiente
durante futuros periodos de práctica.

Es recomendable que los alumnos que deseen participar en el Prácticum con Team
Monterey se preparen de antemano con la documentación necesaria antes del periodo de
prácticas. Asimismo, es esencial que acudan a las juntas organizadas por Team Monterey para
conocer los proyectos que se llevarán a cabo en El Salvador. En base a la información obtenida
en estas juntas e informes de años previos, el alumno deberá comenzar la compilación de
glosarios pertinentes a cada proyecto.

Durante el periodo de prácticas en El Salvador, se recomienda que el alumno continúe

con la compilación de glosarios día a día. Es de suma importancia que el equipo de
interpretación y traducción lleve un registro de actividades que incluya fechas, lugares, horas,
temas y tipo de interpretación o traducción.

Otra sugerencia es que cada miembro del equipo de interpretación y traducción escriba
diariamente una reflexión sobre su desempeño, dificultades, fortalezas y evolución de sus
destrezas, asegurándose de mencionar los obstáculos que se presentaron en cada situación.

Dadas las condiciones en las que se trabajará, es necesario que el alumno sea paciente,
flexible y tenga la disposición para adaptarse a los retos que tenga que enfrentar.

Es necesario que todos los miembros del equipo tengan un claro entendimiento del
importante papel que el intérprete/traductor desempeña en la comunicación y obtención de
resultados e información.

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