Xela Teco Intern @ Colomba
Check out the story over at AIDG’s website of a recent visit to Colomba, Guatemala. In this rural part of Guatemala is a newly formed finca (farm) cooperative made up of 47 families who recently purchased their land. They have an existing micro hydro power system that seems to be failing and also need for bio-digesters.
Work in rural areas takes time, patience and a good knowledge of the local customs.
With some luck the local cooperative will be able to finance an upgrade to their hydro power system and convert their animal waste to bio-gas.
From Intern Katie Bliss’ notebook:
Last Friday we went down to La Florida, a worker-owned finca in the rainforest region near Colomba. I was joined by Chase Nelson, our biodigestor intern. From journeying in a chicken bus, to the exhilaration of the open back of a pick up and finally a 45 minute walk through the forest, we were welcomed with a smile from Rosaura, our representative in La Florida!
The community is made up of 47 families, former employees of large plantations in the region, who bought ‘La Florida’ in 2005. The community has its own micro-hydroelectric system, constructed by the former owners or patrones. The system is old and running inefficiently, lacking a transformer or battery storage. As we spent time in residents houses we found that the system was hardly sufficient to run a light bulb for each family; they also explained how it is often down or running on low current.
Read the rest @ AIDG.org
