The Fernando Lores Water Project
Photography by: Gina Low (Executive Director, APECA) and Pablo Guerra (APECA Programs Director)
This $45,000 project was put together to build 3 rainwater catchment systems in the District of Fernando Lores in Amazonian Peru. Nueva Esperanza is the first construction site for a tank in this project. Nuevo Amor Fino, still in the remote area of the district, is the second site. Closer to Tamshiyacu and El Fundo lies San Francisco de Angamos, the site selected for the third tank. See a map of the district with locations of the villages and background information on the project.
|
Introducing the Third Site at San Francisco de Angamos | |
|
Pablo Guerra and Alberto Rios (white cap) inspect the third site at San Francisco de Angamos. The new water tank will be built between the two buildings where a pile of sand waits for the construction. The School is on the right and the building on the left is a distribution center for assistance to undernourished children. This village was selected to receive this distribution site, because of the high incidence of childhood disease and a solid history of community elected voluntary health care participants. 
|
This is the School house at San Francisco de Angamos. 
Pablo organizes the "convenio's" with the Village government to make sure that everyone is "on the same page" with regard to the impending tank installation. |
|
Progress at Nuevo Amor Fino, the Second Site | |
In this remote area the school is a rather rustic structure but it does have a tin roof and the rain does fall! Forms for the concrete tank are taken from local timber. They will make fine furniture someday.  The long trek to the river where the villagers get their water. The grassy area is completely flooded for 2 or 3 months in the year when the river is high. About two miles away in the distance we see the tree line marking the opposite bank of an island in the river.  |
 The giant footing has already been set. Now the tank shell is poured by hand.  Along the path is a small creek which is the only source for water when the river is low. At this time the grassy flood plain hides many poisonous snakes and the wet river mud acts like quicksand. If you throw in the blazing hot sun and lack of shade, the trek for water becomes a daunting proposition. |
|
Updates and Issues at the Nueva Esperanza Tank Site (# 1) | |
The tile setter tiles the interior of the tank.  Gina, Pablo and Alberto at a village meeting to discuss the water tank. The School roof rafters are getting old and might not support the custom gutter system.  New timbers are assembled to modify and strengthen the roof construction.  |
 The tile setter is inside the tank and is talking to the little girl. She hears him through the pipe. This is great fun for the kids! .  The steel gutters are brought up from the river and everybody helps.  The new tank must sit for 20 - 30 days while the concrete sets solid.  While observing the Tank I turned around and saw the village of Nueva Esperanza - this is "New Hope". |
August 30th, 2007 Update
The Second Site at Amor Fino
Pablo Guerra talks with Jorge Ayala (contractor for construction) wearing the white shirt and hat. Local villagers listen to the plans for tomorrow's work at the site of their new clean water system. The temperature was in the 90's and the humidity was at least 85%. During this season the Amazon River, off in the far distance, has become the only water supply available that will not be dangerously contaminated. Villagers will need to carry every bucket for their personal use as well as the construction needs of this project. No roads can be built in this flood plane that is now covered with grasses. To reach the river, fill the bucket and return will take almost an hour. This 40 pound load is commonly carried on the head.
Meanwhile, the Tank Nears Completion at The Nueva Esperanza Site.
A view of the concrete and rebar tank - almost there!
On Sunday, August 26, 2007 Pablo Guerra, Alberto Rios, Barbara Harris and photographer Gina Low, all made a trip to Nueva Esperanza. This trip was to inspect the construction progress for the 10,000 liter water tank of the APECA/Rotary International project.
The tile setter, at the top of the tank had just completed the tiled interior of the tank. The service pad for distribution of water, on the left can also be seen.
August 1st, 2007 Update, Construction Begins
Iquitos Preparations at the Boat Ramp in Belen 08/01/2007
This $45,000 project was put together to build 3 rainwater catchment systems in the District of Fernando Lores in Amazonian Peru. Work has begun at the first site and we have our first pictures from the project.
Pablo Guerra (APECA Peru Director) tallies the supplies and building materials to be delivered 14 hours upriver by "colectiva" to the Nueva Esperanza site.
Rebar is loaded on the old Amazon riverboat. Don Pedro will take the materials to Nueva Esperanza. Ben and Mark went along to be a 'watchful eye'. Fitzgeraldo never imagined this!
110 bags of Cement loaded on a truck at the depot (that's NOT Home Depot!) for delivery to the Belen boat ramp.
The river water is receding at this time of year making the loading at Belen even more frustrating.
At The Nueva Esperanza Site.
Rebar being delivered at night to the village of Nueva Esperanza. 14 hours up the Amazon River is a long trip in a "colectiva". Sitting watch for the materials was a necessary effort given by two APECA volunteers from Australia, Mark Boswell and Ben Stronach. Ben took the photo and Mark is pulling the heavy steel up the bank with one of the villagers.
Building the footing crib - behind the school.
Upon arrival with the building materials, we found the excavation for the footing had already begun.
Alejandro, APECA trained health care provider and leader of Nueva Esperanza, Pablo Guerra, Jorge Ayala and Augusto Bylon, RN, gather at the site of the future water tank with the steel in place for the pouring of the platform columns.
The enormous "counterweight" footing is absolutely necessary to hold the Tank upright in the Amazon mud.
