"This all seems like a dream come true"

“We learned that we can administer resources as long as we ensure community participation”

“In 1999 the community appointed me as auditor of the Development Committee Board of Directors. IPADE initiated its support that same year.

In 2002 I assumed the responsibility of representing the community as Development Committee President or, in other words, as a community leader. I was elected as an assistant to the mayor, always with accompaniment from IPADE, which has provided me with training and has followed up on my work.

Assuming all of this responsibility has not been an easy challenge. But when the population believes in you and you’re asked to respond to that population, you have to dedicate a lot of time and effort. You have to take time off from your own work to focus on community needs.

Currently, I represent 32 communities. According to last year’s census, that’s a population of 12,000.

The training encourages you to change, to learn that you’re important and that you should do your best wherever you are, always responding to the community’s interests.

For me and my community, the most significant change occurred in 2005 with the water and sanitation project. I would even say that this is the only project in the Mining Triangle that has been directed and administered entirely by the community. It benefited 65 families, and the community decided that I, in their representation, should manage the project funds. I was really astonished.

The water and sanitation project was financed by a German bank through the Emergency Social Investment Fund. We formed monitoring and administration committees and an oversight board. Thanks to these efforts, the community gained in stature. We learned that we can administer resources as long as we ensure community participation.

One of the community’s most significant achievements was to obtain 60,000 córdobas to invest in the purchase of seven manzanas of land on which a water source is located, as well as a plot on which to build the teachers’ center. That’s where the profits have been invested. In other words, with the profits from one project we implemented three. We are also reforesting the source water area in order to ensure the sustainability and maintenance of this resource.

This all seems like a dream come true. This work is hard, but what we need most is honesty and transparency, without getting involved in any vices.

I’m concerned about exercising such strong leadership. For this reason I’ve begun to promote the development of new leaders. They may be men, women or youth, but what’s essential is that these efforts continue. The task of raising awareness is the hardest.”