radiant[allusions]: Anatomy of a Project (Vol. 1)

I don't often use this blog as a way to write directly about the projects I’m working on in my capacity as a Peace Corps volunteer. I usually prefer to use it as a platform for a more abstract, even artistic kind of expression that is born out of my general experience of Nicaraguan culture—but in this series I’m going to describe a project in detail.

To be clear, we are in the midst of designing and implementing this project, so its success still isn’t an absolute guarantee. My hope with this Anatomy of a Project series is that it will serve both as a way to chronicle this project’s progress as well as a way to discuss some of the many issues and difficulties that surround community development projects in developing countries in general.

And as a quick disclaimer:
I have not done any academic research on the subject of community development projects in developing countries. I have never studied social work, nor am I familiar with the jargon of the field (if there is any). I will not be citing the foremost scholars to back up my claims. Everything I’ll write will be based on my own observations and experiences in designing and implementing such a project in rural Nicaragua, drawing upon the opinions I have formed along the way. I am no expert; I have expertise within my own microcosm, sure, but I want to be clear that I am just a wide-eyed amateur.

The project in a nutshell is to build seventy (yes, seven-zero) economical wood-burning stoves in Santa Lucía, Boaco. These seventy stoves will be divided equally between two smaller communities or comarcas in the municipality. Thirty-five will be built in the community of El Llanito and another thirty-five will be built in the community of Los Álvarez.

I am not working on this alone, gracias a Dios! I’m coordinating closely with an NGO called Alcance Nicaragua, which is a branch of the worldwide organization Outreach International, which in Nicaragua is staffed exclusively by Nicaraguans. (In volume three, The Key Players, I’ll share more details about Alcance and Outreach in general and be sure to include links to their websites.)

At the time of this writing, we have built four model/demo stove units between the two communities, formed groups of interested community members, implemented informative and participatory workshops about the problems surrounding traditional cooking methods, and worked with families to collect and analyze data concerning their average firewood consumption and the environmental and economic impact it has. We’ve also made a comprehensive budget and applied for funding through a Peace Corps-related initiative called ECPA or Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas.

Here’s the plan with this series of posts:
• (Vol. 1) – Intro to Economical Stoves ***
• (Vol. 2) – Community Development…The Goal
• (Vol. 3.1) – The Key Players
(Vol. 3.2) - The Designers/Facilitators
(Vol. 3.3) - The Community
• (Vol. 4) – The Problemática
• (Vol. 5.1) – The Stove Design
(Vol. 5.2) - Materials and Design Elements

(Vol. 5.3) - The Stovetops

(Vol. 5.4) - The Table

(Vol. 5.5) - The Stove Itself

(Vol. 5.6) - The Chimney

• (Vol. 6) – Community Workshops
• (Vol. 7) – The Budget and Funding
• (Vol. 8) – Designing for Sustainability