We have been very appreciative of Manna Project to include our team in many of their community activities including English class, Camp JAM, and community dinners. Tonight we had the special opportunity to present to board members at their monthly meeting about the collaboration between the UT PUC program and Manna Project. Typically in these sessions, neighborhood leaders meet with Manna staff to consult on pending projects. The participants also act as liaisons to their communities by sharing information and advertising upcoming events and changes.
We began our talk by introducing our background and rationale for the construction project. We really enjoyed hearing from each of the residents about their reasons for serving on the board. Many mentioned that they wanted to be able to help out more in their neighborhood and got involved as a way to promote the health and education of their community through Manna initiatives. We were impressed that the board included a diverse representation of Cedro Galan which included men, women, parents, and students.
Next, we spoke about the necessary bathroom maintenance as well as the importance of hygiene. Because the board had been instrumental in guiding our decisions in design, we recognized that it would be useful for them to understand the concepts of septic tank upkeep. A discussion of hand washing followed and participants reviewed ideas about how to ensure that people using the bathroom followed good hygiene practices. Members understood that the intent of the bathroom was to serve the needs of the clinic patients.
Finally, we asked about the board members about their opinions for continuing to improve their community. In general, they hoped to see an expansion of the health care program. In addition, many people expressed concern about securing the Farito building especially since it houses the pop up clinic and associated medical equipment.
Our team was grateful to be included in the board meeting so that we could interact with community leaders, but also so that we could learn more about how Manna Project operates in partnership with residents of Cedro Galan.
-Lindsay Morris
We began our talk by introducing our background and rationale for the construction project. We really enjoyed hearing from each of the residents about their reasons for serving on the board. Many mentioned that they wanted to be able to help out more in their neighborhood and got involved as a way to promote the health and education of their community through Manna initiatives. We were impressed that the board included a diverse representation of Cedro Galan which included men, women, parents, and students.
Next, we spoke about the necessary bathroom maintenance as well as the importance of hygiene. Because the board had been instrumental in guiding our decisions in design, we recognized that it would be useful for them to understand the concepts of septic tank upkeep. A discussion of hand washing followed and participants reviewed ideas about how to ensure that people using the bathroom followed good hygiene practices. Members understood that the intent of the bathroom was to serve the needs of the clinic patients.
Finally, we asked about the board members about their opinions for continuing to improve their community. In general, they hoped to see an expansion of the health care program. In addition, many people expressed concern about securing the Farito building especially since it houses the pop up clinic and associated medical equipment.
Our team was grateful to be included in the board meeting so that we could interact with community leaders, but also so that we could learn more about how Manna Project operates in partnership with residents of Cedro Galan.
-Lindsay Morris