Coseppi Partnership

Last Tuesday marked the end of the first EWB-AUS Peru Program assessment trip. Much was accomplished in the course of the two week assessment. In Huaraz, the team met with local scientists, professors, and community organizations to learn about water issues and research in the region. We were also able to visit two communities of the Tres Cuencas Commonwealth: Canrey Chico and Huasta, and meet with the mayors, community presidents, and many residents.

The level of interest in working with EWB-AUS in the communities has been extremely encouraging. This interest was also evident on August 10 when the Tres Cuencas Commonwealth, The Mountain Institute, and EWB-AUS signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Chiquian. Executing the MOU was a major milestone for all parties and a deliverable under Coseppi’s agreement with EWB-AUS.

As is often the case with project milestones, the MOU’s celebration has quickly been succeeded with a lot of work! James Seppi has developed several maps of the assessment sites in ArcGIS and maps in Picasa that relate relevant photographic information to important geographic points. This data will help engineers in Austin visualize locations as they embark on their design work. Taylor Cook has been working on a development strategy to help the parties of the MOU identify funding partners. Over the next few weeks she will be working with representatives of EWB-AUS’ partner organizations to develop proposals and meeting with potential donors.

James and Taylor on assessment in Canrey Chico

After a few days in Lima, we are now in Huaraz (map).  We are slowly adjusting to the high altitude and yesterday took a hike to Laguna Ahuak which sits at above 14,000 ft!

Later today we will be joined by one of the leaders of the Engineers Without Borders Greater Austin (EWB-AUS) Peru Project to begin work on the project’s first assessment trip.  Our team, consisting of Laura Read, Dr. Daene McKinney, Caryn McKinney, James Seppi, and Taylor Cook, will be meeting with The Mountain Institute (TMI) and representatives of the local “Tres Cuencas Commonwealth” communities to assess project feasibility and begin work on a memorandum of understanding for the project.  During this assessment we will visit at least two of the communities high in the Andes to learn about their water practices and problems and to discuss a starting point for the EWB-AUS project.

After the EWB-AUS assessment ends on August 15, Coseppi will remain in Huaraz until the end of November to provide on-the-ground support for the project.  We will also be working toward a unified development strategy to secure funding for the project by preparing grant applications that take into consideration all aspects of the project and the three organizations involved in it.