A Story of Systemic Change

WATER WATER

WATER

San Jose de Ocoa, Dominican Republic

Daily Living

Women & girls spent hours hauling water from creek

Children not going to school Families barely subsisting High infant mortality Chronic hunger & sickness

The Beginning

In 1982 Jack Eschmann visits his daughter who was volunteering at a school in San José de Ocoa

Jack is tremendously impacted by the experience

Jack returns in 1984 and “The Rest is History”

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“Don’t do for the people, Jack, help them do it” Seed of Systemic Change: People Consulted

Government approved the project Jack raised $$ through SVdP Long

Island for technical consultation & supplies

Started small – 5 villages at a time Condition: 5 villages to help 1, then the

5 help a 2nd, etc. Seeds of Systemic Change: people

involved at every step, resources secured

The Process: Tap into the spring

of pure water at mountain top

Use secure water tanks

Connect pipeline of heavy plastic tubing

Goal: provide potable water to villages of Ocoa Community

“Teachable Moment”

Physical labor combined with education & capacity-building for community development

Educate farmers not to burn after harvesting Expand the co-op by building trust among

villages

Educating farmers about “terrace” planting of crops (tight horizontal rows instead of haphazard up/down, to form natural barriers vs. soil erosion)

Doing aqueduct & irrigation work; water purification plants

Building latrines Replacing thatched roofs with zinc, and

dirt floors with cement Creating more varied home gardens for

better nutrition

One hundred villages began to emerge from poverty through the collaboration of a visionary priest, the local community and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Systemic ChangeStrategiesImplemented

Poverty not considered inevitable Design flowed from Vincentian

Values Profound respect for local culture Vision addressed serious human

need Self sustaining and holistic Promoted Community solidarity Shared vision

LET JUSTICE ROLL DOWN THE MOUNTAINSIDEAND GOD’S IMPARTIAL LOVE BE AN EVERFLOWING STREAM!The Prophet Amos

What made the San Jose de Ocoa project succeed? What are its most significant outcomes? Why is this systemic change?

Discussion Groups