Maria Soledad Diaz Gonzalez Reelected as the Agency Head of Santo Domingo Barrio Bajo Etla

Maria Soledad Diaz Gonzalez was reelected as the  Agency Head of Santo Domingo Barrio Bajo Etla. This election took several months to resolve as there was said to be irregularities, and the opposition was disputing the results. Just last week the election was certified fair and complete.  Maria has been the Agency Head for several years and her reelection is very important to our work in Santo Domingo Barrio Bajo Etla.Maria has been spearheading most of the environmental efforts in the community and with her support and the Community of Elders we have built strong community support to replace the derelict wastewater treatment plant with a sustainable natural treatment system.

On Wednesday Maria and the new Mayor of Villa De Etla met with our partner NGO

Instituto de la Naturaleza y la Sociedad de Oaxaca (INSO) to discuss the strategy for our upcoming meeting with the Governor to present our solution to the derelict wastewater treatment plant. This derelict treatment plant floods several houses in Santo Domingo Barrio Bajo Etla when ever there is a big rain storm, and the raw sewage continuously floods farmers fields.

Marketing support from the Seattle University Marketing Club

I am pleased to announce the help and support from the Seattle University Marketing club. I met with the club on March 2nd to learn about their interest in helping Water for Humans develop a marketing strategy and plan.  Because the current term is coming to a close (finals are fast approaching), the club will take up this new effort in the Spring Quarter.  We look forward t working with this student group to provide us with much needed marketing expertise while providing students real hands on experience implementing their marketing strategy.

The new governor of Oaxaca announces a joint agreement with the IADB

Water for Humans has been in contact with the Inter American Development Bank via our connections with the Mexico Federal Ministry of Economy.  Throught our discussions we learned for this joint agreement. The full statement (press release) is several pages long.  This is an excerpt from it.

"In joint press conference with the governor of the state, representative of the I.A.D.B. eri Mexico, Ellis J. Juan, explained that one of the high-priority areas of action of this agreement is to add to the efforts of Latin America and the Caribbean to reduce to the poverty and the inequality,· aiming at a sustainable development and respectful with the climate. In the case of Mexico, he added, he tries himself to support to the states and municipalities in order close a breach of existing economic development. In as much, the vice-president of the sector deprived in the I.A.D.B., Steven J. Puig, indicated that they have worked in Oaxaca and other states, diverse projects, mainly in the matter of infrastructure, that is essential for the competitiveness."

This agreement will help both INSO and WFH implement several larger projects including our black water treatment plant in Santo Domingo Barro Bajo Etla. 

 

Gabino Cué, the new governor of Oaxaca state in Mexico

Gabino Cué officially took office as the new Governor of Oaxaca on December 1st 2010 (which seems like a long time ago already).  Please see the attached link. This election has come at a critical time for us and INSO as there will be a significant power shift in our favor.  Grabino is committed to sustainable development and is very concerned about water and sanitation in the face of climate change.  He understands the importance or water productivity and some of the potential challenges Oaxaca faces in the coming years. INSO has already held several key meetings with the new ministers, and INSO is working hard to secure a personal meeting with Grabino and several of his ministers. The goal of this upcoming meeting is to help the new government formulate a sustainable strategy for water resources.  We (Water for Humans) and INSO will hopefully be able to help formulate an overarching strategy that will allow us (WFH & INSO) will work closely with the new government and implement many new projects

Biohabitats acquires Natural Systems International

Biohabitats has acquired Natural Systems International, Water for Humans' partner for constructed wetlands' expertise. Biohabitats was started in 1982 and works on projects to restore the earth and inspire ecological stewardship. Acquiring NSI will allow the new organization to focus efforts on more water related issues in the future. This is a good fit for both companies and is 'Good News for the Earth'. This will not change Water for Humans' relationship with our constructed wetland's consultants.

Water for Humans and SU Law - Initial Meeting

Today, Water for Humans (WFH) met with Misha Sandusky and Joe Helt, third year law students at Seattle University, to start the process that will culminate in filing IRS Form 1023, our application for 501(c)3 status. We plan to submit the application in April at the end of their term. This is a class project for a nonprofit course they are taking and the price is right for WFH: pro bono.

Today, WFH gave Joe and Misha a verbal overview of our organization and how we arrived at this point of applying for our own 501(c)3 status, which will take us from under the umbrella of A W.I.S.H. (A World Institute for a Sustainable Humanity) for our tax exempt status. They had already done quite a bit of research from our website and the forms submitted to WAACO (Washington Attorneys Assisting Community Organizations), but we were able to clarify some points with this face-to-face meeting.

Misha and Joe outlined the information that need to be gathered or created to complete the application. Fortunately, we have some of the more time consuming parts done, like the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. The two major items that need to be done are a narrative of our activities (current and future) and our budget.

You can keep track of our 501(c)3 progress through this Blog.

Seattle University School of Law

Water for Humans will work with two third year law students at Seattle University to help us obtain our 501(c)3 status. This will be a project for the students’ Nonprofit Legal Clinic course. Judy Andrews, a practicing attorney and the professor of the course, will make sure that everything is done properly and after the course ends will represent us if the IRS has any issues with the application. The students will be given the assignment on Thursday, 2/3/11, and will set up an interview with Water for Humans shortly thereafter. The course ends in April. You will be able to follow the progress in this blog.