Progress, Padre Jose, and PRISMA

Now that we have a system in place, we are eager to show it off! So, on Saturday, we jumped on a city bus and took it to the end of the line, to the community of la Portada de Manchay, high up in the sand dunes above Lima. We presented aquaponics to the priest, and will bring members of his community to visit our system at the school. Not only will we get great market research from their feedback, we will hopefully inspire them to buy their own system!

On top of that, we just returned from a very positive meeting with PRISMA, where we began to develop a partnership with them. We hope to bring aquaponic systems to recovering tuberculosis patients, and create a strawberry business in the sandy slums surrounding Lima! Here are Wade and Anni with Dr. Claudio Roncha Calderon, the Coordinator of the Project, and the Director of MicroFinanzas PRISMA, Dr. Diego Fernandez Concha Murazzi, showing off the future product.

Seeing is believing!

We had more help than we needed, and both creativity and water flowed! All in all, a fabulous day! The pictures will tell the story:

BEFORE:

DURING:


AFTER:

Building the System

Yesterday we began building the system! We purchased all the parts and brought them over to the school, and explained them to the 7th grade science class as well as the gardeners who will be helping maintain the system. After getting over their initial skepticism, and agreeing to move the system out of their prized lawn, they quickly began sharing ideas and excitement. Everyone we have met is intrigued by the idea, and eager to see it in action. Today we will connect the tubes and get the water running!