Elizabeth Jose

DESIGN THINKING FOR INNOVATION

FINAL ASSIGNMENT

Reflection – Storytelling

Challenge & Selection

The tool I used was the tool of Storytelling. I work in a social organization which provides  social development to vulnerable sector in their area of influence. The social theme that  I work with was the following: Access to drinking water consumption in rural communities  in the 4 communities surrounding the Argos plant in Comayagua, Honduras.

Argos's “Piedras Azules” cement plant is located in the department of Comayagua,  Honduras. From the beginning of its operations in the country, a fundamental pillar for  the organization is sustainability, it is important in the search for a relationship with the  communities surrounding the plant; in order to be good neighbors and allies in their  development.

In 2010, an initial diagnosis was made documenting different socioeconomic aspects to  determine and prioritize the social impact that would serve as a roadmap for the  execution of a community development plan, continuously supporting innovative social  initiatives with great impact for the entire community. Thus, one of the basic needs  prioritized by the 4 communities of incidence in Comayagua is access to drinking water.  At present, the communities have a supply water source which supplies a large part of  the homes in these communities; however, it is not potable, but only pipe water without  any type of treatment. It should be noted that a significant percentage of the population  is in a high level of poverty due to the high unemployment rate in the area, resulting in a  deficit in the family economy. The largest source of household income is through a salary  from the private sector with 25% (from the jobs generated by the cement plant, as well  as other jobs generated in the urban area of the municipality), followed by farming on  account their own, that is to say that 19% of the families in the community dedicate  themselves to cultivating the land to sell their product. The rest of the population obtains  income from remittances sent by relatives or informal enterprises within and outside the  community. According to data from the study, most families survive on an income of $  200 a month.

This lack of income is the fundamental result by which in the homes of the families in  these rural communities they do not consume drinking water, mainly due to the high  costs that a bottle of water represents in their economy. It is estimated that an average  family consumes three bottles per week, the prices of each bottle are approximately $  1.80 per unit, spending a minimum of $ 21.6 per month on average. Added to this  problem are the health difficulties derived from the consumption of non-potable water for  humans, such as: diarrhea and parasitism, especially in children.

I use this information to develop different strategies to try and find a way to help with an  innovating solution that may help the population to access to safe water

Application

This tool will be useful in the main documentation in order to tell a story of a resident who  has been affected for years by the consumption of non-potable water and how this has  had a multiplying effect on the rest of his family nucleus. Likewise, it will provide

usefulness to document the initial problem and how the approach to the solution can  have a significant impact on the residents. Likewise, it will allow to show a real and  essential panorama of the problem to possible / future social partners for the  management of resources for the implementation of the innovative solution in the  community.

When I make the application of the storytelling I document the story of the resident I  could tell they were lacking of good health and a system that assures them to provide  access to water and also safe water for their consume. I made him to demonstrate me  the type of water that came up of their faucet.  It turned out that with a simple method I   take samples of the water to determine the level of contamination in the same to be able  to evaluate the current situation of the water and thus start with the innovative social  solution.

Insight & Approach

A sample of the water analyzed in the laboratory, revealed that the water is not suitable  for human consumption, this because the water has an electrical conductivity higher than  those allowed by national and international standards, in addition the water contains a  silica index higher than that allows the national standard. They do not have a water  treatment system. Some houses have basins for collecting water in precarious  conditions, in other cases they use corroded plastic or metal tanks.

So I told this story to the social organization I work with, and I think it had a big impact  on the Board of Directors. We started to document all the population water access  problems to start with social projects that would made them to solve this problem. Also,  we started to look at cooperation agencies that have external funds at their disposal to  finance water projects with a social focus in communities.

This course allowed me to apply this useful tool that will allow us to better evaluate the  project.

