My Project will probably start with na Office in a borrowed space, maybe na improvised Office within a house and donated Office materials.

The main cost, salaries, will be in its most part covered by a government fund for start-up inovative business (the start of the business will depend of the likelihood of obtaining this fund). Other high running costs like travel expenses and materials should be ideally covered by the profit made with providing services, at least after passing through the valley of death. There should be something extra from this income to re-invest in the business.

If necessary, and if financially advantageous, the Project will first operate as an NGO, a careful financial analysis will be made to determine the best option.

Once the Project is already in full swing, Carbon Credits and other forms of financing will be sought for expanding its operations.

As general values:

- Understanding and commitment to development that is sustainable, both socially and environmentally

- Understanding of the real causes of the injustices in the world as a vicious circle that must be broken

As a way of working:

* Integrity

* Democracy

* Transparency

We believe that everyone's voice should carry equal weight, and are so confident that our way of working is ethical and democratic that we endevour to make all our decision-making processes as transparent as possible. We also believe this will encourage members and associates to be more actively involved and to contribute with constructive criticism.

* Pragmatism

* Positivism

There are enough things to get depressed about, but depression is a dangerous feeling. Instead, we focus on positive changes and the things we can influence. That's a can-do attitude!

Most of the time we face problems, as it is well exposed in this lesson, is because there are things that are not up to us, we depend on others and that is out of our control.

Learning to manage these relationships so as to minimise the risk that our partners/colleagues/sponsors/suppliers/etc. let us down and jeopardise the project, is not an easy task.

The other option, taking on all the work because we feel that we can't trust others or it'll be quicker or better if we just do the work ourselves, is not any better. And I'm thinking that's not even an option.

Most of the times I'm stuck on something it is not just because I'm waiting from someone's reply, but because I don't have the answer and won't be able to find it by myself. So even if that person is no the one who is gonna provide me with the answer I need to keep looking and chatting and contrasting ideas with other people till I have the answer I've been looking for.

More and more I get the feeling that to have a successful community project we need to behave like politicians, talk to every and anyone, know everyone, become known, expose our ideas, debate them, defend them, gather support, make compromises, make promises, get others to believe in them, deliver...

No matter how good your idea is, it won't became a good project without the input of others. And no matter how good your project is, it won't sell itself.

Just some random thoughts that go to illustrate the two main obstacles I've been facing with my project. If some of you had similar experiences and manage to overcome them, please share!

Thinking about the scope was the most difficult task for me so far.

In business and in other projects, we always start small, but only those who had a great big vision of future will make it big. Those who start small with a small vision may achieve their vision but will not progress beyond that. Furthermore, not all that start with a big vision will achieve their goals, big or small.

The challenge is no small deal, but I found this lesson very useful as a warning and a tool against scope creep. I think the key thing is to have very clear objectives, very well-defined and thought-through goals (in themselves also complicated tasks) and STICK TO THEM!

Also, it is important to be watchfull about which donations or income sources to accept, they always come with strings attached and sometimes they are just not worth it.

According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated 1.5–1.8 million women and young children die prematurely every year due to exposure to high levels of indoor air pollution.

This is a big problem, but it is just a part of the problem.

Many NGOs have tried to address this issue by providing people at risk with solar ovens or smokeless stoves to replace wood-cooking in tradicional stoves, the cause of the indoor pollution. These actions have no doubt helped many people, but they have not solved the problem.

Like any other charitable action that leaves "recipients" dependant on external aid, this approach has very real limitations and consequently, millions of people still die from these preventable respiratory disseases.

There are other issues too, the whole wood-for-cooking scheme is unsustainable, it takes too much time to collect the wood, it promotes deforestation and it can expose women to other kind of dangers. But what to do when there is no money to buy a different kind of fuel? Is poverty the real root of the problem here?

There are many way to explore those questions, and with certainty, not just a single valid answer. My take on this is that whatever solution is devised has to consider all the related things, the cultural setting, socio-economic conditions, climatic conditions, local natural resources and most importantly, the people one is aiming to help.

When thinking about biodigesters for biogas (to use for cooking) and biofertilizer's production I am aiming for a holistic and comprehensive approach that will effectively address all these issues, and that has the potencial to address many others too and work in many different places.

Highly customizable, biodigesters can be part of the solution for lack of sanitation, respiratory health problems, climate change, deforestation, poverty, food insecurity, etc., many of which surround the same people all at once.

You can read more about how they could work here: http://www.changemakers.com/en-us/node/67150