Thanks for all of your ...

Thanks for all of your responses. A lot of good information. Maybe I just need to work on my salesman skills and get better at (gently) selling my idea haha. I understand that cultural differences are huge and that, along with location,available resources, etc are factors. I think I was just taken aback a bit when my in-country partner wasn't even willing to bring it up to the community because the idea was rejected in a different community years ago. And I also think that while we need to be sensitive to culture differences, just because something has always been done a certain way, or there's a stigma about something, it doesn't mean that new ideas shouldn't be pushed a little harder. Guess it's just a balancing act. 

Nigel, your filter looks interesting. I'll contact you directly. 

Thanks again.