Improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene for the rural community of Gros Mangle – La Gonâve Island, Haiti

Project financed by Electric Aid and executed by Concern Worldwide – August 2016 – June 2017

Figure 1 - locality of Gros Mangle, La Gonâve, seen from up the hill

Concern Worldwide – Final Report – July 2017

Project Reference No:

PROJECT REPORT

Project Name “Improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene for the rural community of Gros Mangle – La Gonâve, Haiti’

Organisation Name Concern worldwideDate Funds Received 3 August 2016

Figure 1: a hand dug well nearby the coast in Gros mangle (08/10/2016), Photo taken by Btissame Bourza, Concern WASH Programme Manager

Concern Worldwide – Final Report – July 2017

1: Projects Outcomes – the results achieved.

The overall aim of the project was

To improve the health status of the population of Gros Mangles, one of the poorest rural administrative sections in the western part of La Gonâve, through increased access to water and improved hygiene and sanitation practices. This was achieved through the construction of two cisterns (including a rain harvesting system) and hygiene promotion activities.

Specifically the objectives were

To increase access to water and sanitation for the population of Gros Mangles (appx 2,476 people)

To improve hygiene practices at household level To strengthen capacity of the Water Management Committee to manage water points

and to secure drinkable water through water treatment training and safe hygiene behaviour

Two cisterns were constructed, in St Agnier and Episcopal (both in Gros-Mangle), after being identified as most in need amongst the locality. These two areas had no infrastructure, nor available water point within 1 hour walk. As opposed to the upper part on the hill of the locality, being closer to the coast, the population was inclined to use salted sea water for different purposes such as cleaning, washing and including drinking. Moreover, the area was identified as vulnerable to cholera outbreaks due to poor access to water and limited hygiene knowledge and practice.

Approximately 160 households, (five persons in a household which equals 800 beneficiaries), with stored rainwater during the dry season, and 1 school servicing 120 pupils. In addition, four schools within the locality benefited from the same hygiene and water treatment training provided to the Committees and the school adjacent to the cistern, involving a total of 318 beneficiaries.

Improvement of hygiene practices through trainings and sensitisation amongst the community was not conducted through this grant but as part of the wider WASH programme in La Gonâve. Thus, the 2,476 beneficiaries targeted initially could be indirectly aimed. Likewise, the set up and training of new Water Management Committee was permitted within the integrated activities in the area, although not pushed forward considering the short time.

During the reporting period, the island of La Gonave was affected by Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. This impacted the rolling out of the programme activities especially regarding transportation fees for materials, and the limited time left within the co-funded overall project, only two cisterns (rain harvesting systems) could be built instead of the three originally planned. Thus, the number of direct beneficiaries initially targeted had to be lowered down. In

Concern Worldwide – Final Report – July 2017

accordance with the budget allowed by the grant, and the specifications of the donor, expenditures were focused on material purchase.

Finally, hygiene promotion activities were conducted through a combination of WASH in school strategy and WMCs trainings.

2: Financial Accountability – how the money was spent.

For a total grant of 7,714 EUR (1 EUR =71.8561 HTG on the 31/12/2016), and to abide with Electric Aid instruction to spend the funds on materials costs only, the following expenditures were processed:

Description EURLocal Travel costs 47 Materials & Supplies-Rehabilitation 62 Water Maintenance 55 Rain Harvesting systems 7,552

Total expenditure 7,716

3: Project Process Narrative – how the project was implemented or progressed to date

Concern has been implementing WASH projects on the island of La Gonâve since 1998 and experienced various related activities. Since 2012, Concern implemented an integrated programme which focused on building a community resilience through livelihood supports and WASH programme. The WASH programme across the island; more specifically in the area of Gros Mangle. The keyfocus was to increasing access to drinking water through infrastructure constructions and support WASH Management Committees (WMC) in managing water points and supporting hygiene promotion in the community. Funding received from ElectricAid grant enabled the construction of these two cisterns.

The set up followed several integrated steps:

A series of community meetings to present the process of the project and works were settled early September 2016 and the following weeks, (targeting assessment and community meetings to present the project was already processed before the grant).

Pre-existing Community leaders were identified to form the Committee, and have been accepted by the community through a process of election.

Memorandum of Understanding were set up and signed by the community approved leaders.

Materials were bought early December 2016 (due to Hurricane Matthew there was delay in getting the appropriate supplies to the area)

Concern Worldwide – Final Report – July 2017

Recruitment of construction team. The recruitment process implies community suggestions or references for local masonry foremen, among which a technical assessment has been done by Concern staff; criteria of selection were clearly specified to the community. Additional labour such as handling on site, water procurement, security and surveillance of materials on site was provided by the community as part of their input into the project.

The structural construction lasted six weeks altogether, with two additional weeks for the plumbing and painting.

The newly built cistern required a new Water Management Committee (WMC) to be set up, to meet the government legislation and ensure an effective operational and maintenance management of the facility. Two groups of 5 people were formed, with a president among each being the interlocutor of Concern regarding activities like follow up, supervision and community interactions. Training on “Committees Members roles and duties” was provided, as well as a short “Water Treatment” session. Unfortunately, the sensitization on DINEPA’s (the National Authority for Water and Sanitation) regulation and policies, and the more specific training on Finance Management couldn’t be processed to improve the capacities of the Committees. Indeed, as labour costs and staffing costs were covered by co-funding grants, ending in January 2017, and giving the delays caused by hurricane Matthew, the construction of the cisterns was time sensitive.

Hygiene promotion took place within the community directly benefiting from the new cisterns: the school neighbouring the Episcopal cistern, and the Committees as well. Concern’s Hygiene Officer provided several sessions within the school, using the Community Hygiene and Sanitation Technique (CHAS; PHAST applied to children) and planned in collaboration with the schools’ management boards to be included in class schedule, in accordance with school’s programs. Handwashing contamination sequence, hygiene critical moments and waterborne diseases were the main topics approached.Hygiene items were also distributed which included items such as soap, handwashing stands, water filters, water treatment kits…

Concern Worldwide – Final Report – July 2017

4: Visual Report – photographs.

Figure 2: progress of the masonry on the worksite of St Agnier (20/12/2016). Photo taken by Btisamme Bourzac

Figure 3: stock of gravel used for the shell construction on St Agnier worksite (16/12/2016)

Concern Worldwide – Final Report – July 2017

Figure 4: masonry terminated and roofing on process on Episcopal worksite (19/12/2017)

Figure 5: taps and new plumbering installed on the works in St Agnier (26/01/2017)

Concern Worldwide – Final Report – July 2017

Figure 6: the newly built Episcopal cistern being painted (26/01/2017)

Figure 7: details of the rain harvesting system (gutters and pipes) on the new roof of St Agnier cistern (26/01/2107)

Concern Worldwide – Final Report – July 2017

Figure 8: hygiene practices promotion provided to the Episcopal school pupils, adjacent to the newly built cistern (direct

beneficiaries of the cistern, 24/11/2016)

Figure 9: handWASHing session with the pupils (24/11/2016)

5: Challenges/ Recommendations.

The topography context of La Gonâve resulted in great difficulties to access the sites: many roads were damaged or simply too bumpy. Suppliers include this aspect in their prices and in transportation which impacted on the cost.

Time and budget are required to include comprehensive trainings for committees which would manage the facility after it is built: finance management, operational maintenance, water treatment. This approach maximizes the sustainability of the systems, increase local empowerment and capacity building of the community.

Concern Worldwide – Final Report – July 2017