Like many countries, Haiti remains unable to provide improved water access to it population specially children in the remote villages, in kindergarten and in primary schools.  Recently we completed a project for the CEI primary school that currently serves 153 students in grades K-6, led by our own board member Verbo Jean-Julien, who serves as our Operations Director for Haiti.  The CEI school needed our help because in the mountains there is no spring water and the Government has unfortunately abandoned this area. Some kids had diarrhea because they were eating with their hands that had been unwashed after using toilets.  During break time they shared snacks, further spreading germs.  Staff too was eating without the ability to wash their hands.  WWB created a handwashing station.

In Jacmel, the prevalence of water related disease is exacerbated due to lack of knowledge and proper hygiene and sanitation services. Open defecation is a widespread practice in most of the community. Lack of sanitation facilities and poor hygiene affects both girls and boys although poor sanitation conditions at schools have a stronger negative impact on girls. During mensuration, access to safe, clean and private sanitation facilities in schools is critical to ensure girls attendance. If these are not present, girls may miss class that week and find it hard to catch up which makes them more likely to drop out of school (SSHE, Lizette B., Unicef, 2000). Another Complicating factor in the proposed district is that health and education institutes lack a safe water supply and sanitation facilities. As a result, students often miss school to collect drinking water for their families, which tends to come from unprotected drinking water sources.

Schools are often more than just places for learning and behavior change. If school sanitation and hygiene facilities are absent, or are poorly maintained and used, schools become risky places where disease is transmitted. Schools can also pollute the natural environment in such a way that it causes health hazards for the community at large. It is therefore important that schools have proper facilities. However improved facilities in and of themselves are not sufficient. If we want to reduce the incidence of sanitation and hygiene-related diseases, and to protect the natural environment, behavioral changes are also needed leading to proper use of the facilities.

 

To maximize the impact of this project an integrated approach combining safe and adequate water provision, promotion of sanitation facilities, capacity development in the beneficiary population about personal hygiene and environmental sanitation, source to  mouth handling and utilization of water, and practical knowledge and skill will be used. The aim of this project is to build 200 hand-washing stations between 2018-2020 at schools in the south and south-east of Haiti.

 

To become effective promoters and implementers of WASH, teachers require a certain level of hygiene awareness and commitment. This includes:

1) a working knowledge of the relation between water, sanitation, hygiene behavior and health;

2) awareness about their importance as a role model, resulting in proper hygiene behavior;

3) skills to work with students in a participatory way;

4) commitment

 


Here are some schools we have helped thus far:

Ecole de Frere Chretien (Christian Brothers School) in Oranger which was founded by “by Christian community in Orangers Jacmel. PES started this school in Oranger village. Oranger is the community not far from Jacmel. The Christian Brothers School identified the lack of social services in the Community where children couldn’t get access to education. Christian Brothers School currently serves 280 students in grades K-5, and is a place where they prioritize education, and literacy.  The hand washing station has also been beneficial for parents and community members.

 

The public school in Belle vue Lamontagne was funded by the community to respond to the lack of schools in the community and the population of children in 1972 who need to go to school was very Hight, more than 700. After 40 years of existence, this community school became public. This public school have a functioning canteen. The have concrete tank a cooperative built for the school in 90’s to collect rain water. They have also a sanitary bloc but no clean water. Community could access to education. This public School currently serves 479 students from Fundamental to secondary.   The hand washing station has also been beneficial for parents and community members.  Education in Wash has been beneficial for the school and community to create better health.

 

Boirrond Tonerre’ school in in Mathador is network of school in southeast of Haiti. This school is located in an outskirt of Jacmel. Created in 2009 with 53 students and now serves 230students. It was funded by Rev Pastor Wilner Deluxé. This school responds appeal that god Pastor Wilner to do for God’s people in needed. The school offers a meal a day to the 230 students, the have running water but it5 is always a challenge for students to wash their hands before or after eating and go back and forth to the restrooms. This School serves students in Fundamental9 Preschool-kinder to k-6. The hand washing station has also been beneficial for parents and community members.  Education in Wash has been beneficial for the school and community to create better health.

 

Bethel school was funded in 1978 by Mr. Lambert Rony. This school has 130 Children in 2017. All of them from the poorest families. This school has no water available. However, Pastor Frederic who is a community leader (the neighbor) promise to drain the water from his house to the school to facilitate the project, and give a chance to those kids to have a chance to wash their hands.   

This project was a 3 part project:

  • Drain the water from Pastor Frederic Property to Bethel school.
  • INSTAL Two washings station in the school
  • Teach kids and personals of Bethel school some technics on personal Hygiene and hands washing before and after eating. After using the toilets. When they arrive from the market, etc

 

 


HOW TO HELP

These projects are fairly inexpensive.  To cover all costs it is around $3500 per project.  Your donation to our Haiti Handwash project will help save numerous lives.  Please click here to donate.

 

For those groups or individuals who sponsor one of the Haiti school projects, we welcome you (groups of no more than 5) to come and implement your project at the school. This would include some labor as well as education to the school community.   Travel to some of the most isolated, mountain villages like Lamontagne where there is no water and to Les Cayes where there is à lot of water. You will also get to ride along with our partner, DOM Water, for a day to visit other local villages and provide water to those in need. Board member Verbo Jean-Julien is our Operations Manager in  Haiti.  Verbo’s parents live near the property where CEI is located in Jacmel, and welcome all immersion travelers with their radical hospitality and delicious homegrown Haitian Bleu coffee.

For more information, please email kimberly@waterwithoutborders.net