Clean Water-Sanitation Initiative for Rural Haiti

“Before, it was a critical problem of not having the latrine and sometimes the people use the bathroom in the street or in the canal,” said one of the leaders of the peasant association, ODCP, of our Petit Goâve Proper Partner Community of the urgent need for latrines.  C2C was introduced to our Petit Goâve Proper Partner Community in July 2010, seven months after the earthquake.  Through conversations with the community leaders, we learned they had no access to proper sanitation, including latrines, prior to the earthquake.  After the earthquake, the community banded together and raised the necessary funds to purchase materials needed to build two latrines, which serviced 70 families.  Six months later, those latrines were filled to capacity and unusable.  This prompted the community leaders to seek out a partner to assist in securing funding for the construction of 70 latrines for 70 families.  

In 2011, our Petit Goâve Proper Partner Community partnered with C2C, and together, we set out to raise $12,000 for the materials needed, as well as, funds to pay the community workers.  That same year, the community broke ground on the first 15 latrines.  Knowing the importance of creating sustainable infrastructure in Haïti, our project manager and civil engineer on the ground, designed these latrines (see below) to last for seven to ten years and trained the community members on how to maintain them to last the full 10 years or more.  Subsequently, every two years or so, depending on funds raised, another 10 or 15 latrines were constructed by the community.  A peasant association member shared in 2015, about the ongoing latrine initiative, “the workers who didn’t have jobs now have money to feed their families.”  They also reported since the completion of the first 15 latrines, incidents of cholera outbreaks significantly decreased by 2015.  

In 2017, our Partner Community submitted a budget for funds to construct the final 10 latrines to complete their goal of 70 latrines for 70 of the most vulnerable families in their community.  C2C launched its Global Giving Campaign on Giving Tuesday in November 2017, to raise the remaining $5,000 towards the $10,000 needed to complete the final 10 latrines.  With the help of you, the Global Giving community and C2C‘s network of supporters, we met and surpassed our goal of $5,000 on December 24, 2017 with 65 donors, several of whom gave more than once and others who became monthly donors. We are excited to report, the community constructed all 10 latrines by December 31, 2017.  

The impact of these latrines cannot be overstated.  You, our donors, didn’t only donate to build latrines.  You invested in people.  Your investment created job opportunities and a future of better health.  This is what sustainability is all about.  By the completion of Phase 1 of the latrine initiative in 2017, there were no incidences of Cholera reported for the last three years.  As one person said to us after receiving the keys to his latrine he helped build, “Thank you for restoring our dignity.”

Our goal now is to begin Phase 2, which is the construction of another 70 latrines for another group of 70 families.  Illness and death from cholera is preventable with clean water and proper sanitation. We are very grateful for the donors who chose to be reoccurring investors, or as we call them, C2C Neighbors, as these funds will be set aside until we reach $12,000 to make an even larger, sustainable impact. 

Stay tuned...