ARTICLE - WATER CENTRE - BELLOC

THE FIRST COMMUNAL WATER CENTRE IN BELLOC, HAITI WILL OPEN ITS DOORS AS PART OF WORLD WATER DAY
(Marketwire) -

LÉOGÂNE - To mark World Water Day (WWD) on March 22 - an initiative of the United Nations (UN)- ONE DROP, OXFAM-Québec and their partners will show their commitment to promoting access to water by launching the first communal water centre in Belloc, as well as staging a performance of the multidisciplinary show entitled "Ayïti Pawol Lapli ak Lakansyèl," which deals with the issues surrounding water. These activities are part of ONE DROP Project Haïti, which was set up following the devastating earthquake of 2010.

The inauguration will be attended by the Mayor of Léogâne - Mr. Santos Alexis, the Deputy of Léogâne - Mr. Fritz Danton Léger, the Minister of Youth, Sport and Civic Action (MJSAC) - Mr. Jean René Roosevelt, the Project Manager of ONE DROP's Project Haïti - Ms. Martine Gagné, the Project Leader - Yves Gattereau and OXFAM-Québec's Country Director in Haïti - Mr. Claude Saint-Pierre.

Access to water for all

Residents of the community of Belloc, in the Léogâne district, will benefit from access to new centralized water points thanks to the construction of a communal water centre which houses several filtered water fountains, as well as separate showers for men and women and a wash house for washing clothes. These installations will be fed by a solar pump and will be managed by a local committee, composed of various leaders, associations and active members of the community.

Yves Gattereau, Project Leader based in Léogâne, explains "The communal water centre represents a new and unique opportunity for the people of Belloc to act as responsible citizens and commit to managing and maintaining a communal asset that is essential to life, safe WATER for all, today and tomorrow."

Social arts-an innovative way to raise awareness

The inauguration of the centre is also an opportunity to stage a performance of the show " Ayïti Pawol Lapli ak Lakansyèl"- a theatrical creation from the Atelier TOTO B and Théâtre des petites lanternes. The show - the cornerstone of the social arts and popular education component of ONE DROP Project Haïti-draws on Haïtian realities to raise spectators' awareness of water-related issues. With its mix of dance, song, music and circus arts, this is a show with a human dimension, which suggests potential solutions for rebuilding the country.

"We are very proud to be able to perform this show, as it helps to educate communities on the importance of safe water. This high calibre show has been travelling the country since last fall, giving the people of Haïti the chance to experience a magical and meaningful event. It therefore made sense to perform it as part of World Water Day," explained Lili-Anna Pereša, Executive Director of ONE DROP.

Schedule for the day

To find out more about the day's schedule, visit the World Water Day page at www.ONEDROP.org .

About ONE DROP

ONE DROP-an initiative set up by Guy Laliberté, Founder of Cirque du Soleil®-is a non-governmental organization founded in 2007. ONE DROP contributes to the fight against poverty by supporting access to water and raising individual and community awareness of the need to mobilize so that safe water is accessible to all, in sufficient quantity, today and tomorrow. With its arts-based approach, ONE DROP helps ensure sustainable development for communities by implementing educational projects, providing adapted solutions for access to safe water and granting microfinance loans. ONE DROP leads creative projects worldwide that seek to raise the population's awareness of water-related issues and encourage the adoption of responsible water management practices. To learn more, visit www.ONEDROP.org .

ONE DROP Project Haïti is made possible thanks to the financial support of the RBC Blue Water Project®, among others.

A list of ONE DROP's partners is available at the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/ONE_DROP_partenaires.jpg .