END OF THE CONTRACT CONTROVERSY
(Haiti Libre) -
Yesterday, Monday, July 2, under the leadership of President Michel Martelly, a special Council of Ministers was held, during which the government team, led by Prime Minister, Laurent Lamothe reviewed the issue of contracts signed in 2010 by the former Préval-Bellerive government. In this regard, decisions have been adopted.
The Prime Minister stated that the Audit Commission, formed by the former Conille government, recommended to unilaterally cancel contracts for which no disbursement was made. He also stressed that according to the Superior Court of Auditors and Administrative Disputes (CSC/CA), in its final legal advice on the audit report, transmitted to the Government, that the contracts were awarded legally and in accordance with the Emergency Law. The Superior Court of Auditors said, however, to have no objection so that the recommendations of the Audit Commission are implemented.
In this sense, the Prime Minister has clearly shown his determination to put an end to this controversy, by proposing to the Council of Ministers to implement the recommendations produced by the Audit Commission, and has instructed the Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation to make the follow up with the exception of two cases:
1 - The Bowenfield contract, for which a large amount was disbursed and reassigned to rehabilitation of the premises of the Villa d'Accueil, to the construction of the Ministry of Interior and Local Authorities, and to the construction of departmental sports fields.
2 - The contract for the construction of the Parliament buildings.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
ARTICLE - OMRH COORDINATOR
INSTALLATION OF THE NEW GENERAL COORDINATOR OF THE OMRH
(Haiti Libre) -
Prime Minister, Laurent Lamothe proceeded on Monday, at the Primature, the installation of Mr. Uder Antoine, to the position of General Coordinator of the Office of Human Resource Management (OMRH) within the Office of the Primature, a structure responsible for steering the various reforms within the public administration. Mr. Antoine, has worked inter alia within the the Commission of Inquiry responsible for the audit of contracts signed during the emergency period as a Senior Auditor. In November 2011 he was appointed Secretary General of the Primature.
In his speech, the Prime Minister reminded Mr. Uder Antoine "[...] The state reforms, specifically the reform of public administration [...] are much more than public policy choices; the state reform is imperative. It is imperative for the Martelly-Lamothe Government, that these reforms start quickly and efficiently, so that projects can start, so that our human resources can be prepared, well trained and understand the issues of the challenges [...]
In this vein, the OMRH, in which we install today a new General Coordinator, is a hub, a strategic body, which is responsible for leading the activation of this reform.
Mr. Uder Antoine, the OMRH of which you take leadership today, has to ensure system performance of the public service, by putting in place mechanisms and administrative procedures to enable it to evaluate the performance of public service executives.
Mr. Uder Antoine, I believe in a modern government, more efficient to the service of citizens, and results-oriented, respecting the principles of good governance; an administration where we find the right person at the right place, where employees have a salary allowing them to be motivated.
I believe that state reform is possible, and ask the effective involvement of the three branches of government. I urge all ministers, all Secretaries of State, Directors General of all organizations technically decentralized, and those of the autonomous bodies, to participate actively in this process of change for Haiti.
Mr. Coordinator General, your task is enormous and, by helping to change the operating mode of public administration you will contribute to help your country, your fatherland to rise to the ranks of modern nations, capable of dealing with the challenges of globalization. I only wish you success. Your success will be the success of the entire government, and all the Haitian people..."
In his speech, Mr. Uder Antoine in his preamble stated that the Office of Human Resources Management [established by decree on May 17, 2005], is one of four strategic coordination bodies which were created in order to ensure the control and coordination of all actions that will be undertaken in connection with the reform of the state. "[...] This Office is responsible on the one hand, to advise the Prime Minister in the development and implementation of policy and on the other hand, to ensure the enforcement of laws and regulations relating to the career of Public Service agents, by supporting ministries and administrative agencies in the implementation of proposals for institutional, organizational and managerial reform.
If the Supreme Council of the Administration and of Public Service is responsible for the strategic management of the modernization of public, the OMRH is the body responsible for the operational steering activities of the reform. To this end, the OMRH will provide the technical support necessary to improve management at all levels of government, and will constitute the main hinge that can propose to the Prime Minister, government policies aimed at improving the organization and functioning of the Administration and of the Public Service.
Mr. Prime Minister, I must admit that this function carries with it heavy responsibilities, and I am aware that I can not succeed without your full support, and most importantly that of Government Ministers, State Secretaries and Directors General to name a few.
I am aware that a reform is never universally accepted, and consequently it is necessary initially to adopt a participatory approach, and to involve all stakeholders in a moment of time [...]"
(Haiti Libre) -
Prime Minister, Laurent Lamothe proceeded on Monday, at the Primature, the installation of Mr. Uder Antoine, to the position of General Coordinator of the Office of Human Resource Management (OMRH) within the Office of the Primature, a structure responsible for steering the various reforms within the public administration. Mr. Antoine, has worked inter alia within the the Commission of Inquiry responsible for the audit of contracts signed during the emergency period as a Senior Auditor. In November 2011 he was appointed Secretary General of the Primature.
In his speech, the Prime Minister reminded Mr. Uder Antoine "[...] The state reforms, specifically the reform of public administration [...] are much more than public policy choices; the state reform is imperative. It is imperative for the Martelly-Lamothe Government, that these reforms start quickly and efficiently, so that projects can start, so that our human resources can be prepared, well trained and understand the issues of the challenges [...]
In this vein, the OMRH, in which we install today a new General Coordinator, is a hub, a strategic body, which is responsible for leading the activation of this reform.
Mr. Uder Antoine, the OMRH of which you take leadership today, has to ensure system performance of the public service, by putting in place mechanisms and administrative procedures to enable it to evaluate the performance of public service executives.
Mr. Uder Antoine, I believe in a modern government, more efficient to the service of citizens, and results-oriented, respecting the principles of good governance; an administration where we find the right person at the right place, where employees have a salary allowing them to be motivated.
I believe that state reform is possible, and ask the effective involvement of the three branches of government. I urge all ministers, all Secretaries of State, Directors General of all organizations technically decentralized, and those of the autonomous bodies, to participate actively in this process of change for Haiti.
Mr. Coordinator General, your task is enormous and, by helping to change the operating mode of public administration you will contribute to help your country, your fatherland to rise to the ranks of modern nations, capable of dealing with the challenges of globalization. I only wish you success. Your success will be the success of the entire government, and all the Haitian people..."
In his speech, Mr. Uder Antoine in his preamble stated that the Office of Human Resources Management [established by decree on May 17, 2005], is one of four strategic coordination bodies which were created in order to ensure the control and coordination of all actions that will be undertaken in connection with the reform of the state. "[...] This Office is responsible on the one hand, to advise the Prime Minister in the development and implementation of policy and on the other hand, to ensure the enforcement of laws and regulations relating to the career of Public Service agents, by supporting ministries and administrative agencies in the implementation of proposals for institutional, organizational and managerial reform.
If the Supreme Council of the Administration and of Public Service is responsible for the strategic management of the modernization of public, the OMRH is the body responsible for the operational steering activities of the reform. To this end, the OMRH will provide the technical support necessary to improve management at all levels of government, and will constitute the main hinge that can propose to the Prime Minister, government policies aimed at improving the organization and functioning of the Administration and of the Public Service.
Mr. Prime Minister, I must admit that this function carries with it heavy responsibilities, and I am aware that I can not succeed without your full support, and most importantly that of Government Ministers, State Secretaries and Directors General to name a few.
I am aware that a reform is never universally accepted, and consequently it is necessary initially to adopt a participatory approach, and to involve all stakeholders in a moment of time [...]"
Monday, July 2, 2012
Photos - Report Card Day!
Friday it was a special day. We celebrated by eating cake. Happy Birthday Coram Deo! Another year is over and the students celebrated with a party along with getting their report cards.
We bought 2 large cakes from Epi Dor and they disappeared in no time :)
The students came with their parents for a short assembly. Then it was party time!
It is good to see the friendships that the children have made with each other. The handicapped children fit in and are accepted by the other children. That is our goal for the future.... that the handicapped are accepted as a regular member in Haitian society.
In this picture you can't tell who is handicapped and who isn't.Photos - Report Card Day!
It was a special day and some of the students dressed up in their finest!
This student has a smile on his face.... last day of school :)
All the pictures I took were at the end. Amos and I were busy running around doing errands. The teachers did a great job at organizing the ceremonies for the parents and students.
These are the 6eme AF exam cards issued by the Ministry of Education for the students of Coram Deo who will be writing the state exams on July 3rd and 4th. They have studied hard this year completing 2 grades and year. The results of the state exams will be announced the end of July or early August. Thank you for your financial support this year enabling us to have a school program here at Coram Deo.
ARTICLE - TRUE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
TRUE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(Natioanl Review Online) - By Obadias Ndaba
In United Nations jargon, terms can sometimes be difficult to define, and often lose their meaning amidst endless negotiations. The term “sustainable development” isn’t much different. It is supposed to encompass the social, economic and environmental aspects of prosperity and human development. But in the run-up to the ongoing Rio+20, a United Nations conference on Sustainable Development, much hype has been on environmental issues of climate change and their “green economy” solutions. This focus leaves the other two, equally important, pillars of sustainable development out of discourse.
There is no question that humans must take care of the environment and use resources in a way that preserves them for future generations. However, this must not comprise the ways in which billions of people could and should lift themselves out of poverty. Tackling pressing environmental issues requires human solutions, and to achieve this end, people need to be healthy, well housed, and educated. Therefore, sustainable development cannot be achieved by merely focusing on the environment alone; it must place the person at the center. That way even “green economy” will have a sensible meaning, as it is meant to meet human needs.
And let’s face it, poverty pollutes too — it pollutes not only the environment but also health, education of the poor, and, consequently, development itself. The international energy agency estimates that around 1.3 billion people, almost 20 percent of world’s population, do not have access to electricity. Most of these people rely on kerosene at best, wood or charcoal at worst, for lighting. According to the World Health Organization, indoor air pollution caused by the above methods of lightning results in 2 millions deaths every year. Children from households without access to electricity won’t have access to quality education. Insufficient access to sources of lighting impairs reading and will, in return, hurt the future potential and productivity of these young minds. Shifting to efficient energy sources that are less harmful to human health is paramount to environment protection. It also means huge improvements in the social and economic well-being of the world’s poor. This should be central to the business of Rio+20. Saving the environment through the “green economy,” the new mantra for economic sustainability, requires highly developed economies to give it a try. The proposed “green solutions” of solar panels, biofuels, and wind turbines are simply out of reach for poor countries. Though they might be alternative sources of energy in the future, with increased technology, they remain unaffordably expensive for “the bottom billion.”
Germany, the world’s top producer of solar energy, is said to have spent 130 billion dollars, financed mainly through government subsidies, for energy worth 12 billion dollars. This was possible because Germans have, broadly speaking, met their basic needs. How many countries can afford such luxury?
The inability of billions of humans to meet their fundamental needs, including as access to clean and sanitation, nutrition, basic health care, housing, and education, mean an inability to protect the environment. The anticipated Sustainable Development Goals (to replace Millennium Development Goals when they expire in 2015) need to facilitate and not hinder ways in which all people can and should meet these basic needs. Fortunately, this is in line with protecting the environment, too. With those needs met, each person will have the ability and responsibility to engage in environmentally friendly practices.
For Rio+20 to be meaningful, it has to begin with the basics: the real human needs of people and the recognition that every human person (especially the young), when properly invested in, has the potential to solve economic and environmental problems. There won’t be the “future we want” if the concerns of the majority of the earth’s inhabitants are not given top priority. Yes, we need to protect the environment, but most importantly, people should be allowed to use available tools to climb out of the poverty hole. This will not result simply in access to electricity and quality education, but will also give them new tools to better protect the environment. This means that countries such as Ethiopia, Ghana, Nepal, or Haiti should be allowed to build dams and even use fossil fuels to provide electricity to their people, without “green noise,” the objections you hear in poor countries when they engage in projects deemed environmentally unfriendly by rich countries and NGOs.
People in developed countries worry more about environmental issues, even as they are affected less by them. But for over a billion people surviving on less than $1.25 a day, those worries are luxuries they can’t afford. To achieve that status, the poor need to meet their basic human and economic needs — in order to think about the environment. It’s just human nature to worry about food and shelter before worrying about anything else.
The rich prospered without worrying about the environment; why restrict the poor from using accessible and affordable tools to take the same path? To reach green targets, developed countries are trying to offset the burden of their own carbon emissions onto the developing countries, even when they cannot achieve the targets themselves.
In addition, the world’s growing population must not be seen neither as a burden to environment nor a figure to be reduced but rather as a tremendous potential to be tapped in order to save the environment. It is ironic that rich countries still consider other people a threat to the environment while they grapple to reverse declining populations at home.
Economic and social development are major concerns for the majority of humans, and should not take a back seat at Rio+20 and other subsequent policy-setting meetings. Understanding the interdependence of the three pillars of sustainable development and the central role of human persons in addressing the environment will determine whether Rio+20 fails or succeeds in meeting human needs of today and tomorrow.
— Obadias Ndaba is President of World Youth Alliance, an international organization with consultative status with the United Nations and European Union, among other institutions.
(Natioanl Review Online) - By Obadias Ndaba
In United Nations jargon, terms can sometimes be difficult to define, and often lose their meaning amidst endless negotiations. The term “sustainable development” isn’t much different. It is supposed to encompass the social, economic and environmental aspects of prosperity and human development. But in the run-up to the ongoing Rio+20, a United Nations conference on Sustainable Development, much hype has been on environmental issues of climate change and their “green economy” solutions. This focus leaves the other two, equally important, pillars of sustainable development out of discourse.
There is no question that humans must take care of the environment and use resources in a way that preserves them for future generations. However, this must not comprise the ways in which billions of people could and should lift themselves out of poverty. Tackling pressing environmental issues requires human solutions, and to achieve this end, people need to be healthy, well housed, and educated. Therefore, sustainable development cannot be achieved by merely focusing on the environment alone; it must place the person at the center. That way even “green economy” will have a sensible meaning, as it is meant to meet human needs.
And let’s face it, poverty pollutes too — it pollutes not only the environment but also health, education of the poor, and, consequently, development itself. The international energy agency estimates that around 1.3 billion people, almost 20 percent of world’s population, do not have access to electricity. Most of these people rely on kerosene at best, wood or charcoal at worst, for lighting. According to the World Health Organization, indoor air pollution caused by the above methods of lightning results in 2 millions deaths every year. Children from households without access to electricity won’t have access to quality education. Insufficient access to sources of lighting impairs reading and will, in return, hurt the future potential and productivity of these young minds. Shifting to efficient energy sources that are less harmful to human health is paramount to environment protection. It also means huge improvements in the social and economic well-being of the world’s poor. This should be central to the business of Rio+20. Saving the environment through the “green economy,” the new mantra for economic sustainability, requires highly developed economies to give it a try. The proposed “green solutions” of solar panels, biofuels, and wind turbines are simply out of reach for poor countries. Though they might be alternative sources of energy in the future, with increased technology, they remain unaffordably expensive for “the bottom billion.”
Germany, the world’s top producer of solar energy, is said to have spent 130 billion dollars, financed mainly through government subsidies, for energy worth 12 billion dollars. This was possible because Germans have, broadly speaking, met their basic needs. How many countries can afford such luxury?
The inability of billions of humans to meet their fundamental needs, including as access to clean and sanitation, nutrition, basic health care, housing, and education, mean an inability to protect the environment. The anticipated Sustainable Development Goals (to replace Millennium Development Goals when they expire in 2015) need to facilitate and not hinder ways in which all people can and should meet these basic needs. Fortunately, this is in line with protecting the environment, too. With those needs met, each person will have the ability and responsibility to engage in environmentally friendly practices.
For Rio+20 to be meaningful, it has to begin with the basics: the real human needs of people and the recognition that every human person (especially the young), when properly invested in, has the potential to solve economic and environmental problems. There won’t be the “future we want” if the concerns of the majority of the earth’s inhabitants are not given top priority. Yes, we need to protect the environment, but most importantly, people should be allowed to use available tools to climb out of the poverty hole. This will not result simply in access to electricity and quality education, but will also give them new tools to better protect the environment. This means that countries such as Ethiopia, Ghana, Nepal, or Haiti should be allowed to build dams and even use fossil fuels to provide electricity to their people, without “green noise,” the objections you hear in poor countries when they engage in projects deemed environmentally unfriendly by rich countries and NGOs.
People in developed countries worry more about environmental issues, even as they are affected less by them. But for over a billion people surviving on less than $1.25 a day, those worries are luxuries they can’t afford. To achieve that status, the poor need to meet their basic human and economic needs — in order to think about the environment. It’s just human nature to worry about food and shelter before worrying about anything else.
The rich prospered without worrying about the environment; why restrict the poor from using accessible and affordable tools to take the same path? To reach green targets, developed countries are trying to offset the burden of their own carbon emissions onto the developing countries, even when they cannot achieve the targets themselves.
In addition, the world’s growing population must not be seen neither as a burden to environment nor a figure to be reduced but rather as a tremendous potential to be tapped in order to save the environment. It is ironic that rich countries still consider other people a threat to the environment while they grapple to reverse declining populations at home.
Economic and social development are major concerns for the majority of humans, and should not take a back seat at Rio+20 and other subsequent policy-setting meetings. Understanding the interdependence of the three pillars of sustainable development and the central role of human persons in addressing the environment will determine whether Rio+20 fails or succeeds in meeting human needs of today and tomorrow.
— Obadias Ndaba is President of World Youth Alliance, an international organization with consultative status with the United Nations and European Union, among other institutions.
ARTICLE - SUCCESS OF VACCINATION CAMPAIGN
SUCCESS OF THE NATIONAL VACCINATION CAMPAIGN
(Haiti Libre) -
The Office of the First Lady of the Republic, expressed satisfaction with the success of the national vaccination campaign against polio, measles and rubella. Dr. Jean Ronald Cadet, National Director of the vaccination program has confirmed to have exceeded the objectives set [2.8 million children], and that the ministry had vaccinated 3 million children.
The First Lady, Sophia Martelly congratulated the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) for having administered more than 1.2 million Vitamin A capsules to children aged 6 months to 6 years, and over 1.3 million albendazole tablets to those from 2 to 9 years.
The Minister of Public Health and Population, Dr. Florence Duperval Guillaume, believes that if his ministry continues on this way, the Martelly-Lamothe Administration will reach some of his goals in terms of child health, including: keeping the country free of polio, measles and rubella, strengthening routine programs, and reduce mortality associated to vitamin A deficiencies, and parasitic diseases, among children younger than 10 years.
The campaign, launched Saturday, April 21, 2012, under the theme "Protect our world, get vaccinated," aimed not only to give for free to children and pregnant women: vitamin A to combat malnutrition, drugs against parasites, vaccines for measles, rubella and polio, but also allows Haiti to obtain certification as a country free of measles and rubella. The costs of this campaign amounted to USD $8 million, of which two thirds was spent on the acquisition of vaccines, and the rest for various immunization operations.
At the launch of the campaign, Ms. Anne-Valérie T. Milfort, the representative of the First Lady, had stated that "Children's health is a key factor, this is a bet that we can and must win." After having learned that the MSPP had exceeded the expected results, the First Lady is convinced that we are on the right track to win this bet.
(Haiti Libre) -
The Office of the First Lady of the Republic, expressed satisfaction with the success of the national vaccination campaign against polio, measles and rubella. Dr. Jean Ronald Cadet, National Director of the vaccination program has confirmed to have exceeded the objectives set [2.8 million children], and that the ministry had vaccinated 3 million children.
The First Lady, Sophia Martelly congratulated the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) for having administered more than 1.2 million Vitamin A capsules to children aged 6 months to 6 years, and over 1.3 million albendazole tablets to those from 2 to 9 years.
The Minister of Public Health and Population, Dr. Florence Duperval Guillaume, believes that if his ministry continues on this way, the Martelly-Lamothe Administration will reach some of his goals in terms of child health, including: keeping the country free of polio, measles and rubella, strengthening routine programs, and reduce mortality associated to vitamin A deficiencies, and parasitic diseases, among children younger than 10 years.
The campaign, launched Saturday, April 21, 2012, under the theme "Protect our world, get vaccinated," aimed not only to give for free to children and pregnant women: vitamin A to combat malnutrition, drugs against parasites, vaccines for measles, rubella and polio, but also allows Haiti to obtain certification as a country free of measles and rubella. The costs of this campaign amounted to USD $8 million, of which two thirds was spent on the acquisition of vaccines, and the rest for various immunization operations.
At the launch of the campaign, Ms. Anne-Valérie T. Milfort, the representative of the First Lady, had stated that "Children's health is a key factor, this is a bet that we can and must win." After having learned that the MSPP had exceeded the expected results, the First Lady is convinced that we are on the right track to win this bet.
ARTICLE - CANGE - MUNICIPAL WATER SYSTEM
FIRST CHLORINATED MUNICIPAL WATER SYSTEM, IN THE CENTRAL PLATEAU
(Haiti Libre) -
Members of Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries traveled to Haiti for the dedication of a water system in an area that has been plagued by cholera since the 2010 earthquake that leveled the country’s capital.
The six Clemson University students, their faculty adviser and an industry adviser went to the village of Cange to help dedicate the new turbine-driven water pumping and filtration system.
During the past year, the group’s interns performed field engineering and construction oversight for the water system, which serves the greater Cange area and a population of nearly 10,000. It is the first chlorinated municipal water system in the Central Plateau of Haiti.
"This week is going to be a myriad of ceremonies, dedicating things from cisterns to the pump house and all the different technologies that are supplying water to Cange," said Jennifer Ogle, an associate professor in Clemson’s Glenn Department of Civil Engineering and the group’s main faculty adviser. She was accompanied by students Michael Ladue of Simpsonville, Nathan Schneider of Clemson, and Joshua Mitchell of Elgin. Graduate students Robert Wood of Atlanta and Jeff Plumblee of Central, who founded the group, also were there.
The project was made possible by funding for materials from the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina and funding for students from Clemson University programs, including Creative Inquiry, the Michelin Career Center, the Service Learning Alliance, Clemson’s Glenn Department of Civil Engineering and a few private donations.
Representatives of Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries, the Episcopal Diocese, Haiti’s Zanmi Lasante (Partners in Health), the Church of Bon Saveur and the people of Cange gathered Monday to dedicate the newly commissioned system.
They toured the water facilities, which include 9 fountain/showers, 4 cisterns with a total capacity of 200,000 gallons and a pumping system that can deliver 144,000 gallons of water per day, up 1,100 feet through nearly 2 miles of four-inch galvanized pipe. The water is filtered, sterilized and chlorinated in an effort to improve public health in the midst of the cholera epidemic.
The event culminated at the water source in Bas Cange (lower Cange) where Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries and other organizations were recognized for their efforts. The residents of Cange commemorated the accomplishment with a plaque acknowledging the efforts of Clemson University to design and construct the system.
While the system is completed, Ogle said there still is work to do teaching Haitians how to maintain and operate the system. The Clemson group will continue to work in the region helping improve water quality, sanitation and waste management systems.
While in Haiti, Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries also participated in the dedication of the Centre de Formation Fritz Lafontant (CFFL) vocational school, where intern Michael Ladue teaches English to Haitian students. The group plans to offer technical courses at the school in the future.
Learn more about Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries:
Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries’ mission is to work with local communities in the Central Plateau of Haiti to develop sustainable solutions that improve quality of life through interdisciplinary student-led initiatives that embody our core values in partnership with Clemson University, non-profit organizations, and industry.
(Haiti Libre) -
Members of Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries traveled to Haiti for the dedication of a water system in an area that has been plagued by cholera since the 2010 earthquake that leveled the country’s capital.
The six Clemson University students, their faculty adviser and an industry adviser went to the village of Cange to help dedicate the new turbine-driven water pumping and filtration system.
During the past year, the group’s interns performed field engineering and construction oversight for the water system, which serves the greater Cange area and a population of nearly 10,000. It is the first chlorinated municipal water system in the Central Plateau of Haiti.
"This week is going to be a myriad of ceremonies, dedicating things from cisterns to the pump house and all the different technologies that are supplying water to Cange," said Jennifer Ogle, an associate professor in Clemson’s Glenn Department of Civil Engineering and the group’s main faculty adviser. She was accompanied by students Michael Ladue of Simpsonville, Nathan Schneider of Clemson, and Joshua Mitchell of Elgin. Graduate students Robert Wood of Atlanta and Jeff Plumblee of Central, who founded the group, also were there.
The project was made possible by funding for materials from the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina and funding for students from Clemson University programs, including Creative Inquiry, the Michelin Career Center, the Service Learning Alliance, Clemson’s Glenn Department of Civil Engineering and a few private donations.
Representatives of Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries, the Episcopal Diocese, Haiti’s Zanmi Lasante (Partners in Health), the Church of Bon Saveur and the people of Cange gathered Monday to dedicate the newly commissioned system.
They toured the water facilities, which include 9 fountain/showers, 4 cisterns with a total capacity of 200,000 gallons and a pumping system that can deliver 144,000 gallons of water per day, up 1,100 feet through nearly 2 miles of four-inch galvanized pipe. The water is filtered, sterilized and chlorinated in an effort to improve public health in the midst of the cholera epidemic.
The event culminated at the water source in Bas Cange (lower Cange) where Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries and other organizations were recognized for their efforts. The residents of Cange commemorated the accomplishment with a plaque acknowledging the efforts of Clemson University to design and construct the system.
While the system is completed, Ogle said there still is work to do teaching Haitians how to maintain and operate the system. The Clemson group will continue to work in the region helping improve water quality, sanitation and waste management systems.
While in Haiti, Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries also participated in the dedication of the Centre de Formation Fritz Lafontant (CFFL) vocational school, where intern Michael Ladue teaches English to Haitian students. The group plans to offer technical courses at the school in the future.
Learn more about Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries:
Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries’ mission is to work with local communities in the Central Plateau of Haiti to develop sustainable solutions that improve quality of life through interdisciplinary student-led initiatives that embody our core values in partnership with Clemson University, non-profit organizations, and industry.
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