Featured Project: Makaya Water, Feb. 2006

Haiti remains the most water poor country in the world and the continuing degradation of the environment in Haiti is an increasing menace to the available water supply in many parts of the country. Owing to deforestation it is estimated that more than 75 rivers in Haiti have simply disappeared in less than a single generation!

The three freshwater springs known as “sous Makaya” provide water for the many of the residents of the Tom Gato area of Fondwa and have been identified as offering a potential solution to the ongoing problem of providing water for the students and staff of the University of Fondwa 2004 (UNIF).

PIP and APF collaborate on long- term solutions

Partners in Progress (PIP) has collaborated with the Association of Peasants of Fondwa (APF) on the Makaya Water Project that is intended to capture fresh water flowing from the Makaya springs and pump it to a reservoir situated near the APF commercial center in Tom Gato for use by UNIF and the general population. Thus far PIP has received approximately $30,000 for the water project, raised largely through the generous efforts of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill in Greensburg, PA. APF has received an additional $10,000 for this project from the Generalate of the Spiritan Religious Congregation in Rome and several other grant proposals for the project are awaiting decisions by various donor agencies.

Environmental and social factors have slowed progress

Several factors – both environmental and social – have had an impact on the Makaya project and are responsible for the its slower-than-expected execution.

The environmental factors that have delayed the project include damage done to the sources during the hurricane season last autumn and the unrelenting stress on the ground water supply caused by deforestation of the surrounding area. Storms have left one of the smaller sources silted over, reducing the available water to little more than damp earth. The effect of deforestation has been to reduce the flow rate of even the main source so that during last year’s dry season even this source was reduced to a tiny trickle.

The original engineering study of the Makaya sources and the project proposal to be funded in part by PIP estimated a very substantial and nearly constant (even during the dry season) flow of water from the Makaya sources. The most recent engineering assessment (January 2006) indicates that the flow rates have been severely compromised and recommends that steps be taken as soon as possible to stabilize (as much as possible) the flow of water and to restore (to the extent possible) the trees and other vegetation that are needed to preserve these natural resources.

The social factor that has resulted in a delay for the project is the concern of both PIP and APF that members of the community, who will ultimately benefit from the project, have a sense of “ownership” of it and develop the capacity to participate in its ongoing management so as to insure its sustainability and to prevent possible future conflicts.

First phase of the project to conclude in Spring 2006

After much discussion about the best manner in which to proceed with the project, progress is once again being realized. A first phase of the project (under the coordination of Eugenio Pompey) is well underway and scheduled for completion by the end of March 2006. This phase of the project is being funded entirely from the monies made available to APF from the Spiritan Generalate.

The principal steps being taken or already realized in this first phase of the project include the following:

Ongoing “consciousness raising” and dialogue among Gwoupman Makaya (i.e. APF members from the area), AJF (the APF Youth Group that have a special commitment to environmental issues) and other residents of the area (including those peasants through whose lands pipes will eventually be laid) in order to secure the support and continued participation of everyone who will be affected by the project.
Setting up of a “water management committee” comprised of 9 members: 4 from Gwoupman Makaya, 3 AJF members, and 2 other members of the population. This committee will form a permanent support group for the project with the following responsibilities:

Continue consciousness raising within the community and deepen community involvement in the project
Participate in keeping the space clean and in the ongoing reforestation of the area
Supervise the employees who will eventually oversee the water distribution, collect the small monthly management fee, and manage the savings account for maintenance of the water installation

Working actively to protect the environment by
- Cleaning out the sources
- Organizing the needed tree nursery specifically for the area
- Planting trees and nurturing their growth
- Discouraging continued cutting of trees in the area

Organizing a joint meeting of the two engineers involved in the project: Gornailles (hydraulic engineer) and Makenzy (construction engineer)

Re-evaluating the quantity of water which will be available on a daily basis for the current users of Makaya water and for the UNIF students and staff and updating the budget for the remaining work that will be required to realize the project.

More progress expected during Summer 2006

A second phase of the project, involving actual construction, is expected to begin during the relatively dry season beginning around mid-summer. PIP executive director, Dr. Rich Gosser, and his wife, Daneen, will be making site visits in Fondwa during the first week of March 2006. More information about this and other PIP-APF projects will be available by email news and on the PIP website upon their return.