The hygiene revolution in Haiti: towards a healthier future through community mobilization
With financial support from the Japanese government, UNICEF is improving the living conditions of Haitian communities and fighting cholera by installing sanitation and clean water infrastructure within these communities.
- Français
- English
Artibonite, January 18, 2024 - In a country where access to sanitation facilities and clean water remains a major challenge, a community revolution has been initiated to counter waterborne diseases such as cholera. Through dynamic community mobilization initiatives promoting sanitation and hygiene for all in the Artibonite and Centre departments, Haiti is firmly committed to a healthier future.
Thanks to generous financial support from the Government of Japan and resource mobilization by UNICEF, concerted efforts have been made to improve the living conditions of Haitian communities. Promoting the installation of sanitation infrastructure within households and the construction and rehabilitation of drinking water networks within communities are essential steps in this fight against cholera and waterborne diseases. It is also worth noting the significantly positive impact of the functioning of these drinking water infrastructure on the lives of women and children, who are always at the forefront in the search for water over long distances for households in Haiti. These efforts have succeeded in bringing water into households or to points closer to households.
At the heart of this revolution lies the Community Approach for Total Sanitation (CATS), implemented by UNICEF in partnership with DINEPA and funded by the Government of Japan. This approach has enabled more than nine thousand households to build latrines equipped with handwashing stations, thereby helping to reduce the spread of fecal-oral diseases and promote better hygiene within families.
The results of this initiative demonstrate the profound impact of participatory approaches, where everyone becomes an agent of change within their own community. This serves as a solid foundation for sustainability due to the involvement of all - women, men, children, youth, and the elderly - in community empowerment regarding sanitation and hygiene.
"This approach has strengthened our collective awareness of the crucial importance of sanitation for our health and well-being. I am pleased to see my community actively engaging in these improved hygiene practices, and I am proud to play a role in this positive transformation."
However, the transformation is not limited to the construction of sanitation infrastructure. Awareness sessions have been organized in schools, churches, and directly in households to educate communities about the importance of sanitation and hygiene. In total, sixty thousand people in Artibonite have been reached by these messages, including Joseph, a resident of Saint-Michel de L'Atalaye, who testifies. "I feel truly inspired after attending the awareness session on the necessity of not defecating in open fields. This experience reminded me of how crucial it is to protect our environment and our health. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this session, and I am determined to put into practice what I have learned to contribute to a healthier future for us all."
In parallel, as part of the efforts to fight cholera, UNICEF has built drinking water infrastructure in communities and distributed essential hygiene products to vulnerable individuals. Actions include the provision of 10 tons of chlorine, 65 water tanks, 238 garbage cans, 60 wheelbarrows, and shovels to DINEPA. Furthermore, 23,800 bottles of domestic water treatment products, 4,900 buckets, and 131 sprayers have been distributed for rapid response and preventive actions in cholera-risk areas at the community level. Over 8,000 households in the commune of Saint Michel de Lattalaye received cholera kits to address the alarming resurgence of cholera in this commune in mid-2023.
The beginning of the hygiene revolution in Haiti, evidenced by its results and success, reflects the resolute commitment of communities to promote a healthy environment and a better life for all.
