From the field: David Simpreux
Ti Lorye is a community in the 4th communal section of the commune Ouanaminthe, in the Northeast Department of Haiti. As is the custom before committing to working in a new community, the Haiti Outreach Water Committee took a census of the community, counting 30 houses with a total population of 175 people. The community typically has to walk 15-30 minutes to gather water at a spring they call Digo. Near the spring there is a ravine where everyone bathes, washes clothes, and waters their animals. The water they gather is not clean, but they unfortunately have no other option.
Haiti Outreach starting the training program with the volunteer community water management committee in September 2015. The first step was the enrollment and community mobilization process in order to align the community on a unified vision of what it means to have a clean and healthy community. Apart from the need to gain sustainable access to clean water, the community learned the importance of the cleanliness of the buckets they use to transport water. Even though they had yet to gain access to a clean water supply, the community understood this piece of the training and many immediately started using clean buckets with covers.
In the space of 8 days, Ti Lorye had 29 of the 30 houses pledging that they will never again drink the dirty water from the spring. The volunteer community water management committee and the rest of the population showed us that they are ready to take responsibility for the management of their well as well as to keep their community clean and healthy. We hope they keep this promise!
