Participants from 7 communities attend PVUDP workshop

On December 15th the Port Vila Urban Development Project (PVUDP) brought together 66 women and men from seven settlement communities, which are recipients of new and improved sanitation and hygiene infrastructure.

The participants are members of committees which have been established in Paama Seaside, Futuna Seaside, Tongoa Seaside, Tokyo Buninga, Ohlen Nabanga, Tongariki Blacksands and Mele Waisisi, says Carol Dover, Gender and Community Participation Specialist, Design, Supervision and Capacity Development Team of PVUDP at the Vanuatu Project Management Unit.

“The sanitation committees are responsible for the long term operation and maintenance of new and improved sanitation facilities, currently under construction with funding from the Governments of Australia and Vanuatu and a loan from the Asian Development Bank.

“The new and improved sanitation facilities include toilets, showers, hand basins and laundry basins as well as facilities for disabled persons.”

The workshop focused on the achievements of the sanitation committees, which include community clean-up activities, setting up bank accounts and raising and collecting funds to manage the new and improved facilities, Ms Dover added.

“There are 9 committees established in total and workshop participants are being supported by PVUDP to develop and implement their 2017 action plans.

“Plans under development include further fundraising and community-based hygiene and sanitation awareness.”

The project has seen a marked improvement in terms of the management of solid waste in the participating communities. And independent evaluation found that 45% of those surveyed said that the communities are visibly cleaner than they were prior to the project.

The community sanitation facilities are scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2017.