Seaside communities acquire new skills in finance and sanitation

Seaside Communities are awash with change as a result of financial management training delivered by World Vision Vanuatu (WVV) to Sanitation Committees established in each of the Seaside communities.

Seaside Paama Committee Treasurer, Marinette Onis, said “before, the committee managed the facility without any knowledge of the importance of financial management, which resulted in several water-cuts due to unpaid bills.

“The trainings have taught the committee to upkeep the financial maintenance of the facility and today people contribute positively, paying their fees, much better compared to the past,” she said.

WVV has put together financial management templates and guides, in simple Bislama, for Sanitation Committees to use. Committees have been given cash boxes for collection of user fees and donations.

Lucy Karie, President of the Seaside Tongoa Committee reports “I believe we will put into practice all that we learnt in the coming days and we will present a financial report back to our communities to show transparency.”

Sanitation Committee members especially the cleaners were happy to received training on health and safety while using cleaning products.

World Vision will monitor the progress of financial recordkeeping with the Sanitation Committees in target communities.

As the community sanitation facilities undergo refurbishment, Committees are already thinking ahead to long-term operation and maintenance costs and how they will manage these.

Training of communities to operate and maintain hygiene facilities is a component of one output of the PVUDP which is for several central areas of Port Vila communities to have improved hygiene facilities. And the work will involve refurbishing and improving hygiene and sanitation facilities within three Seaside communities as well as few facilities at Blacksands and Mele.

The Vanuatu Society for People with Disability is also working with PVUDP.

VSPD began working with PVUDP in 2014 to conduct road-side traffic monitoring and to survey and identify the specific needs of persons living with disabilities in target settlement communities. A key aspect of the refurbishments to community sanitation facilities is the construction of universally accessible toilets, showers and hand sinks.

This month VSPD’s Arthur Simrai visited target communities to advise PVUDP on wheelchair accessibility issues along footpaths and ramps leading to the sanitation facilities.

PVUDP target communities will benefit greatly from the technical advice offered by VSDP.

The Government of Vanuatu in partnership with the Australian Government and Asian Development Bank (ADB) are funding the Port Vila Urban Development Project (PVUDP) as one of the major investments in Vanuatu’s capital.

PVUDP will contribute to sustainable urban development in Port Vila through improved road, drainage, sanitation infrastructure and services.

The project duration is from February 13, 2013 to December 31, 2018.