Sanitation

Haiti has long had a sanitation problem, being one of a very small number of countries where sanitation worsened over the last twenty five years.  Port au Prince, its largest city, has no central sewage system and is unlikely to ever have one.  There are other models for sewage management but implementing them without good governance, the rule of law, and a well-informed public is, as with anything else, challenging.  However, there are champions for improving sanitation both within and outside the Haitian government. The full NPR article by Rebecca Hersher follows. 

Below is a stock-taking document by Groupe URD which highlights common themes from the many evaluations that have been carried out concerning the humanitarian response to the earthquake.  Chief among them are the importance of urban planning in cities, agricultural revitalization in the countryside, disaster preparedness throughout the country, and the need to focus on communities and institutions rather than individuals.  You can also learn more about URD's activities in Haiti here. 

At the opening plenary of the 2009 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting, Water.org co-founders Matt Damon and Gary White announced a $2 million commitment to provide 50,000 people in Haiti with safe water and sanitation over the next three years. Water.org has also launched a social media campaign so that anyone can participate in meeting the water challenge in Haiti.  Click here to learn how you can become involved with either your time, financial support, or both.