Hope and Dreams for Haiti

This summer, SOIL and SOL laid the foundation for a program we hope will transform health, sanitation, and agriculture throughout Haiti. Working with the communities, we built demonstration sites in the commune of Milot in the communities of Bwosa, TiBo, and Lory.

Each site displays four toilet designs:

Dry toilet Fossa Alterna Arborloo/Kiddieloo Traditional Latrine

These serve as public sanitation for the communities, and to educate people about their sanitation options.

In Bwosa and TiBo the sites were built at schools with failing or non-existent sanitation. In Lory, the site was built by a community workshop and local soccer field.

Even weeks after their completion, all of the sites were used heavily, particularly by the children.

Involving the Community

In any development project, the most important ingredient is community participation and understanding. We didn’t want them to think of the sites as toilets we built and gave them. We want them to be THEIR toilets in every way.

At each site, we worked with community leaders to arrange how the toilets would be cared for, and education would proceed. Often, hundreds of community members were actively involved in construction. We involved local masons with construction so that when we leave, the knowledge of how to build these toilets will survive and spread.

Each site became a center for the community, bringing them closer toge

ther. The most rewarding aspect of this work was to see the strength of the communities here, and to see the energy and hope they have that their lives will be better.

A major reason for starting with demonstration sites was for us to learn how the community would respond, and which designs were best. Though the community learned much from us, they taught us far more. At each site, we refined our designs. At each site we learned how to build the toilets faster and cheaper. By our third site, we were able to build all four toilets in four days.

We were also approached by leaders from other communities who heard of our project and traveled miles to meet with us to ask for a toilet at their school or community center. There is so much need and interest for ecological sanitation in Haiti. SOIL needs donations to make the dreams of these communities a reality.

Other technologies

SOIL’s work in Haiti wasn’t confined to toilet building. We traveled around Port-Au-Prince, Cap Haitien, to the Central Plateau through Cange, to the South through Cote De Fer. We laid the foundation for future projects in each of these areas. We also made connections with other non-profits in health and agriculture.

In addition to the connections and projects, we learned of many technologies to implement in communities throughout Haiti.

Using cheap materials and simple construction, we can provide rainwater collection at our technology centers and demonstration sites. Even providing water for hand washings provides a huge improvement to sanitation.

In future projects, SOIL will provide comprehensive development programs for the community, including rainwater collection, UV water treatment and slow sand filtration, biodiesel reactors and solar power, and deworming programs for school children.

With the people of Haiti, we have done much in a very short time. But there are mountains of problems still to overcome beyond mountains of a history of desperation and abuse. But as a potter first prepares the clay that will become a beautiful bowl, with determined hands and loving hearts we have prepared the way for the real work that lies ahead. Work to ensure people everywhere have the dignity and respect they deserve.

Work that needs support from people like you to move forward.

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