Peace Corps Dominican Republic

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Peace Corps Dominican Republic

• Healthy Environment Project

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How was the Project Developed ?

• FACTORS
• Health Situation In the DR
• Peace Corps involvement in the Water and
  Sanitation Sub-Sector began in 1982 and has
  evolved over the last 20 years. Originally, water
  and sanitation was one of the main interventions
  of the Appropriate Technology Project.
• At the beginning of the last decade, this
  intervention was integrated into the Health
  Project and since 1995 it has been operating as
  an individual project assisting low-income
  families living in small rural communities to
  access drinkable water and sanitation facilities.

• PARTNERS
• National Institute of Potable Water (INAPA)
• CORAASAN
• CONAMOCA
• CORAPLATA
• FUNDASEP
• CEPOCS
• Community Based Organizations
• ADEMI
• Canadian Fund
• PRO-COMUNIDAD

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Snapshot View of Water and Sanitation in the DR

• Access to safe water Rural 78 (2000)
• ( of population) Urban 90 (2000)
• Access to sanitation 66 (1982)
• ( of population) 70 (2000)
• Water-borne diseases are one of the major causes
  of death for the children and infant population

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• Healthy Environment
• PROJECT PLAN

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Project Purpose

• Low-income families living in the rural
  communities of the Dominican Republic will have
  improved environmental health conditions.

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Project Goals

• GOAL 1 Creation/Strengthening of
  Water/Sanitation Committees
• GOAL 2 Environmental Sanitation and
  Hygiene Education
• GOAL 3 Training and Construction of
  Aqueducts and Latrines

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GOAL 1Community leaders will be actively
participating in the decision making process of
designing and implementing sanitation projects

• Objective 1 By 2006, 33 PCVs and Project
  Partners will train 180 community leaders to
  organize 35 Water Committees to respond to the
  water and sanitation needs of rural communities.
• Objective 2 By 2006, 33 PCVs and Project
  Partners will train 180 Water Committee leaders
  to identify funding sources, articulate proposals
  and set operational procedures to manage
  sanitation projects.

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GOAL 2Low-income families living in the rural
area will adopt improved sanitation and healthy
practices through educational activities..

• Objective 1 By 2006, 33 PCVs and Partners will
  train 180 community leaders to be sanitation
  facilitators.
• Objective 2 By 2006, 33 PCVs and Sanitation
  Facilitators will reach 2,500 families with
  messages of improved sanitation and hygiene
  practices.

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GOAL 3 Low-income families will improve
sanitation infrastructure resulting in a
reduction in the transmission of water-borne
diseases .

• Objective 1 By 2006, 33 PCVs and Project
  Partners will train 140 community leaders to
  construct 35 gravity-flow aqueducts to increase
  the access of 2500 rural families to drinkable
  water and 750 adequate excreta disposal systems.
• Objective 2 By 2006, 33 PCVs and Project
  Partners will train 140 community leaders to
  properly manage, maintain and operate the water
  systems and latrines constructed.

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Typical Volunteer Cycle

• Pre-Service Training (12 weeks including CBT)
• Months 0-3 Community Diagnostic and Relation
  Building
• 3 Month IST Diagnostic Report and Start the 1st
  Year Project Planning Process
• Months 3-12 Complete Project Plan, Implement,
  and Monitor project
• 12 Month IST Evaluate 1st year progress and Plan
  2nd Year
• Months 12-24 Reformulate, Implement, Monitor,
  and Evaluate project
• Months 21-24 Begin transition process
• Pre, 3, 12 month Site Visits
• Close of Service Conference

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Success Stories Kevin Wheeler

• Kevin Wheeler, (2002-present) began the
  construction of 2 small scale water systems that
  will help around 200 families in the community of
  Gualete, Puerto Plata, after approximately one
  year of community preparation including forming
  two water committees to act as governing bodies
  for various sectors of the community, negotiating
  with local government officials and the private
  utility company CORAAPLATA, and 6 months of
  solicitation for funds from the Embassy of Canada
  and Peace Corps SPA grants. One of the projects
  was inaugurated in August 21st, 2004. The other
  is still in progress.

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Being a Volunteer is

• A Unique Experience
• A Challenging Experience
• A Growing Experience
• A Sharing Experience
• An Unforgettable Experience
• IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU DECIDE IT WILL BE!

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Peace Corps Dominican Republic

• Are you ready for the challenge?
• Welcome to the
• Healthy Environment Project