Konbit Pou Ayiti

Water: The springs have a slightly stronger flow since the earthquake. The irrigation canals are broken in some places. The flow is strong enough to serve many more people but the piping system is preventing the community from increasing capacity. The village of Oban, adjacent to Cyvadier to the east, is on the same water line from the springs in Cyvadier but they are experiencing a serious water shortage. Building a cistern at the source and putting in larger pipes can solve these problems.

KONPAY will work with the community water management committee to begin a program to rehabilitate and strengthen the water delivery system for Cyvadier and Oban. We will create work for some members of the community who will repair the damaged irrigation canals. We also want to build a cistern and put larger pipes into the system.

Schools: The children who participate in the Youth for the Development of Cyvadier (JDS) program mainly attend four schools:
•    Kay Tina: the building is leaning
•    SOS Enfants: the building is cracked
•    Orthodox school: the building is cracked
•    Oban: the roof collapsed

In addition, the school KONPAY constructed in Cap Rouge after the 2008 hurricanes is currently housing a growing community of internally-displaced people (IDPs). Schools are supposed to re-open on March 1.

KONPAY will work with partners at the Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group (AIDG) and the Florida International Volunteer Corps (FAVACA) to bring a team of structural engineers to Cyvadier-Jacmel to inspect the schools and other public buildings to determine whether they are safe to being using again. In addition, we will seek funds to help the schools that can be fixed to get in shape to re-open. Our partners at the Fondasyon Limyè Lavi are already strategizing about how to utilize the educated people who are returning to the area from PAP to help provide schooling for the increasing numbers of children as well, and KONPAY will look to them for leadership on how we can also strengthen the education system in our region.

Seeds: The Cyvadier farmers needs seeds to begin planting on February 20th to take advantage of the upcoming rainy season. The biggest needs are for eggplant, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, peppers (hot and sweet) and parsley. At least 10-15 pounds of each species would be needed in Cyvadier, and if we really want to support food production restarting in the region we need much, more more than this. Cap Rouge, for example, could use four times this amount of seeds because they have a larger amount of fertile land.

KONPAY is seeking donated or discounted seeds to get to Jacmel as quickly as possible. Our partners at the Honor and Respect Foundation are working to purchase thousands of packets of seeds from Seeds Programs International (http://www.seedquest.org/spi/) to be carried into Haiti on February 21, and we are also trying to buy or find donated seeds through partners in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.