Dlo Se Lavi
Water is life.
This past week, twelve fellow students from Clemson University joined Mary Evelyn and I in Haiti for their spring break. Every year, Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries brings groups around this size for spring and fall break trips to collect data, gain a better understanding of Haiti, implement projects, and make further connections between Clemson and communities in the Central Plateau. It was so awesome to have some of our friends here with us for the week, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to help them accomplish everything they came to do. We hiked to some villages outside of Cange to collect data and run tests for groups in Clemson working on development projects there, met with students from a nearby vocational school that we hope to work with moving forward, collected information around Cange dealing with waste management, biodigesters, electricity, and medical equipment. The schedule was filled from sunup to sundown (and sometimes the hours in between), and the group got so much more work done than just the few things I have listed. My favorite part, however, was getting to see people experience Haiti for the first time. Each night, Mary Evelyn and I led discussions where people talked about what they were experiencing, how it made them feel, and how it would change the work that they are doing in Clemson. It was amazing to see them so excited to return to Clemson, share what they had learned, and continue doing all they can to help people in Haiti.
While the spring break trip is something that happens every year, this one was special because it happened to occur over World Water Day. World Water Day was created in 1993 by the United Nations as a way of raising awareness about the importance of water and the issues surrounding water globally. One of the biggest issues surrounding water today is the amount of people around the world who do not have access to a source of clean drinking water. The World Health Organization estimates that 844 million people lack access to even a basic drinking water service. Additionally, at least 2 billion are drinking water that is contaminated with disease causing bacteria.
While World Water Day is a day to raise awareness, we saw it also as an opportunity to celebrate the success of a water system that is not quite like anything else in the entire country of Haiti and the partnership between Clemson and Cange. Cange is located in one of the poorest areas of the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. You would expect areas like this to be a part of the 2 billion that’s only option is contaminated drinking water, but it’s not thanks to the power of people coming together for good.
In 1956 as part of an international development project, the Artibonite, which is Haiti’s largest river, was dammed just south of present day Cange in an effort to increase energy production. Unfortunately, the project also caused thousands of people living and farming around the river to lose their land and livelihood as what is now known as Lake Peligre was formed by the new dam. When the water rose, the only place people could go was up the surrounding mountains and the village of Cange was formed at the top of the mountains on the north-east side of the lake. The only place to collect water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and cleaning was from a spring flowing out from the bottom of the mountain just over 1,000 feet below Cange. Digging wells was attempted, but no water was found and rain collection systems proved ineffective as well. After an engineering expedition in 1983 it was determined that there was enough water flowing from the spring to pump the water up the mountain directly to the village. The Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina (EDUSC) quickly raised $130,000 for the project and in 1985 the project was completed. Using a turbine and pump powered only by the flowing water of the spring, water was pumped hundreds of feet to three village fountains in Cange.
In 2008, necessary repairs to the pump were made by EDUSC and further evaluation determined that much of the system was on brink of failure as it was going on 23 years of continual use. Plans were drawn and funding was raised to restore and expand the system. This is when EDUSC partnered with Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries. The $1.2 million project was constructed over the next few years and was completed in 2013. The expansion more than doubled the capacity of the system, increasing the size to nine fountains and showers located throughout the village of Cange, introducing four cisterns capable of holding 200,000 gallons of water, and updating the pumping system now able to deliver 144,000 gallons of water a day. When the system was first completed in the 1980s, water tests concluded that the spring source was free of disease causing bacteria and that no treatment was necessary. However, after 20 years of development and poor sanitation practices in the region, water tests began showing that the quality of water had declined over time. In order to combat this issue, water filters, a UV sterilization light, and a chlorinator were added to the system during the updates. The system was capable of pumping water up 1,100 feet through nearly two miles of four inch galvanized piping and, unknown at the time of construction, became Haiti’s first chlorinated, municipal water system.
Since this time, the water system and CEDC have continued to grow and improve and the continued success of this project is definitely something to celebrate. World Water Day in Cange began with a parade around the community. Led by the local band, we gathered people as we marched along. We then had a program where representatives from Clemson, the local hospital, and the water team responsible for the system all gave short presentations on the importance of clean water and sanitation for health and well-being. One member of the water team, Greg, who is responsible for testing the system’s water quality led a demonstration on how germs can easily be spread. He covered his hands in glitter filled hand sanitizer (or cholera for his demonstration purposes) and then had the kids shake hands with each other. When the activity was finished, he asked them all to look at their hands which were covered in glitter just from one person starting with contaminated hands. He then talked about the proper way to wash your hands to prevent disease from spreading.
After the program, the Clemson students led games and activities for the children of Cange. Some dealt with water and sanitation like learning to scrub your hands to get paint off or coloring pages about the importance of good hygiene. Since we are an engineering organization, we also wanted to have an activity that encouraged kids to create something. The children were challenged with building catapults out of popsicle sticks, spoons, and rubber bands and had a lot of fun seeing who could shoot their pompoms the farthest. We also had some activities that were just for fun like water balloon, bubbles, and face painting.
The day concluded with everyone’s favorite pastime in Haiti, soccer. Some teams from the local schools played first and then Clemson students and members of the water team played a group of doctors from the hospital. The most people that I have seen at any soccer match in Cange came out to watch the event and they got a good show. The teams remained scoreless until the last few minutes of the game when Jesse, a Clemson student, scored the only goal of the match (after they were hesitant to let girls play I might add). The crowd went wild and couldn’t believe what they had seen, it was awesome!
The night ended with the winners of the school match being presented with brand new soccer balls and Clemson t-shirts from CEDC. The soccer field then turned into a dance party with the speakers blaring celebratory music. I can’t think of a better way to have spent World Water Day than having a day full of activities in Cange and I can’t wait to see how the event will grow as our partnership continues.
Here's some pictures from World Water Day in Cange:
