A drinking water supply project, partly funded by the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (Minustah), now provides safe drinking water to the population of Los Palis (Hinche commune), located in the Department of the Center.

Consisting mainly of dry mountains, Los Palis is located 15 minutes from the city center of Hinche. The life of the inhabitants of this neighborhood has never been easy. They have regularly faced a lack of basic services such as access to electricity, health, roads and especially drinking water.

The inhabitants of Los Palis were forced to travel to collect water for their families. Women and children were subjected to a daily chore consisting of walking miles to bring drinking water to the home and preventing members of their families from being exposed to diseases related to poor water quality.

In the rainy season, the population of Los Palis draws water from sources of fortune momentarily emerged or in ponds full of overflowing neighboring rivers. Water is not of good quality, resulting in frequent cases of diseases such as typhoid, diarrhea, dysentery, cholera or vaginal and other infections related to water quality.

To end the suffering of the residents of Los Palis, Minustah financed the third phase of a water abduction project allowing to serve more than 18,000 people including more than 53% of women. This abduction system received $95,671 through the Rapid Impact Project Program, which enabled Minustah to support the Haitian authorities for the improvement of public infrastructures and the living conditions of the populations.

IH/ iciHaiti