Summary

There is a demonstrable need for improvements to public health infrastructure in Fort Dauphin urban commune. In the most crowded quartiers the majority of the population still has little or no access to basic sanitation, and people defecate in public spaces. This is a public health hazard and detrimental to tourism, one of the economic drivers for this region. One of the challenges of the government's Madagascar Action Plan (MAP) 2007-2012 is to ensure 70% of the population has access to sanitation infrastructure.

In this project ONG Azafady aim to address and support local and communal demand for sanitation infrastructure and make a sustainable improvement to public health in the region's urban centre through provision of public sanitation infrastructures, technical support for the management of these infrastructures by the community and development of a sustainable financing mechanism for the infrastructure with the Commune and other stakeholders.

Project Aims

1. To contribute to the Madagascar Action Plan Commitment 5 (Health), Challenge 8 'to provide safe water and wide spread use of hygienic practices'.

2. To contribute to the Madagascar Action Plan Commitment 6 (Economy), Challenge 8 'to intensively promote and develop the tourism sector'.

Purpose

To improve public health in and increase economic development in Fort Dauphin urban commune through the provision of public latrines for community use.

Objectives

1. Increased accessibility of hygienic sanitation infrastructure to Fort Dauphin urban commune.

2. Increased capacity of Fort Dauphin urban commune to develop the tourism sector.

3. Increased capacity of Fort Dauphin urban commune to manage public health infrastructure.

Principal Activities

PHAST training
During the PHAST process those people attending will learn about the causes of diarrhoeal disease, identify issues of importance to them, express and analyse their health problems along with appropriate solutions, and develop a plan to implement this. In this way the community will be integral to all stages of the project, from preparation through implementation to ongoing management and monitoring of the infrastructure.

Latrine construction
In Azafady's experience, double pit, aqua privy latrines are judged to be the most appropriate as they are suited to areas where water supply is limited, the pits are simpler to construct and more cost effective than a septic tank, and they can be reused after a two year period. All materials and tools required will be locally and sustainably sourced wherever possible.