Haiti USAID/DART ASSESSMENT IN LEOGANE, PETIT GOAVE, AND

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000136 AIDAC SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON PGOV PINR PREL PREF HA SUBJECT: Haiti USAID/DART ASSESSMENT IN LEOGANE, PETIT GOAVE, AND GRAND GOAVE REF: PORT A 0054; PORT A 0058; PORT A 0060 ¶1. Summary. On February 3 and 4, an assessment team from USAID's Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) and USAID/Haiti visited the earthquake-affected cities of Leogane, Petit Goave, and Grand Goave in West Department. According to the team, the provision of food and shelter assistance and poor sanitation conditions remain critical challenges to the humanitarian response in the areas assessed. The team confirmed that parts of Petit Goave sustained heavy earthquake damage, with approximately 60 percent of buildings in the downtown area destroyed or damaged. The USAID assessment team noted that U.N. agencies are largely absent in Petit Goave and Grand Goave In addition, no local cluster system has been established to facilitate coordination between relief agencies. End summary. -------------- Visit to Leogane -------------- ¶2. On February 3, the USAID team visited Leogane, one of the most severely earthquake-affected areas, to assess humanitarian conditions. [Note: Reftel 0098 reports on a previous USAID/DART assessment visit to Leogane. End Note.] At a spontaneous settlement at the city stadium, which currently accommodates approximately 6,000 people, residents reported sufficient water availability through relief agency efforts. However, the USAID team notes that poor sanitation conditions have likely contributed to an increased incidence of diarrhea in the settlement. USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) implementing partners Save the Children/US (SC/US) and the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED) have begun latrine and shower construction at the site, with a combined target of 120 latrines. USAID staff noted SC/US efforts to address protection concerns through the installation of lighting at latrine and shower locations. SC/US and ACTED also reported plans to implement additional emergency sanitation programs at the city stadium and in other spontaneous settlements in the Leogane area. ¶3. USAID staff report that settlement residents have started to construct temporary housing with salvaged materials, including wood and corrugated iron sheeting. However, shelter assistance remains a critical need at the city stadium, as most families are living under bed sheets and plastic sheeting of poor quality, according to the USAID team. Residents expressed concern regarding shelter conditions once the rainy season begins. ¶4. USAID staff report that ACTED is distributing U.N. World Food Program (WFP)-provided food at the city stadium settlement, where the team also observed families cooking. In addition, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) reported plans to set up kitchen units to provide hot meals for the settlement, as part of an agreement with WFP. NRC has the capacity to provide hot meals for up to 10,000 people per day. ¶5. The USAID team also visited the Leogane field hospital operated by SC/US, which is serving as the primary local referral hospital for x-rays and surgical procedures. Hospital staff reported a prevalence of diarrhea, respiratory infections, and infected wounds, as well as several cases of malnutrition. Hospital staff highlighted the need for medical supplies and support in augmenting disease-reporting capacity. Hospital staff members were unfamiliar with the system of free medical supplies available through the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)-supported Government of Haiti (GoH) Ministry of Health (MOH) warehouse PROMESS. ¶6. Approximately 2,500 displaced persons are utilizing the grounds of the SC/US-managed field hospital as a spontaneous settlement. USAID staff report that the site has not received food or relief commodity assistance to date. -------------- Visit to Petit Goave and Grand Goave -------------- ¶7. On February 3 and 4, the USAID team visited Petit Goave and Grand Goave, evaluating humanitarian conditions in seven displaced person settlements, including the largest settlement in Petit Goave, which is located on the grounds of Ecole des Freres and hosts between 1,700 and 1,800 people. The number of families living in settlements visited range from approximately 50 to 560. The team also assessed conditions throughout both cities, reporting few settlements sites overall, with many people camping as close to their houses as possible - whether damaged or not. The assessment team notes widespread damage in downtown Petit Goave, with 60 percent of buildings destroyed or severely damaged, and severe damage in the city's Petit-Guinee and Tapion neighborhoods as well. -------------- Food, Shelter, and Livelihoods -------------- ¶8. According to the USAID team, residents and relief organizations in Petit Goave and Grand Goave identified food as a priority need. Some settlements have received sporadic distributions of meals ready-to-eat (MREs) and humanitarian daily rations (HDRs) through the U.S. Military, while others are receiving food from faith-based organizations. Individuals in some sites reported buying food from the market. However, both individuals and organizations noted that resources and cash to purchase food are either dwindling or have already been depleted. A representative from a faith-based organization who has worked in Grand Goave for several years noted that although food is available in the market, prices have increased significantly. The USAID team recommends that WFP and other food aid agencies conduct an assessment in Petit Goave, Grand Goave, and rural areas to determine the most appropriate food assistance response. ¶9. The USAID team notes that in the seven settlements sites visited in Petit Goave and Grand Goave, the majority of residents require shelter assistance to supplement self-constructed structures made of bed sheets, sticks, poor-quality plastic sheeting, and, in some cases, salvaged wood and corrugated iron sheeting. At Grand Goave's settlements in the Servants of All Ministries orphanage and the central square, some residents have benefited from a limited distribution of high-quality reinforced plastic sheeting provided by the Servants of All Ministries organization and Medecins Sans Frontieres, respectively. However, the quantities provided remain insufficient for the settlements' entire population. In addition, provision of emergency relief supplies, including hygiene kits and kitchen sets, has been limited in the majority of settlements to date. ¶10. Residents at several sites reported an unconfirmed number of displaced persons from Port-au-Prince residing with host families in Petit Goave and Grand Goave - both in houses and in displaced persons settlements. ¶11. According to settlement residents interviewed by the assessment team, most families living in Petit Goave and Grand Goave depend on small-scale commerce for livelihoods. In Grand Goave, residents indicated that the financial situation for most was challenging prior to the earthquake and requested jobs, particularly for the youth. In rural areas outside cities, families primarily depend on agriculture or small-scale commerce for livelihoods. However, families require seeds and tools to prepare for the upcoming agricultural season, as most have eaten saved seed stocks. -------------- Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) -------------- ¶12. The USAID/DART WASH advisor reports inadequate coverage of water needs in spontaneous settlements in Petit Goave and Grand Goave with relief agencies distributing a limited quantity of bottled water and filling a small number of water bladders. Outside settlement sites and city centers, however, the WASH advisor estimates that community water access is comparable to the pre-earthquake period. ¶13. The WASH advisor reports ongoing efforts to assess piped networks and determine necessary repairs. With no timeline provided for the completion of repairs, however, relief organizations are advocating for short-term solutions to increase water availability and access. To this end, Oxfam is coordinating WASH partners and helping to treat spring water, while other agencies in Petit Goave and Grand Goave reported plans to increase water tankering capacity and the number of water bladders serving spontaneous settlement sites in and around the cities. ¶14. The USAID/DART WASH advisor identified two wells with motorized pumps and large storage tanks in Grand Goave city center, which are currently not functioning due to power outages. The WASH advisor notes that using generators to temporarily re-establish power to the wells would significantly improve conditions in downtown Grand Goave. [Note: Prior to the earthquake, Petit Goave and Grand Goave, as well as Miragoane, had 24-hour electricity, due to the recent installation of a new power plant in Petit Goave. According to Grand Goave residents, the earthquake did not damage the power plant, but some electrical lines and poles have fallen down. The UAID team was not able to corroborate these reports. End note.] ¶15. Staff at an orphanage in Grand Goave reported that the U.S. Navy had tested a number of hand-pumped wells for bacteria and identified some contamination, including at the orphanage. The WASH advisor emphasized the need for aquatab or water guard distributions, in addition to further bacteria testing due to groundwater contamination concerns. In addition, households in assessed areas did not follow water treatment practices prior to the earthquake, suggesting a need for agencies to educate beneficiaries on the use of treatment products. ¶16. The WASH advisor observed a minimal number of latrines in spontaneous settlement sites in and around Petit Goave and Grand Goave, but noted sufficient space and plans to expand construction of latrines and sanitation facilities, where needed. Residents in downtown areas reported latrine access for approximately 80 percent of households, although many people remain fearful of entering houses - many of which sustained damage in the earthquake. Several organizations have already commenced latrine construction in areas of Petit Goave and Grand Goave, including USAID/OFDA partner Samaritan's Purse. The WASH advisor recommends that construction of additional latrines and sanitation facilities be accompanied by hygiene promotion activities to help reduce diarrheal rates in settlements. ¶17. The WASH advisor also observed moderate quantities of refuse in assessed areas, in contrast to the large quantities of refuse at overcrowded sites in Port-au-Prince. The assessment team also observed trucks and work crews working to remove refuse piles throughout the cities. The exception is Gaston settlement in Petit Goave, where approximately 1,850 people live on a refuse dumping area. ¶18. The USAID assessment team notes shortages of water containers, hygiene kits, and soap in many areas, with only limited distributions by aid agencies in both cities reported to date. While soap is available in the market, individuals lack adequate resources to purchase hygiene supplies and likely prioritize food purchases. According to the USAID team, Oxfam plans to distribute emergency relief supplies to approximately 1,500 families this week, including buckets with a lid and spigot, plastic sheeting, wood, and hygiene kits. -------------- Health -------------- ¶19. The USAID team notes that limited U.N. presence in Petit Goave and Grand Goave is hampering coordination, medical referrals, and availability of medical supplies in the area. The USAID/DART Health advisor highlights that the large number of short-term medical volunteers operating in the region requires enhanced coordination. Volunteer doctors and military medics on short-term rotations are largely addressing current gaps in health care, but likely leaving new health care coverage gaps in coming weeks and months that will require expanded mobile clinic services. ¶20. According to the USAID/DART Health advisor, shortages of medicines, although not severe, are more widespread in Leogane, Petit Goave, and Grand Goave than in the Port-au-Prince area. Hospital staff also had limited familiarity with the system of free medical supplies available through the PROMESS warehouse. According to the Health Cluster, PROMESS had provided more than 250 organizations with medicines and medical supplies as of February 4. ¶21. To augment coordination and health service availability, the USAID team recommends an expansion of U.N. agency presence, including PAHO, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),and the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF), to western areas outside Port-au-Prince. The assessment team also identified the need for enhanced outreach and messaging in the region to increase awareness of the PROMESS system. In addition, the team notes the utility of potentially establishing a sub-warehouse in the western region of West Department to facilitate the provision of supplies to health facilities in the area. ¶22. USAID staff note that clinics and field hospitals in Leogane, Petit Goave, and Grand Goave have reported elevated cases of diarrhea, with significant increases in recent days. USAID staff highlight the need to augment currently limited reporting and surveillance mechanisms in the region. -------------- -------------- Debris Removal and Cash-for-Work Activities in Petit Goave -------------- -------------- ¶23. USAID/Haiti partner CHF International commenced cash-for-work activities in Petit Goave on February 1 and was employing 429 people in 35 sites by February 5. CHF plans to rapidly increase the number of people participating in the program. USAID staff observed work crews wearing t-shirts with GoH, USAID, and CHF logos cleaning and removing debris and rubble from streets throughout Petit Goave. CHF pays beneficiaries 200 gourdes (approximately USD 5) for each eight-hour work day. CHF is prioritizing rubble and debris removal in the following order: streets and roads, public buildings, and private residences. ¶24. USAID/Haiti partner the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is also conducting cash-for-work activities in Petit Goave. As of January 5, IOM was employing 1,110 people in six sites. -------------- Coordination -------------- ¶25. The USAID assessment team noted that U.N. agencies are largely absent in Petit Goave and Grand Goave. As a result, coordination among relief agencies remains challenging. Although WFP provided MREs and HDRs, which the U.S. Military is distributing in coordination with local government councils and community-based organizations, WFP does not have representatives in the area. Currently coordination structures have been established only in Leogane, however, OCHA has stated that additional localized coordination mechanisms are needed for Petit Goave and Grand Goave. ¶26. While no formal cluster system exists in Petit Goave and Grand Goave, the USAID team reported increased coordination between relief agencies in Petit Goave, with IOM assuming a lead role and CHF supporting with information management. However, relief agencies operating in the area continue to advocate for the establishment of OCHA presence to facilitate coordination. The USAID team strongly encourages the U.N. to further develop the cluster system outside Port-au-Prince, including an OCHA presence in Petit Goave and Grand Goave. -------------- - Rural Areas around Petit Goave and Grand Goave -------------- - ¶27. Oxfam International reported to the USAID team that two of Grand Goave's 12 municipality sections are inaccessible due to road damage. These two sections are rural, requiring a 20 km walk from the point where vehicles must stop to where people are living. As a result, limited relief supplies have reached these remote locations. Occasionally, residents from these municipality sections walk to other areas in an attempt to obtain supplies. No known assessments have been conducted in these two sections due to location and inaccessibility. According to Oxfam, houses in the isolated municipality sections are built with rocks, wood, and some concrete, with residents living with extended families in compounds composed of small buildings. Oxfam reports that some of the area's houses have likely collapsed, requiring the provision of shelter materials prior to the rainy season will be essential. In addition, Oxfam reports that Petit Goave's 10 rural and remote municipality sections have not received emergency relief supplies. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED MERTEN