Electrification in Martissant, a successful advocacy

Electrification PoteauIn its approach to the revitalization the neighborhood of Martissant, FOKAL encourages and supports the emergence of grassroots organizations in capacity building to benefit their neighborhood. It is a way to encourage groups to reflect on the problems of the district and to propose adequate solutions in consultation with the population.

In 2011, several Martissant associations came together as a platform to propose a solution to the lack of electrification in the neighborhoods of Baigne, Tibois and Descayettes.  This grouping, called COGEBATD (electrification Management Committee Baigne, Tibois and Descayettes), has more than fifteen grassroots organizations. Management is entrusted to a steering committee of seven members from six associations including  the «Socio-cultural organization for the development and progress of the youth Bathe and Martissant» (OSEPJBM), «Young Civil Society of Bathe» (SCJB) «Konbit Tibwa an Aksyon pou Devlopman» (KOTAD) AJUSTB, «Group Fanm pou Aksyon e Devlopman Dekayèt» (GFADD) and «New Vision for a New Society» (NOVAS). There is also a retired EDH (Electricity of Haiti) employee who lives in the neighborhood who acts as an adviser.

The democratic election of a steering committee facilitated the monitoring team between FOKAL on the ground and the platform, in the implementation of the project to equip the three districts under a single grid which will be controlled and managed by the committee in partnership with the EDH. This network will include pylons with lampposts to carry current to the end of these three neighborhoods.

FOKAL proposed the project to the French Development Agency (AFD) that agreed to fund it in entirety, respecting existing funding criteria. We take this opportunity to point out that the AFD and the European Union under the project direction of the Construction Unit from the Housing and Public Buildings (UCLBP), fund the project AIQIP (Management of informal settlements in Port-au-Prince) in the neighborhood of Martissant. So after tender,  ELMECO, a Haitian firm, was commissioned to implement the project. At the time of writing, the project is 80% completed.

At the last information meeting with the population of the three districts concerned with the performance of work by the ELMECO, held March 11, 2016, beneficiaries clearly expressed their satisfaction, while appreciating the efforts and hard work of COGEBATD officials and the team of FOKAL. They are very happy to finally have access to this public service for which they are quite willing to pay.

 

The project timeline:

July 15, 2011: Submission of the electrification project at the office of FOKAL in Martissant.

November 12, 2012: Tripartite Meeting between FOKAL, COGEBATD and EDH (Electric Company).

December 22, 2012: Community meeting with the participation of representatives of FOKAL.

 April 4 to 6, 2013: Training of 60 volunteer investigators recruited from the population.

April 8 to 19, 2013: Survey in the areas concerned by the project.

September 7, 2013: Presentation and validation of COGEBATD’s statutory document in assembly.

October 9 and 10, 2013: Training with Light Designers Without Borders (CLSF) on Public lighting. The CLSF is  a Belgian association which volunteers with FOKAL in the field of public lighting.

January 20, 2014: Filing a request for funding to equip the office of COGEBATD with FOKAL.

March 15, 2014: Funding for office space by FOKAL for directors of the COGEBATD committee.

2015: Launch of the tender for the project with funding from the French Development Agency (AFD) for the AIQIP project.

November 2015: The ELMECO firm was selected for the project.

January 2015: Signature of the contract with ELMECO.

February 22, 2016: Work begins under ELMECO.

March 4, 2016: Tripartite Meeting between COGEBAT, FOKAL and EDH.

March 11, 2016: Large community meeting with the inhabitants of the three areas.

 

Contact and address

FOKAL - OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATION HAITI
143, Avenue Christophe BP 2720 HT 6112
Port-au-Prince,Haïti | Tel : (509) 2813-1694

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