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Light up my Isles (Iles Cayemites)


A few months back, I wrote about a visit to Iles Cayemites, an isolated island off the coast of Corail/Pestel in Jeremie (Haiti).

With a population in thousands, the island was bare of even the most basic of necessities. MINUSTAH, through its Quick Impact Project funding constructed several water cisterns to collect rain water in several communities in the area. This has allowed the people to get access to fresh water and be less dependent on expensive water transported by boat to the island.

Next? This month, we installed sixteen solar-powered street lamps along the main thoroughfares Yes, solar-powered! Low maintenance; virtually zero running cost not to mention, environmentally-friendly.

More importantly, these will improve security in the area where with a population of around 20,000, not a single police can be found. The children who used to study under the candlelight or with gas lamps will now have this new found convenience.

The locals showed their full support for this project by taking charge of the digging of holes in which the posts were installed. In one of the localities, Boucan Noel, there was a feast - children danced!

The lamp posts intalled in some areas like Anse a Macon will also serve as beacons to fishermen who go about with their trade up til late at night.

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