Healthy tide change in Seaside Paama

-By Terence Malapa

Seaside Paama is awash with change after activities in the Port Vila Urban Development Project (PVUDP) have improved hygiene and sanitation, as well as strengthened the sanitation committee in the community.

The small community is just a short drive to the centre of Port Vila, the country capital,  but people here have struggled to have access to safe and clean sanitation.

Seaside Paama sanitation committee treasurer, Marinette Onis, said through World Vision and Wan Smolbag trainings, the community has improved management of the sanitation facility.

 “Before, the committee managed the facility without any knowledge on the importance of the toilet hygiene and financial management that resulted in several water-cuts due to unpaid bills”, Mrs Onis said.

 “The trainings have taught the committee to upkeep the financial maintenance of the facility and today people contribute positively (to paying fees) much better compared to the past”, she said.

“We’ve collected 92 thousand vatu (approx. $1000 AUD) for a period of two months, it’s a big achievement for the community and the committee to now have financial resource to maintain facility”, Mrs Onis said.

The economic benefits of improved sanitation include lower health system costs, fewer days lost at work or at school through illness or through caring for an ill relative and convenience time savings..

Mrs Onis said today thanks to the project the community is healthier.

 “The program also demonstrated how to wash our hands after using the facility and now people understand the importance of hand-washing so people don’t get sick" she said. 

Change is not just in Seaside Pamma.  World Vision is working with six peri-urban communities to bring about improved health and management of facilities. 

Leiman Moses a mother of four who reside in the Waisisi community said the rates of diseases have decrease since the sanitation practices were taught to the community.

“To watch my children wash their hands before lunch or dinner keep them away from diseases is very encouraging”.

 The Government of Vanuatu in Partnership with the Australian Government and Asian Development Bank (ADB) are funding the Port Vila Urban Development Project (PVUDP) as one of the major investments in the nation's capital.