COTE D’IVOIRE / POST-CONFLICT-REBUILDING

A community-led sanitation project supported by UNICEF and the European Union aims to provide sanitation to 4,000 villages by 2015. In rural areas, between 60 and 90 percent of Ivoirians do not have toilets. UNICEF

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:05
• Production Date: 1 October 2010
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF
• Subject Topical: HEALTH; HUMAN RIGHTS
• Geographic Subject: COTE D'IVOIRE
• MAMS Id: U101001c

Description

STORY: COTE D’IVOIRE / POST-CONFLICT REBUILDING (MDGs)
TRT: 2:05
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: FRENCH /NATS

DATELINE: MAY 2010, BOUAKE, COTE D’IVOIRE

Shotlist

1. Various shots, Force Nouvelles soldiers at roadblock
2. Various shots, villagers carrying building supplies
3. Various, latrine being built
4. SOUNDBITE (French) Fabio di Steffano, EU delegate:
”Since the 1970s, Côte d’Ivoire has heavily invested in the realisation of about 20,000 water points in rural areas. And those water points were managed in a highly decentralised fashion by local communities, with the support of handymen. But the situation deteriorated considerably during the crisis, especially in the Bouaké region.”
5. Various shots, latrine being built
6.SOUNDBITE (French) Adama Sekongo, Government Sanitation Officer:
”In order to reach the goal in 2015, we have to provide sanitation to 4,000 villages. Currently, we are at a 37 percent rate in rural areas and the target is to sanitise 67 percent of the populations. So it is a huge task.”
7. Various shots, government hydrologist Yao Loukou at Nineme village
8. SOUNDBITE (French) Yao Loukou, Government Hydrologist:
”Indeed the current conflict situation has affected our work.”
9. Various shots, village elders at water meet, long Adjoblessou village

Storyline

Force Nouvelles fighters manning a roadblock close to the buffer zone, seem not to notice a more peaceful revolution taking place in nearby Assafou village.

Here, the midday quiet is disturbed by unusual activity. This vigorous communal effort is to ensure that every household has its own latrine.

This is the fruit of the community-led total sanitation project, triggered by UNICEF, the European Union, community organizations and government.

SOUNDBITE (French) Fabio di Steffano, EU delegate:
”Since the 1970s, Côte d’Ivoire has heavily invested in the realisation of about 20,000 water points in rural areas. And those water points were managed in a highly decentralised fashion by local communities, with the support of handymen. But the situation deteriorated considerably during the crisis, especially in the Bouaké region.”

In rural areas between 60 and 90 percent of Ivoirians do not have a toilet.

SOUNDBITE (French) Sekongo Adama, Dept of Sanitation and Sewerage:
“In order to reach the goal in 2015, we have to provide sanitation to 4,000 villages. Currently, we are at a 37 percent rate in rural areas and the target is to sanitise 67 percent of the population. So it is a huge task.”

From a pre-conflict team of 30 water engineers, Yao Loukou is one of just three government hydrologists who have returned to the north – with the assistance of the European Union and UNICEF.

SOUNDBITE (French) Yao Loukou, Government Hydrologist:
”Indeed the current conflict situation has affected our work.”

In a neighbouring community, the villagers are preparing for the day Loukou will also assist them in developing a source of clean water.

Should the peace hold, the taps may flow freely, bringing the women and children of Cote D’Ivoire life-giving water.