German Infrastructure Assistance in Monte Plata

German Infrastructure Assistance in Monte Plata
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 12/19/11

The sugar production towns of Cruz Verde and Cana Rincón of Monte Plata were lacking adequate water and health installations until a financial contribution from the German Embassy of more than 1.2 million Dominican pesos was given to the Women’s Association of San Luis (ASOMUSAL) and the Center for Community Education Development (CEPAC), which went toward resolving these infrastructure deficiencies.

The 107 families who live in these sugar production towns had little to no proper sanitary conditions and those who did had substandard conditions.

The 107 families who live in these sugar production towns had little to no proper sanitary conditions and those who did had substandard conditions. Running water was only available for several hours per day creating hygiene problems for the inhabitants of these towns in addition to causing agricultural problems in an area that depends fully of farming for their subsistence.

With the help of the German Embassy, 45 new latrines have been installed considerably enlarging transport capacity to the aqueduct. This has resulted, on one hand, in clear benefits to agricultural production in the sugar-workers’ towns.  On the other hand, it has been the source of major improvement in the health and sanitary conditions in the towns. There has been a marked improvement in hygienic conditions directly lowering the risk of contracting illnesses, especially among the most vulnerable inhabitants such as young children and the elderly.

These changes are particularly important at this time when cholera has been reported in the Dominican Republic.

On December 16, 2010, the Counselor of the German Embassy officially delivered these projects to the communities of Cruz Verde and Rincón Cana.

These projects will be carried out under the framework the German Embassy’s poverty reduction program.  In 2010, the Embassy supported seven projects worth 5.2 million Dominican pesos.