A ceremony was held this week at the Amphitheater of the Administrative Complex of Grand'Anse in the presence of the Departmental Delegate, Shiller Torchon, the Mayors of Jérémie as well as representatives of Housing and Public Buildings Unit (UCLBP), the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MAST) of the Public Companies for the Promotion of Social Housing (EPPLS) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), to hand over training certificates in more secure construction techniques were awarded to 100 carpenters including 71 women.

This ceremony, held at the Amphitheater of the administrative complex of Grande Anse, is the outcome of a 15-day theoretical and practical training aimed at reinforcing the technical skills of carpenters from the localities of Grande-Anse affected by Hurricane Matthew. The trainings, led by the "Shelter and Non-Food Items" Working Group, were organized by IOM with financial support from USAID and the Directorate General of Civil Protection and European Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).

"To rebuild or repair homes that are more resistant to natural hazards, it is necessary to train construction professionals in safer construction techniques. Since February 2017, IOM has been engaged in the implementation of a regular training cycle focusing mainly on the construction and repair of wooden roofs in Grande Anse and in the South, in areas that have been severely damaged by the hurricane. To date, more than 400 construction professionals have been trained in both departments by IOM's training teams. In the South department, these activities are carried out in close collaboration with and with the support of the Swiss Cooperation, "explains Ernesto Bafile, the national coordinator of the" Shelter and Non-Food items "working group.

This program also increases the chances for women who have experience and vocational training in construction to integrate into this largely male-dominated labor market. Notably, 71 training certificates out of 100 distributed were awarded to women.

"The announcement made by the Departmental Delegate that the EPPLS will hire 20 women carpenters among those certified today for its home reconstruction projects in the Department of Grande Anse is a concrete evidence of the commitment of the local authorities in supporting the integration of women in the construction work sector "welcomed Joel Fontilus, Representative of UCLBP

The beneficiaries of this training were selected from lists proposed by the participating town halls and by the partner organizations of the "Shelter and Non-food items" working group.Going forward, they will be able to apply the practical knowledge acquired on the their future construction projects.

HL/ HaitiLibre