From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 5/24/2005 10:43 AM
Polish Humanitarian Organisation Mission in Chechnya
23 May 2005 07:23:00 GMT
Source: NGO latest
Wojciech Domachowski
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The inhabitants of Grozny are beneficiaries of the PHO Water Programme
PHO
Polish Humanitarian Organisation
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Polish Humanitarian Organisation
Website: http:/<WBR>/<WBR>www.pah.org.pl
PHO Mission in Ingushetia/Chechnya

The history of the PHO activities in Northern Caucasus

The PHO activities in Northern Caucasus started in 1995, during the first Chechen War. PHO organized an aid convoy from Poland and brought around 150 tons of medicines, medical equipment, first aid materials, baby food, household equipment, clothes, hygienic articles, food for the vunerable groups of inhabitants of Chechnya.

In 2000 PHO conducted another 3 aid convoys. This time not only medical facilities in Chechnya were targeted(Grozny, Alhan-Yurt; Argun, Achhoy-Martan, Gudermes, Katyr-Yurt, Nozhay-Yurt), but also in other Caucasus republics: Priterechnaya (Republic of North Ossetia-Alania), Nazran (Ingushetia)

The destination of the PHO convoys were also the IDP camps in Plievo, Karabulak, Sleptsovskaya, Mayskiy, Nazran and inhabitants of Grozny.

After the second Chechen War, because of the huge scale of damage in water and sewage system in Grozny, a high risk of diseases and epidemic spread occured ; therefore in October 2000, PHO decided to establish the permanent Mission in Chechnya.

The objective of the PHO mission was purification of contaminated water and distribution of potable water. In the early period of its Water Programme in Cechnya, PHO was supplying medical facilities, educational institution and private sector in Grozny.

In June 2001 the second PHO water purification base in Leninsky District was opened.

The PHO Water Programme has been implemented in cooperation with UNICEF, UNHCR, ICRC, and local institutions and authorities. In 2001 PHO was purifying 402m3 on a daily basis and distributed it to 127 points in the city, where - so called - water bladders (containers for potable water) were installed or domestic tankers were adopted.

A serious problem in Grozny were waste dumps, chaotically settled in the city. There was also a serious problem with the sanitation conditions – most of toillets were old, and were not emptied regulary, thus the risk of diseases increased. Moreover, most of Grozny`s inhabitants lacked the running water, therefore the basic hygienic needs of citizens were not met.

In 2001 PHO started the programme of removing wastes and sewage, building latrins and installation of incinerators of medical waste in health care units in Grozny.

Also in 2001 PHO implemented the project “Child Friendly Space Programme”, which consisted of redecoration of 6 class rooms and a roof in the gymnasium in 34th school in Grozny. Beside the renewing of the school, during the summer, there was an exclusive programme prepared for children. 160 pupils took part in drama classes, theatre, art, music, sport.

In the same period PHO produced and distributed heaters in medical and educational facilities, and also to private persons in need, who lived in the ruins of the buildings, partly adopted. In general, 730 heaters were distributed, which were very useful in winter, when temperature in Chechnya may fall to minus 20 Celsius degrees.

Most of hospitals in Grozny could not afford to cover the costs of nourishment for its patients, thus in 2000/2001 PHO decided to support medical institutions; in the period between December 2000 and August 2001, PHO distributed 370 hot meals daily.

In the same time PHO organized 2 kindergartens in the IDP camps in Ingushetia, where 200 children received basic medical care.

Since then, the PHO staff in Chechnya and in Headquater in Warsaw expanded the range of activities and number of beneficiaries in Chechnya increased.

Current projects

The Water Programme

At the moment PHO implements two projects in Chechnya. First of them is the Water Programme (sponsored by UNICEF), whose main goals are: • to improve the overall water situation in Grozny, through strengthening access to safe potable water for significantly higher number of the population, thus reducing the rate of water borne diseases among the residents; • to support the families of Grozny in overcoming day-to-day difficulties and obstacles caused by harsh living conditions, especially to save time reserved for bringing-up children; • to improve the living conditions and therefore secure appropriate standards allowing preserving life dignity of the Grozny’s inhabitants, by assuring water supply;

PHO provides 105 000 people with quality potable water (San-Epid Grozny makes regulary water tests of the PHO water treatment units). The beneficiaries of the Water Programme are: • 30 000 school and pre-school children and teachers; • 23 000 students of three universities; • 11 000 hospital patients and medical staff; • 41 000 Temporary Accommodation Centers inhabitants and local residents.

• The capacity of the PHO water treatment units is 700m3 a day. There are about 260 water distribution points in Grozny, filled with potable water on regular basis.

5 water filters to the PHO water treatment units have been provided by JOSAB, a company from Sweden. In May 2005 PHO, JOSAB and Lions Club Sweden agreed on cooperation. Lions Club Sweden decided to fund spare parts to the water units in Chechnya.

The Sanitation Programme

Another PHO project in Chechnya is Sanitation Programme, whose principal objective is “Improving the sanitation condition in Grozny and other regions of Chechnya”. Since December 2001 PHO built 228 double pit latrins in 59 locations in Grozny and other sites in Chechnya. From April 2002 PHO covers operational costs of one sewage truck. Each day 10,3 cu.m of sewage is being disposed. The priority is given to health care and educational institutions where PHO built latrines. PHO provides the staff responsible for cleaning the toilets with proper cleaning kits. In order to improve the waste management, PHO distributed 360 garbage containers in 114 different locations (Temporary Accomodation Centers, health care and educational institutions); the containers are regularly emptied by four garbage trucks. They remove over 90 cu. m of solid garbage daily. Because of the huge quantity of dangerous waste coming form hospitals, PHO constructed waste incinerators in 23 health care institutions and provided the people, who were to operate the incinerators, with the proper training.

Since May 2004 the Program “Improving the sanitation condition in Grozny and other regions of Chechnya” led by PHO is financed by The European Commission's Humanitarian Aid department ECHO, the cooperation with ECHO let PHO to widen the range of its activities, so the number of beneficiaries has significantly increased.

To save potable water, whose purification process is expensive, PHO built 34 hand operated water pumps, which provide beneficiaries with technical water, which can be used for household purposes. Our Donors: European Commision Humanitarian Aid Departament (ECHO) (www.europa.eu.int/comm/echo), UNICEF (www.unicef.ru), Lions Club International (Sweden) www.lionsclub.se , CCFD (www.ccfd.asso.fr). Our partners: ICRC (www.icrc.org), UNHCR (www.unhcr.ru), JOSAB (www.josab.com).

[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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