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71 women carpenters trained and certified in Grande Anse

Women carpenters trained and certified in Grande Anse

Jérémie, Haiti, December 11, 2017 - In the presence of the Departmental Delegate, Shiller Torchon, the Mayors of Jérémie as well as representatives of UCLBP ( Housing and Public Buildings Unit), the MAST (Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor) of the EPPLS (Public Companies for the Promotion of Social Housing) and the IOM (International Organization for Migration), certificates of training 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).

This working group, coordinated by UCLBP with the support of IOM, aims at harmonizing the humanitarian response and recovery in the sector of housing and non-food items in the areas affected by Hurricane Matthew. Its priority is to promote safer building techniques.

"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 today 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
 
This training of carpenters is part of a broader awareness program on safer construction and self-reconstruction techniques. The training of carpenters was based on participants' basic knowledge to respect the traditional construction aspect and the use of locally available materials.

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.

For more information, please contact Julie Harlet at IOM Haiti, Tel: +509 4638 8051, Email: jharlet@iom.int

SDG 5 - Gender Equality
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