USAID Inaugurates Sanitation Facilities at Vanagiri

August 28, 2007

VANAGIRI –Today in Vanagari, U.S. Consul General David T. Hopper inaugurated a multiservice center and a water treatment plant to help the tsunami affected community.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Hopper said: “We believe that the multiservice center and the water treatment plant will improve the quality of life for the community.”

Under the tsunami recovery program supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Project Concern International (PCI) constructed eight multiservice centers including the one in Vanagari. The multiservice centers provide crèche, nursery, after school tuition center, non-formal and life skill education center, vocational training and information and communication center to the community. 1500 women and children have already benefited from the centers in Nagapattinam District and Karaikal.

The water treatment plant installed is similar to two other reverse osmosis plants with a capacity of 1000 litres per hour installed in villages in Nagapattinam District. These plants provide clean drinking water and meet the long standing needs of the community. 1,500 families are benefiting from the water treatment plants; each family receives a 20 litre water can delivered to their door step for which they pay Rs. 5. This payment helps to cover the cost of operation and maintenance.

The USAID tsunami recovery program has been helpful in meeting the vocational and water needs of targeted villages affected by the December 2004 Tsunami. Local communities have actively participated in this program, contributing their time and resources and have taken ownership of the systems and programs which will ensure better living conditions for their communities.