"Pôle humanitaire de l'INSA de Toulouse" - Institut national des sciences appliquées de Toulouse (INSA)

"I've been living in Nérac for 22 years and am struck by the quality of the projects of Agir Val d'Albret, which enables vulnerable persons to get back on their feet in society through work, and the satisfaction of doing good for the benefit of all."

Vincent Hoste

In 2001, four mechanical engineering students of the INSA in Toulouse, working together with their teachers, designed a wash-stand system that is practical and easy to build, ideal for the medical personnel of the health centers of the remote villages of Senegal. The Idee Eau project saw the day, and now, everyone can wash his hands without any risk of contamination, and save water at the same time.

Since then, a new team is trained each year and travels to Senegal to install these wash-stands (nearly 200 to date), repair them if necessary, and identify new villages needing the help of the nonprofit. The value of Idee Eau is widely acknowledged, both for the professionalism of the approach - familiarity with the local context, identification of the specific needs of each village, reliance on local materials - and also for the low production cost of the wash-stands (about 60 euros).

A wash-stand system that is practical and easy to build

In 2011, the humanitarian branch of the INSA also set up a partnership with the nonprofit Les Eclaireurs et Eclaireuses du Senegal, a partnership that enables it to consider monitoring the project all year long and not only during the summer missions, and which is also invaluable for a true understanding of the culture of the country and the local needs.

In 2013, the students made a complex itinerary - Gandon, Saint-Louis region; Ngouran, Louga region; Ngogom and Dangalma, Diourbel region; Faoye and Dionewar, Fatick region - in the east of the country, in order to install 15 additional wash-stands. It is also planned to renovate two health centers in the villages of Niamar and Louly-Sindiane (tiling, roof repairs, etc.); to identify villages lacking medical structures and to contribute sports and school equipment for the children and teachers of the villages visited, plus medical equipment for the teams of the health centers.

This comprehensive project prompted the jury of the International Solidarity Awards to reward the nonprofit for the permanence of its approach, and the capitalization of its actions conducted since 2001, by awarding it the second prize of the 2013 event. Part of the grant is dedicated to preparing a document summarizing the impact of the actions of the humanitarian branch of the INSA on the health of the populations aided since 2001.