Frédéric Gogien, a sanitation expert in Veolia's Central-Eastern Region Operations Department, spent three weeks on assignment in northern Pakistan.
You left in a context of climatic and political instability in Pakistan. What was the impact on the mission?
Frédéric Gogien: The current situation in Pakistan led us to adopt strong security measures. This was a non-negotiable part of the mission and we had to accept that some days we could not go into the field. And then night fell quickly and we had to stop our activity on site at 4pm in order to be back before dusk. In short, travel restrictions and, at the same time, the important needs on site require good organisation and great flexibility. The welcome was extraordinary, the inhabitants invited us to lunch and to share the little they had with a bluffing benevolence and kindness.
You arrived to take over from two Veoliaforce volunteers who were finishing their mission. What were your objectives?
FG: The system put in place by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) was unchanged: evaluation of the quality of the water in the usual supply wells, parallel production of drinking water via the Aquaforces, cleaning of the wells and promotion of hygiene in the homes. So we had many discussions with the population in each new village to identify the right place to deploy, the human resources available, the list of wells, etc.
Has the production of drinking water been well received?
FG: We had to deal with local beliefs about water. The water treated by the Aquaforces came from a nearby river. In the popular imagination, the river is where animals make their droppings. So even though it was treated, the water was still not well perceived. The population didn't dare tell us... but they didn't drink! On the other hand, when we drew water from a public well to make it drinkable, the perception was quite different. A Veoliaforce mission means constantly adapting to pitfalls that we would never have imagined.
Interviewed on December 15, 2022