The Foundation's Veoliaforce experts continue their missions in the field. Together with the French Red Cross and the NGO Solidarités International, the Veolia Foundation continues its mobilization to help the population affected by cyclone Chido.
Since cyclone Chido devastated Mayotte on December 14, Veoliaforce volunteers have been working on the island to boost drinking water production. They have deployed two stations capable of producing water for 4,000 people.
In the days following the disaster, a first expert joined the French Red Cross emergency response teams (ERU) mobilized on the ground to propose an emergency water production strategy. He was soon joined by three volunteers from Veolia Eau France and Runeo, the Group's water and sanitation subsidiary in Reunion.
After conducting assessments in the north, center and south of the island to prioritize needs, they deployed two Aquaforces 2000. These mobile treatment units, designed by the Veolia Foundation for humanitarian contexts, deliver drinking water in just a few hours. In M'Tsamboro, in the north-west of the island, water from a borehole is treated to cover the needs of 2,000 people. In M'Tsapere, a district of the capital Grand Mamoudzou, another Aquaforce 2,000 has been installed at the top of a river. Equipped with distribution ramps, it supplies the population as well as temporary water tanks. This equipment goes hand in hand with a water quality analysis laboratory, provided with each unit.
This first rotation does not mark the end of mobilization with the French Red Cross. Three volunteers arrived in the first week of January, including one from OTV (Veolia) to take over from the experts back in France. Production of drinking water continues. The action is being coordinated with the authorities and civil security to be as efficient as possible, adjusting to observed needs.
The Veolia foundation is also working alongside the NGO Solidarités International. The arrival of a Veoliaforce volunteer shortly before Christmas has made it possible to secure access to water, check the drinking water and sanitation supply to medical centers and emergency shelters, and raise awareness of the need to avoid using unsafe water. In the heart of the bangas, the aim is to stem the risk of pandemics, particularly cholera, which has increased with the onset of the rainy season and the more voluminous run-off on the ground.
These operations for the benefit of the people of Mahor are made possible by the unfailing commitment of Veoliaforce employees, made available to the Foundation during their working hours by Veolia France, Runéo and OTV. TThe work carried out with humanitarian partners and the pre-positioning of Aquaforce stations in La Réunion in preparation for the cyclone season were decisive factors.
What is a Veoliaforce volunteer?
A Veoliaforce volunteer is a Veolia employee who, during his or her working hours, goes on a mission on behalf of the Veolia Foundation. They put their skills and expertise at the disposal of the Foundation's partners: NGOs, non-profit organizations, institutional players in the field of solidarity, etc. The pool of Veoliaforce volunteers represents 400 employees.
TO FIND OUT MORE: The beginnings of mobilization | Veoliaforce skills sponsorship | The Veolia Foundation Aquaforces