Veoliaforce's water, sanitation and waste management solutions have become a standard in humanitarian action, and are the focus of a growing number of training courses. The aim is to disseminate the expertise acquired by the Veolia Foundation in the field of access to essential services to humanitarian actors. A look back at recent collaborations with the Norwegian Refugee Council, the French Red Cross and the Bioforce Institute, while new Veoliaforce volunteers have just been trained in this area.
After Norwegian Refugee Council staff in Honduras in April and French Red Cross team members at the end of May, Veolia employees, Veoliaforce volunteers, completed their training at the end of June. Twenty-seven employees from a dozen Veolia entities were mobilized for three days at a site in Mayenne. They learned how to deploy Aquaforce mobile water treatment units and manage crisis situations in a humanitarian environment.
The Foundation's partners, Médecins Sans Frontières and Solidarités International, were also on hand to report on joint missions and share best practices. Experienced volunteers who had already been on a mission also shared their experiences in the field.
Some of these Veoliaforce volunteers take part in the French Red Cross' Humanitarian Emergency Response Teams (ERU). What are these teams? Specialized personnel and equipment that can be deployed at short notice during sudden-onset or slow-onset disasters. These ERUs are activated when the local and regional capacities of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement are exceeded. The expertise of Veoliaforce volunteers in access to water and sanitation is particularly sought after.
As part of a partnership between the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and Veolia Foundation, two Veoliaforce experts, supported NRC to train staff from the local municipality in Ocotepeque, Honduras to help ensure long-term access to water. An Aquaforce 2000, capable of supplying water for 2,000 people, was deployed with staff trained on its operation. NRC is now able to support to provide a safe and reliable water supply to approximately 2000 people everyday.
Lastly, the Bioforce Institute, a training and career guidance center for humanitarian professions, welcomed two Veoliaforce waste management experts to train students at the Vénissieux site in June.
The experience of access to essential services is becoming an essential part of humanitarian intervention. With Veoliaforce skills sponsorship, the Veolia Foundation organizes the provision of this invaluable expertise. They enable NGOs to improve their efficiency and responsiveness to populations affected by disasters.
RESOURCES
- Find out more about Veoliaforce's skills sponsorship and the missions carried out with our partners
- Find out more about the French Red Cross's International Emergencies division and the Emergency Response Unit (ERU).