Page 138 - JSIF Magazine Approved-v2-web4

entities, including the Caribbean Development Bank, requesting
Sort waste at source enclosure, located for convenience on a community road. The JSIF maintenance training initially consisted of the JSIF
environmental wardens. These environmental wardens support
behaviour change concerning the proper disposal of garbage
and use of alternatives such as composting and recycling. They
also assist with the enforcement of solid waste management
practices and regulations in select communities.
JSIF’s approach was timely because when the Zika Virus
became a national concern, the Fund in conjunction with the
Ministry of Health (MOH)expanded its program in the targeted
communities to eradicate mosquito breeding sites and
control the spread of the disease. The original wardens were
given additional training by the MOH in the identification and
eradication of mosquito breeding sites and control of vector-
borne diseases with a further 200 “Zika Warriors” being hired
for a defined period.
4. Maintenance and Disaster Risk Reduction and Water,
Sanitation & Hygiene Training (WASH)
A large portion of JSIF’s resources has focused on infrastructure,
and to ensure that recipients get the most benefit from the
interventions, JSIF developed and implemented complementary
training components. The most utilized trainings under this
approach are the Maintenance and Disaster Risk Reduction
and the Water Sanitation and Hygiene Training (WASH).
Maintenance and Disaster Risk Reduction
Project sustainability is one of JSIF’s major goals and given
evidence of poor infrastructural maintenance after project
handover, the Fund recognized that this issue would have
to be addressed. So, JSIF added a maintenance training
component and this has become an important part of the
project implementation process. It involves teaching key
persons affiliated with and from the project sponsor group how
to repair and maintain the infrastructure. This approach has
been recognized as pioneering by other national and regional
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information on the processes for possible replication in other
Caribbean islands.
staff working with the groups and providing a manual but
over the years, the training has expanded to ensure that the
participants get a full understanding of the multifaceted nature
of maintenance/disaster preparedness. Consequently, the
JSIF engages its partners to be a part of the training process.
The stakeholders who participate are the Office of Disaster
Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) (for
disaster preparedness), the Fire Department, Parish Council
(PC) (for road and water system projects), National Water
Commission (NWC) (for water system projects), Ministry
of Education (MOE and Early Childhood Commission -for
education projects) and Ministry of Health (MOH) (for health-
related projects).
At the training, JSIF provides general information on the
importance of maintenance and strategies on how to assess
and prevent damage along with how to do routine maintenance.
The partners bring knowledge from the respective organizations
in relation to their areas of expertise. The groups are exposed
to information and strategies that will allow them to protect
their communities from natural disasters and make them safer
and healthier places to live. In most instances, the information
provided was new to the training participants and they have
told the trainers that what they learned can also be applied to
their personal lives.
It should be noted that the training the community groups
receive gives them the ability to undertake minor repairs and
I. Retaining Wall 11
II. Hurricane Strap
III. Stiffener
IV. Rebar
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111
1
3D Model used during the training to demonstrate good building practices. It
shows that in a structurally sound building the roof must have hurricane straps
and walls must be built with rebar (steel holding up the cement blocks) and have
stiffeners (at the corners of the building). To further protect the structure retaining
walls should be built on the hillsides around it to prevent land slippage.