Isle de Rhonde, a 2,000-acre island, is located 5 nautical miles off the northern coast of Sauteurs, St Patrick, Grenada.
On Thursday, 31 August 2017, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Integrated Climate Change Adaptation Strategies (ICCAS) team, accompanied by representatives from the Environment Division, Department of Public Health, NAWASA and a group from Exled Caribbean, visited Isle de Rhonde to further improve the living conditions for residents on the island.
As a part of the UNDP-ICCAS project entitled ‘Building Resilience in the Fishing Community of Isle de Rhonde,’ the Exled Caribbean installed a 1,140-kw grade solar system with 6 solar panels on the newly constructed Climate Change Power House to power charging ports, 3 fluorescent bulbs, and a 25-cubic foot freezer, which will provide better storage for fish from the time they are caught to the point of sale.
On that day, the Isle de Rhonde project hosted an education and awareness session. David Gabriel an officer from NAWASA, presented on proper water treatment techniques, with special emphasis on chlorination. This activity included a demonstration of the amount of chlorine that is needed for the 1,000-gallon storage water tanks. On a previous mission, the project delivered 12 water storage tanks for the 12 households. The residents have been without an adequate water supply for the past few years, because the natural water source — a pond — has been reduced due to climatic changes, in particular severe drought conditions.
Deryck Ramkhelawan, Environmental Officer supported by Andre Worme, Senior Environmental Health Officer of the Department of Public Health, delivered a presentation on proper sanitation techniques. The methods included the setup and proper care of compost toilets (pit latrines), as this is the main sanitary facility available on the island. The 12 composting facilities were procured through the project in order to reduce the residents’ vulnerability and as such improve their standard of living.
The day was filled with work and fun including eating freshly-picked watermelons and mangoes and roasting freshly-caught fish. The residents welcomed and assisted the team as well as provided feedback during the presentations. The project will improve communication and cold storage facilities on the island for the fisher residents.
The ICCAS project is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag. It is implemented by the Government of Grenada, through its Environment Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GmbH) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
UNDP-ICCAS Office, Ministry of Agriculture
