As part of its corporate social responsibility and in accordance with the Social Development Plan of its relocation villages, Ambatovy officially handed over the key to a new water supply system constructed by the company, on Monday, April 7, 2014, to the village of Vohitrambato.
One hundred households in Vohitrambato will now benefit from this new water supply system, composed of 11 standpipes and distributed throughout village hamlets, at the primary school, and at the public hospital to replace the system originally set up during the resettlement process. Powered by solar energy, this system is a simple yet innovative way to bring safe river water close to the households that use them. In partnership with the SMCC Company (“Société Malgache de Construction et de Commerce”), which donated the system design along with other contributions, the system is a means to effectively respond to the community’s social needs. The system will be managed by the water committee set up by the population. Additionally, villagers also received training to ensure the upkeep and maintenance of the new system. Further training on the treatment of water into drinking water was also provided to villagers under the WASH Project.
This handover ceremony marks the stakeholders’ takeover of the management, operation, and sustainability of the new infrastructures, including the population, the suburban municipality of Toamasina II, and the Atsinanana Regional Water Directorate.
As a reminder, Ambatovy had to resettle the population living around its Tailings Management Facility and Plant Site to the resettlement villages before the construction of the company’s infrastructures. Carried out in strict compliance with the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) principles and standards, and the Equator Principles, the resettlement program was fully negotiated with the resettled communities. Thus, a Social Development Plan, targeting the self-sufficiency and improved living standards of the families, was established in consultation with all stakeholders.
In addition to water supply, long-term compensatory measures, such as access to housing, support for income-generating activities, and enhancement of these initiatives, have been implemented by Ambatovy. Transitional compensations through training, technical, and other supports are also among the measures that have been taken to offer more comfortable living conditions, leading to autonomy, for the resettled population.
Ambatovy is committed to ensuring access to clean water for all households in the resettlement village of Vohitrambato. The upgrading of the water supply systems of the other remaining households in the village will be done subsequently.
