A group of twenty volunteers wearing yellow t-shirts with a government of Haiti logo are hard at work emptying a canal choc-a-block with rubbish and rubble in the outskirts of Cité Soleil, one of the capital's impoverished and overcrowded neighbourhoods.

Equipped with boots, gloves and masks, they wield machetes and spades to clear the undergrowth and remove the garbage from "Projet Drouillard", a canal that used to channel rain waters away from the rickety houses that cramp Cité Soleil.

Since early April 2010, IOM with funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has lent its support to the government of Haiti in its efforts to clear tens of thousands of tons of accumulated rubbish from several key canals to mitigate the risks of flooding ahead of the rainy season.    

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"In less than three weeks, IOM teams cleared more than 100,000 tons of trash and rubble from canals in Port-au-Prince", says Nader Joiséus, an engineer by training who has the challenging task of supervising canal clearance for Haiti's ministry of public works.  He adds that this represents more than 6,250 truckloads, each filled to the brim with 16 tons of rubbish.

"We even managed to scrub canal St George clean of all garbage thanks to IOM's support, a task which the municipality had failed to complete in the past because of a lack of means".

To complete this vital canal clearance work, IOM employs a team of 25 engineers, each responsible for clearing a section with the help of mechanical diggers and other heavy lifting equipment. For areas not accessible to machines, such as sections under bridges or in overcrowded neighbourhoods, IOM has set up a cash-for-work programme to employ local residents in need of work.

Short term contracts were signed with the engineers, who were also responsible for teams of local workers who were paid on a daily basis.

"IOM supervises the work of daily labourers to make sure the clearing project moves ahead", says Philippe, a community leader from Cité Soleil.

Colette has lived for 36 years in Cannibale, a sector of Cité Soleil that remained mostly "out-of-bounds" because of chronic insecurity. She says this is the first time this canal has been cleared of rubbish.

"Only a month ago, you couldn't see this canal because it was so full", says Jim Kelly Guiteau, a local engineer hired by IOM. He says in some areas, the canal had to be excavated from scratch.      

Colette welcomes this clearing work noting that, "Rains used to push many people to seek refuge on the roof of their houses. Those who could afford it left the sector sometime ago".

IOM has been working for several years now with the Haitian Ministry of Public Work to build canals and other vital public infrastructure.

Without proper garbage disposal mechanisms, residents have for many years used canals as a dumping ground for household garbage, with sometimes lethal consequences when rain waters are not properly evacuated towards the sea.

Nader Joseius acknowledges that this important canal clearing work must continue, at least for the duration of the six-month rainy season. Funding from USAID will ensure this vital need is fulfilled.

The first phase of canal clearance was finalized in mid May. In some cases, IOM and its partners had to convince local residents that it was in their best interests to move away from the immediate vicinity of the canal so as to allow the construction of solid walls to channel the rain waters.

Cash-for-work programmes have also been implemented for residents of the Delmas neighbourhood, who were employed to build containment parapets. For Manno, a local stone mason who has lived for a decade within yards of the canal, this programme was the best thing that could happen to him and his family.

Not only did he earn cash for his work but his environment has been made much more secure.