[August 13, 2025] – Global Affairs Canada must determine whether the proposed project: [Improving Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care (aka TUMAINI), located in in Burundi & Democratic Republic of Congo is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

To help inform this determination, Global Affairs Canada is inviting comments from the public respecting that determination. All comments received will be considered public and may be posted online.

Written comments can be sent by Sepbember 5, 2025 to :

Environment Specialists

Global Affairs Canada

200 Promenade du Portage
Gatineau (QC) J8X 4B7
Email: CommentsIAARegistry-CommentairesRegistreLEI@international.gc.ca

 

The Proposed Project

The project aims to help children, adolescents and women who are at risk of, or survivors of, sexual and gender-based violence access sexual and reproductive health care in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi. Project activities include: 1) providing training to communities and raising awareness about sexual and reproductive health and rights topics, particularly SGBV; 2) providing training to health care providers and facilities on sexual and reproductive health care, and particularly supporting them with relation to caring for those who are at risk of, or a survivors of, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) ; and 3) advocating for policy which addresses SGBV, including preventative measures and also improving care and services for survivors, in Burundi and the DRC.

The project expects to benefit nearly 3 million people. The University of Montreal's International Health Unit is implementing this project in partnership with the Hygeia Initiative, the Panzi Foundation and numerous local partners, including women's and youth rights groups.

Physical works include:

The construction of accessible and gender sensitive latrines and showers in existing buildings as specified below:

In Bukavu 6 toilets will be construced on the main floor of the training center; 4 toilets on the first floor, 4 toilets on the second floor and four toilets on the third floor. The center will also be equipped with a three-chamber septic system with wastewater discharge to a leaching bed.

In Kabondozi's reproductive health center 7 showers and 4 toilets will be constructed on the posterior side of the building, 2 toilets with showers in the building by the birthing ward and in the lodging part of the center, 4 toilets will be constructed. A three-chamber septic system with wastewater discharge to a leaching bed will be constructed.

In Kaziba administration building, 3 toilets with showers will be built on the side of the building and their one stop center will include the construction of 2 toilets and 2 showers on one side of the building and 2 toilets with showers on the right end of the main façade of the building. A three-chamber septic system with wastewater discharge to a leaching bed will be constructed for each buiding.

 

In Mwenga, the clinic will be equipped with 5 toilets with showers and the intensif care building will have 2 showers and two toilets built at each extremity of the building. A three-chamber septic system with wastewater discharge to a leaching bed will be constructed.

 

In each location, the septic tanks will be constructed on-site and sized according to the occupancy and use of the facilities. Sludge removal will be carried out according to a monitoring plan (quantity, spreading location and/or storage site) integrated into the Wastewater Management Plan (WMP).

 

The construction of three incinerators is planned for each health facility with the following capacity:

• KABONDOZI : 50 kg/day
• KAZIBA : 50 kg/day
• MWENGA : 75 kg/day

They will be equipped with a chimney at least 6 meters high, protected from rain, and with primary pyrolytic combustion chambers capable of reaching the regulatory temperatures for the disposal of biomedical waste, ranging between 800 and 1100°C.