Lessons from Central America

1998 - 2013

revisiting post disaster projectsin Honduras and Nicaragua

Kurt Rhyner

Central America is the subcontinent with most natural disasters

October 1998, Hurricane Mitch ravages through Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala

Inundations and landslides killed some 20,000 people, more than 1 million people were left homeless

La Betania, Honduras

Relocation of an urban neighbourhood to a new satellite town217 houses built through assisted self helpWith concrete blocks and micro concrete tilesAided self-help

2013....the houses are lived in, many families have added rooms, some have built second floorsThe community is well organized and fights for improvementsViolence is lower than in other areas, in spite of lack of jobs

Malacatoya, Rural resettlement in Nicaragua

135 houses built with beneficiaries from 7 villages Participatory decision making: What house to build How many houses at what standard, how to spread the available funds Innovative design concept

Malacatoya is remote, acces only by ferryThe only local available materials are stones, gravel and sandDecision to build with cyclope concrete and micro concrete tiles construction in aided self-help

In 2013 most houses are inhabited, but maintenance level varies

People have learned to take advantage of the social organization to lobby with NGO's and political parties for sport installations, street lights etc

Results and lessons after 12 years

User satisfaction

Houses are lived in and mostly in good conditions, maintenance is satisfactory (some exceptions in Malacatoya), no structural problems have been found.

In Betania many people have made additions, some second floors and even a third one, in Malacatoya there are fewer and smaller additions.

Several families run small grocery shops or workshops

Results and lessons after 12 yearsBeneficiary targeting

In both communities a few people have soldtheir house (< 5%) and in Betania some are rented out, mostly because of economic migration.

In both communities the social organization is active and they have managed to make significant improvements to the neighbourhood,

in Betania which is part of a satellite town there is good transport and civil services, the houses have accrued good value.

Malacatoya is a remote location and life is much simpler, but they have now schools, clinic, playgrounds and sport fields

Results and lessons after 12 yearsReplication

Both projects are relocations and there is no land available at affordable prices nearby. Next to Betania there are unused plots as other projects stopped short and there is soft invasion, building provisional structuresor adobe houses

Families expand within their properties. In Malacatoya another project has bought some land and built a small housing project, some squatters have settled nearby

Results and lessons after 12 years

Technical performance

In Betania the walls were built withreinforced masonry and designed to accept a second level, in response to the small plots. Several families have made this addition, no problems are reported.

In Malacatoya the walls were made of cyclope concrete, using locally available materials, including lime-puzzolana cement.

All roofs were covered with locally made micro-concrete tiles. Poor people are used to GCI and some families would have preferred them, sporadic quality problems in the production contributed to critique.

Results and lessons after 12 years

Livelihoods

Betania is an urban community and several of the trained masons are working as such. However political andsocial unrest has virtually stopped construction activities for several years. Unemployment is similar to the country in general.

Malacatoya is a rural community, families are subsistence farmers or farmworkers. Their income situation has not improved.

In both communities, women have taken on responsibility in the social organization.

Reflections

The permanent disaster: poverty and inadequate housing

● Natural events become disaster when the people are poor● Generally they are left alone to resolve their problem● Funds are only available after extraordinary disaster

● Provisional shelters consume those funds.....and the permanent disaster goes on....

Recommendations● No provisional shelters.....solid and durable shelters● Housing funds for permanent actions, lowering vulnerability● Faster decision making and locally based reconstruction

Reflections

Community building...beyond house construction

● Take local actors seriously and give them real roles● Incorporate local materials and skills● Involve beneficiaries, even if professional action would be

cheaper, ● Consider social and political realities

Recommendations

● Base action on a reliable local partner● The project manager is directly on the ground● The project manager has operative decision power

Reflections

Disaster preventive design

● Local conditions require different designs ● Prevailing construction technologies are not necessarily

appropriate● Imported solutions often create new vulnerabilities

Recommendations

● Look at the broad picture, not just at the specific situation● Analyze local availability of materials and skills● Consult with experiences, there is a wide range of them

available

Reflections

Replicability

● Replication can only occur with patient investment and education, this is not primary concern of disaster response

● Commercial loans are not available to the poorest segments of the population nor for traditional or alternative technologies

● Cost and availability of land is a decisive factor

Creation of livelihoods

● On site training has to be enhanced with theory (dual education)● It is difficult to create livelihoods other than construction● This is a different task...a program to attack the permanent

disaster with patient investment

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