Practical Action Peru post-earthquake reconstruction

I. Context

Disaster Risks in Peru

• Implications of the Andean Mountain Range and the Humboldt Current: 28 climates and 84 life zones

• High exposure to potentially destructive natural phenomena and the effects of climate change: El Niño, earthquakes, extreme temperatures

• Institutional weakness: centralization and a slow decentralization process; high levels of inequality and poverty

Risks and Housing

- More than 3 millions of houses are not made of cement and bricks, no connection to the water network

- Lack of planning in land use processes, population settles on hazard-prone areas

- Inappropriate self-construction techniques

2007 Earthquake in Pisco

People affected 431,313

Houses destroyed 91,240

Injured 1,289

Deaths 596

- Area of high seismicity

- Impact on various regions of the country

- Long duration

Response to the emergency

- Resources but little effectiveness

- Lack of articulation and coordination between government levels

- Important role of the cooperation and the UN

- Debate gives birth to the SINAGERD law

II. Design and Implementation of the Reconstruction Program

Emergency Phase

• Main actions: provision of aid, rehabilitation of classrooms, implementation of shelters, water supply, creation of committees

• Our intervention in this phase laid the foundation for the reconstruction phase

Emergency and Reconstruction

Emergency and Reconstruction

Construction of:

• 1,365 shelters (6,500 beneficiaries)

• 33 provisional classrooms and 43 definitive classrooms

• 257 improved quincha houses

Reconstruction Proposal

• Problem: use of inadequate technology (adobe), informal land use processes, marginal rural and peri-urban areas, lack of access to government support

• Proposal: community engagement, capacity building, appropriate earthquake-resistant technologies, scaling-up the impact

Improved Quincha Module

Methodology of the Intervention

• Participatory selection of the beneficiaries

• Officials involved in the process

• Creation of collective work groups

• Community participation in project management, logistics and monitoring

Construction Sequence

Construction Sequence

Achievements and Impacts

• Safe and decent housing

• High level of participation of the population and local officials

• Strengthened capacities; new employment option

• Revaluation of improved quincha technology

• Influence on policies: mainstreaming disaster risk reduction

III. Main changes in the context since the end of the project

• Higher levels of local employment

• Growing agro-export and construction sectors

• Promotion of popular housing programs

• Urban upgrading

• National disaster risk reduction policy; specific budget line for DRR actions

• Ministry of Housing proposal for provisional housing

IV. Main lessons about the appropriateness of the project and its impact on the five thematic areas of

the research

a) User Satisfaction

• High level of satisfaction; perception of improved health and security

• Houses in good condition; high level of ownership

• Module design and location allow for extensions

• Effective targeting

• Few cases of houses abandoned, leased or sold

• Contribution to formalization processes

• In some cases, the beneficiaries targeted were not the ones in greatest need

b) Beneficiary Targeting

c) Replication

• No replication in the area

• Impact of government programs

• Increased awareness about security issues

• Real technical mastery?

d) Technical Performance

• Good earthquake resistance

• Optimum thermal conditions

• Direct participation in the construction process and ongoing technical assistance generate trust

e) Livelihoods

• New employment option

• Impact on gender relations

• Negotiation skills

• Weak social organization

V. Reflections: ‘Knowing what you have learned now about the impact of your work, what

would you have changed in the design and implementation of your project?’

Reflections

• How to compete with government subsidies and aid dependency

• How to position the technological proposal in front of other more «prestigious» proposals

• Centralization of advocacy actions

• From training to technical certification