Browse Hierarchy DEVC7002: Shelter After Disaster

While very few humanitarian organisations list post-disaster reconstruction as one of their main activities, many often become instrumental in their delivery of large-scale post disaster shelter projects. Yet, as the recent Haiti earthquake and previous large disasters, such as the Asian Tsunami and the Kashmir earthquake, show, shelter after disaster is complex, spanning immediate relief needs of security and comfort to longer term development issues of land, ownership, funding, community engagement and political control. This module analyses the scale of the issues and examines shelter as an emerging discipline. The module will use case studies to illustrate different models of shelter programming and identifies the tools necessary to implement a good shelter project. Emphasis will be placed on both product and process; on product the importance of engineering and good building to reduce vulnerability; and on process the necessity for ownership, i.e. engaging people affected by disasters. The module will be highly participatory, using lectures, seminars, group work, simulations and case studies of practice. A practical building workshop will be included to show the importance of safe building techniques. The focus will be on the importance of safe houses as a step towards immediate recovery and long term reduction in vulnerability, placing people and the community centre stage and the relationships with wider development issues and risk reduction.