62 / 156
Through expansion of best practices gained from CAMI and in
the regional CERDM programme, WV included a focus on
increasing a community’s capacity to advocate its interests within
the existing policy environment on disaster response. Under the
expanded programme, affected community members learnt to
systematically articulate their needs and circumstances. As a
result, they were able contribute to the dialogue that shaped
municipal and national response protocols, and were ultimately
included in various government planning processes. Advocacy
advisors were engaged to support communities’ involvement in
municipal and national response planning that ensured CODEL
structures were recognized as the organized link to the local
community in responding to an adverse event.
Results and outcomes
Working with communities, local government and the national
emergency structure, WVH was able to establish a viable mitiga-
tion programme in 13 ADPs (224 communities) with the
following outcomes:
• Communities participated in and managed their own disas-
ter mitigation planning and implementation programme
• Community resources were utilized to assist in the process
• The project was comprehensive, covering local needs from
emergency response to disaster mitigation
• There was vertical and horizontal integration of response and
mitigation plans within civil society between municipal and
local levels
• The participation of women in emergency issues was
strengthened
• Awareness of communities was raised about their own risk,
and capacities to analyse and plan were built through risk
and resources mapping.
Through lessons learnt, workshops and an external evaluation
conducted by the University of Miami, the following strengths
were identified in the CAMI programme and its sister project
CERDM:
• Development of grassroots capacities
• Coordination with local government, specifically with civil
defence institutions
• Improved community rapid response capacity
• Improved targeting of aid
• Improved community solidarity and cohesion
• Proactive approach to community management of crises
• Engagement of indigenous participants in Ecuador
• Development of training materials contextualized to local
Quechua communities
• Increased leadership opportunities for women
• Increased engagement of children and youths in building
community resilience.
In 2001, skills and knowledge developed under the CAMI project
were put to the test during the response to Hurricane Michelle.
Communities then in the early stages of the CAMI training were
already able to apply skills learnt within the context of an actual
disaster, dramatically reducing the need for outside assistance.
Assessment and record-keeping skills helped municipal-level civil
defence authorities to more accurately target distribution of aid.
The overall impact was the greater role of communities in leading
the response.
The reduction in loss of lives and damage to livelihoods, and
the difference in speed and quality of response and rehabilita-
tion activities between Hurricanes Mitch and Michelle were
dramatic, illustrating once again the efficacy of building local
capacities for disaster reduction. Though Michelle poured as
much water over the region as Mitch did, of a total estimated
7,827 families in the five ADPs’ sphere of influence, one life
was lost – and this of a community RRT leader trying to cross
a river to communicate his community’s needs to ADP staff.
The local emergency response system was activated with avail-
able staff almost immediately after the disaster, and an
information flow was established and maintained between
community, national, regional and international levels through-
out the disaster cycle. Distribution of relief supplies – among
them, water purification tablets, blankets and food rations –
began almost immediately. There was not a massive need to
organize shelters – most families that had to evacuate were
able to find shelter with family or neighbours. Thanks in part
to soil stabilization measures promoted by the sustainable agri-
culture programme during the three years before Michelle, crop
losses were not nearly as bad as during Mitch. The most signif-
icant damage was suffered by community water systems and
road systems, and there was an upsurge in illnesses commonly
related with flooding.
Communication with some communities was cut off, leading
to the death mentioned above. This was an important lesson
learnt. Overall, however, it was clear that CAMI had achieved
important results. After a thorough analysis of WV’s response to
Michelle, lessons learnt were integrated into the expanded CAMI
project and later into HEA project plans as well.
Hurricane Mitch clearly demonstrated the need for mitigation
and response capacities to reside at the local level. Hurricane
Michelle demonstrated that systematic, sustained investment in
these capacities, combined with cooperation between local
communities, local government and humanitarian agencies will
drastically reduce the number of lives lost and the degree of
damage incurred by communities during a disaster. This has long-
term positive implications for a community’s level of
development.
Building local capacities reduces disaster risk and helps foster
confidence, dignity and resilience. Ultimately, a community that
learns to resist the impacts of disasters also gains greater insight
in and wherewithal to address the causes of longer-term poverty
and underdevelopment. CAMI and CERDM have demonstrated
these changes in three Latin American countries. These impor-
tant lessons should be integrated into the policies and strategies
of stakeholders working to reduce disaster risks worldwide.
[
] 62
• CERDM is strong in training, but weaker in implementation
• CERDM needs to increase focus on activities such as community
organization, training and education and leadership to improve
sustainability
• CERDM must strengthen humanitarian network activities
• CERDM needs to simplify and contextualize educational materials
• The quality of the humanitarian aid provided by the NGO (WV)
improved when the community had basic knowledge about risk
management and emergency response
• The approach requires significant financial and technical
investment.
2006 CERDM evaluation preliminary conclusions