Emerging stronger? Assessing the outcomes of Habitat for Humanity’s housing reconstruction programmes following the Indian Ocean tsunami

Abstract

Habitat for Humanity (HFH) built, rehabilitated or repaired homes for 25,000 families \nin four countries in the five years following the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. As part \nof a broader organizational and learning review in 2009-2010, HFH commissioned \nArup International Development to carry out an assessment of its post-tsunami housing \nreconstruction programmes in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Indonesia. The purpose \nof this assessment was to investigate the extent to which HFH’s tsunami-response \nhousing reconstruction programmes had contributed to the development of sustainable \ncommunities and livelihoods. Arup International Development undertook the assessment \nusing the ASPIRE tool they had developed with Engineers Against Poverty. Basing their \nassessment on programme documentation and key informant interviews, household \nquestionnaires and workshops with communities in each country, they completed one \nassessment for each country and a fifth assessment covering all four countries. This \nenabled comparison of both the impact of these four programmes and how the outcomes \nvaried as a result of varying approaches and contextual issues. / The assessment found that HFH’s programme had made a significant contribution to \nthe development of sustainable communities and livelihoods. The provision of high \nquality core homes had reduced household vulnerability and increased the standard \nof living, while HFH’s participatory process had increased community cohesion and \ndeveloped positive relationships between communities and a range of external actors. \nThere were also areas for improvement such as: the incorporation of hazard assessment, \nsettlement planning and infrastructure at settlement level; greater community \nparticipation in decision-making regarding settlement planning, house design and \nthe choice of appropriate construction techniques and technologies; greater focus on \nlivelihood support and diversification both during construction and after completion of \nthe housing programme; and complementing HFH’s experience in housing construction \nwith the specialist expertise of other actors to maximize the impact of its work.

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