RESTORING LIVES Building back better in Dominica March 30, 2018 they are always there - measuring, hammering, monitoring. They use the building code booklet and they are going by the book. SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION TO BUILD BACK BETTER They are always on time and are always willing to share information with me. Out of 10, I would give them 9.5”. On Tuesday 27 March 2018, members of the UNDP Dominica Project Office embarked on a tour across the island to review the Her sentiments echo the response of several homeowners who progress of partners, including those utilising or expected to are beneficiaries of this generous donation from the utilise the Government of the People’s Republic of China funded Government of China. materials, engaged in rebuilding efforts. This monitoring mission allowed the team to effectively review and understand the challenges being faced and opportunities to advance the roofing The roofs in Woodford Hill, Calibishie, and Dublanc have been program. Beyond maintaining a close relationship with other completed and partners have started on internal repairs to walls, agencies who are partnering with UNDP to support the electricity, and plumbing in each of those clinics with full installation of resilient roofs, UNDP is also engaging with rehabilitation to be completed by mid-April. beneficiaries to get important feedback on how it has impacted their lives. In the community of Castle Bruce the Team stopped at the home of Otisha Paul, a schoolteacher at the Castle Bruce Primary School and active member of the community. She expressed her satisfaction with the work that is being done on her roof. Image 2: The Calibishie Health Centre. PHOTO UNDP / Zaimis Olmos During the tour, the Team saw work being done at the Bense Primary. The Paix Bouche Primary will be re-roofed in collaboration with partners. Image 1: The home of Castle Bruce Resident being reroofed.. Otisha Paul. PHOTO: UNDP/Zaimis Olmos “I feel very confident with what they are doing so far, because appeared to be following safe working standards, and the quality of construction seemed to be of sufficient standard at all the locations we visited.” One area of concern was the “lack of screws and a lack of hurricane straps on the island” as indicated by some foremen. The tour wrapped up with a Town Hall meeting in the community of Newtown, organised by a local youth group in association with the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and Investment. The audience comprised contractors, builders, and homeowners. The engineers walked attendees through the Guide to Dominica's Housing Standards. According to Mr. Image 3: The Paix Bouche Primary School to be re-roofed with support from Jeffries, the audience was both “interested and engaged.” UNDP. PHOTO: UNDP / Zaimis Olmos DEBRIS MANAGEMENT: CASH FOR WORK March 15 marked the end of debris clearance activities under the emergency employment programme in the seven communities of Delices, La Plaine, Grand Bay, Mero, Layou, Calibishie and OUTREACH AND PROMOTION OF BUILD BACK BETTER Pichelin. The EEP will continue to provide support to the Support to the Build Back Better (BBB) approach has been remaining nine communities until April/May 2018, including enabled through the presence of Engineers Without Borders support to feeder road clearance. (EWB), who have had representatives in Dominica since October 2017. EWB have been working through UNDP and with the government of Dominica in offering training to contractors, community education outreach and contributing to the revision of the national housing standards document. EWB Engineers have been in the field inspecting the work done by various local contractors using China-funded materials and were part of Tuesday’s tour. Image 5: NEP worker providing support to clear Chatuelle Feeder Road in Belle Vue Chopin. PHOTO: UNDP / Zaimis Olmos DISASTER RISK REDUCTION (DRR) AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE PREPAREDNESS (ERP) An overview of DRR and ERP activities and plans of international actors was finalised and shared with the UN Resident Coordinator to inform inter-agency plans and mobilise additional Image 4: EWB engineer Joe Jeffries engages with local contractors on a local residence. PHOTO: UNDP / Zaimis Olmos support for Dominica ahead of the next hurricane season which begins June 1. VIDEO: CARIBBEAN HURRICANE RECOVERY EWB engineer Joseph Jeffries says he is satisfied with the work The post disaster recovery contributions of the Chinese he has inspected thus far: “From an engineering perspective, I government to Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda following saw nothing at the work sites that raised any concerns. The crews Hurricanes Maria and Irma was featured in a short (1.41 mins) Caribbean Hurricane Recovery video. Watch or download video on Youtube , Vimeo and Dropbox. Also see flickr album photos documenting restorations and rebuilding activity. DOMINICA IN NUMBERS: • 29,431 homes surveyed through the Building Damage Assessment (BDA) • US$3m in roofing materials donated by the Government of the People’s Republic of China • 405 persons employed in Emergency Employment Programme managed by the National Employment Programme of Dominica United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Dominica Project Office www.bb.undp.org | undp.org/resilientcaribbean Twitter | Instagram @PNUDLAC | undp.org/resilientcaribbean Facebook.com/pnudlac | flickr.com/undplac Facebook.com/UNDPDominica .