News Room
Canadian Red Cross shelter program – Jacmel and Leogane
May 10, 2010
Interview with Martin de Vries
Recovery Manager and New Programs, Canadian Red Cross International Operations
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Canadian Red Cross delegate Tanya Grygaski stands in front of the prototype Canadian Red Cross shelter in Jacmel |
What can you tell me about the Canadian Red Cross shelter program?
In order to meet the emergency needs of earthquake survivors in Haiti, the Red Cross, along with 60 other humanitarian organizations, distributed tents, tarps and shelter tools to over 1.24 million people.
We’ve always known that tents and tarps are not a long-term solution and soon after the earthquake began planning next steps. The Canadian Red Cross will be supporting communities in Jacmel and Leogane with 7,500 wooden shelters. Funding for an additional 7,500 will be provided to the International Federation of the Red Cross.
This project is a partnership with the Government of Canada and their generous matching donation program. In addition to shelter, we will ensure that families also benefit from adequate water and sanitation systems and proximity to social infrastructure such as schools and health facilities.
With the rainy season well underway, and the hurricane season approaching, why, four months after the quake, are these shelters not ready?
Two major factors are impacting our ability to build shelters for people: the immense amounts of rubble that still remain on viable plots of land, and land ownership issues.
Space:
Communities experienced immense infrastructure damage in Haiti. My colleagues there have compared it to a war-zone, what one might have seen during World War II. In addition to that, tents line the streets and in some cases fill the streets, parks, school yards, etc. Until the rubble is properly removed and space is made available, we have limited to build.
Land ownership:
Between 70-80 per cent of homeless people in Haiti were renters before the earthquake struck. This means that we can’t simply build a new structure where families used to live. We must determine who owns what land, and work with landowners to gain the proper permissions to build.
Both factors are time-consuming and directly block our ability to begin building. We continue to work closely with local authorities, other humanitarian agencies and community leaders to overcome these challenges, but unfortunately, it’s slow work.
Can you describe these shelters that will be provided by the Canadian Red Cross?
They are 18-square-metre wooden-framed houses with a plywood exterior and a corrugated iron roof. They will be earthquake-resistant and built to withstand winds of up to 240 km/hour. We will be using treated wood that is appropriate for homes to ensure they are termite, fungus and rot resistant.
What is the procurement process for materials?
The Canadian Red Cross launched a number of tenders to source materials. The companies chosen will provide the hardware, roofing, timber, tools and panels. Due to the immense deforestation in Haiti, raw materials cannot be purchased from within that country. We will be ensuring that all wood we purchase is chain of custody certified to ensure it comes from a sustainable source.
Chain of custody certified ensures that the wood comes from a certified, sustainable mill under either Forest Stewardship Council or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification or Canadian Standards Association certification is also acceptable.
What is the building process?
The shelters will arrive partially pre-assembled and community-based teams will construct them. The kits will arrive in Haiti in the form of pre-cut panels, making it easier to assemble than using raw materials. We’ll also be providing families with tools to help them dig ditches to ensure proper drainage and to do gardening.
In addition to providing secure shelter for families, this project will stimulate the local economy by providing jobs. We will not be using contractors, but rather, we will recruit labourers. These workers will be thoroughly trained and provided with safety equipment such as hard hats, goggles, gloves, safety tape, etc. Additional workers will also be hired to support rubble removal activities.
We are working within the humanitarian Shelter Cluster system, where 60 humanitarian organizations are proactively providing shelter in Haiti, and together, we will establish agreed upon wage guidelines.
Will these shelters be ready for hurricane season?
Faced with space and land challenges, it is difficult to estimate when building will begin and how many shelters will be built during the hurricane season. To support families during the storm season, the International Red Cross is working closely with the Haitian Red Cross to develop a hurricane preparedness plan that will include group shelters, preparing emergency response teams and prepositioning relief items, should roads become inaccessible.
For the Canadian Red Cross shelter program, families in Haiti are being registered, construction teams are in the process of being hired and trained, land is being identified for construction and cleared of rubble, and warehouse space is being rented for storage. Model houses have already been constructed.
Despite the challenges in Haiti, the Canadian Red Cross has a strong, experienced team in Haiti, and with the support of the Haitian Red Cross, we are working hard to ensure that families are well taken care of.
Martin de Vries is part of the Canadian Red Cross International Emergencies response and recovery team, and is focusing on the Canadian Red Cross shelter program in Haiti. Martin was the Canadian Red Cross Housing Reconstruction Manager following the 2004 tsunami. He is responsible for managing the procurement of materials for Haiti and ensuring the Canadian Red Cross provides the best possible service to earthquake survivors.
