WCDO: A Neighborhood Approach to Build Resilience and Repair Shelters (NABuRRS) Grant No: 72OFDA19CA00087 Semi-Annual Progress Report October 2020 – March 2021

The project aims to reinforce the capacity of the South Peninsula population to be better prepared for future natural disasters. WCDO is working in close cooperation with the Directorate of Civil Protection (DPC) and other partners in the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) sector to ensure synergy in the project implementation. The project's objective is to equip and prepare communities, reinforce existing structures, and adopt a holistic approach to reach the objectives of providing safe shelter during severe weather events. The project targets 2,218,483 residents of four departments in Haiti, with a focus on 10,000 people and 2,000 households. The project aims to repair and upgrade 100 community evacuation shelters, each hosting 100 people. During the reporting period from October 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021, WCDO faced challenging conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and rising insecurity levels in the country. Despite these circumstances, the organization adapted new strategies to continue implementing the project's activities. Key achievements during this period include the completion of Participatory Assessment for Disaster Risk (PADR) planning sessions, shelter assessments, and volunteer enrollment. WCDO achieved its target of 203 community hazard risk plans, including 50 in the southeast, 37 in the Nippes, 69 in the south, and 47 in Grand-Anse. The project team also assessed 198 shelters in the four targeted departments, bringing the total number of shelters assessed to 707. WCDO completed a Shelter Assessment Report detailing key findings and recommendations, which was submitted for review and approval to BHA/USAID. The organization also enrolled 53 new volunteers to support the project at the communal section level in the NABuRRS project intervention areas. EMI facilitated a seven-day training on detailed design and bill of quantities (BOQ) development for five project engineers, covering topics such as SPHERE Handbook, EMI Civil Design Guide, and MTPTC Guide for Wind and Seismic Reinforcement of Buildings. WCDO maintained close collaboration with stakeholders, including DPC and local authorities, to facilitate the implementation of the NABuRRS project activities. The organization participated in 12 monthly donor meetings, 4 formal meetings with DPC, and 3 shelter cluster meetings with shelter cluster partners. WCDO also established an agreement with DINEPA to support the WASH component of the project. The project's governance structure includes an Advisory Group (AG) that convenes every three months to serve as a consultative and advisory entity during the project's life. The AG will also play the role of a technical support unit to ensure shelter-related standards are respected during the project implementation. The next AG meeting is scheduled for June 2021. Major procurements made during this reporting period include the purchase of one professional drone to map out shelters, two additional Honda motorbikes, and different water testing kits for water evaluation in selected shelters. Despite the challenges faced, the project team has made significant progress in implementing the NABuRRS project activities, and the project is on track to achieve its objectives.