Improving learning and practice in the NGO shelter sector

Very few humanitarian organisations list post-disaster shelter reconstruction as one of their main activities. Nonetheless, many have become instrumental in the delivery of large-scale post disaster family shelter projects, despite their lack of in-house expertise, managing in many cases multi-million pound budgets.

Although there have been examples of successful shelter programmes, it is unfortunately the case that the overall picture is one of low quality and missed opportunities. At the heart of the challenges facing the shelter sector is the need to improve the standard of response: to help families and NGOs build better, safer, more durable and more dignified homes. There is clearly an opportunity to make a significant difference to the lives and wellbeing of hundreds of thousands of people who have experienced unimaginable loss through natural disaster and/or conflict.

Some of the major areas highlighted that need improvement are:

• A critical need for a strong shelter community and knowledge sharing
• Understanding complexity – the misguided belief in many NGOs that shelter is a straightforward activity
• Project management – frequently either project managers are engaged with little or no construction experience or, vice versa, construction professionals are engaged with little or no humanitarian expertise
• Technical expertise – shelters are all too often built in large numbers with scant attention to the basics of social dynamics, good design, sound engineering and good construction practice
• Disaster Risk Reduction – with the number of disasters set to increase it is essential to concentrate on preparedness, risk reduction and design solutions that are appropriate and can be easily understood and reproduced

Objective and aim:

The project's overall objective is to improve the post-disaster shelter capacity of NGOs which will be achieved through facilitating learning and improving practice.

The specific aims can be broken down into:

• Human resources. Actively encouraging new personnel into the shelter sector, thereby widening the pool of humanitarian staff. Capacity building within the sector and sensitising existing management level staff in the complexities of shelter programming
• Science, technology and innovation. The application of sound engineering and good construction techniques to ensure that all shelter projects are built to known standards of hazard resistance. Improve the level of professional response in the shelter sector
• Preparedness and future planning. Through learning, documentation and dissemination, build up a body of knowledge and experience. Promote, develop and put into practice the principles of DRR in shelter responses

Outcomes:

The projects long term outcomes include the following:

• A strengthened post disaster shelter delivery sector
• Enhanced expertise within the sector, resulting from practice-based education in shelter after disaster
• Strengthened NGO and university collaboration in post disaster shelter, with strong practice and learning links
• An increase in the number of professional personnel trained and experienced in shelter response
• Increased capacity as a result of practice in the field: INGOs, country offices and local NGOs will be better placed to execute high quality shelter programmes

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