Fresh water is vital for life. On average, a human being cannot survive more than three days without it. Water is essential for the production of our food, virtually all of our goods and services and for the environment.
The world now faces increasing challenges posed by water stress, floods and droughts and lack of access to clean supplies. There is an urgent need to improve forecasting, monitoring and management of water supplies and to tackle the problem of too much, too little or too polluted water. (The World Meteorological Organisation, World Met Day 2020)
Habitat Trinidad & Tobago has had to deal first hand with the effects of climate change in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider region. As we observe #WorldMetDay on March 23, and with the support of Habitat International’s Latin America and Caribbean Area Office in Costa Rica, we now offer a holistic suite of services to respond to shelter incidents in the English-speaking Caribbean. Following the successful completion of the #BuildBackBetter project in Dominica (in partnership with the Lutheran World Relief and the International Office of Migration) we are well-positioned and ready to mobilize as the Lead Shelter Actor in CARICOM.
Our Caribbean Services Catalogue includes:
ASSESSMENT OF HOUSES
Assessment tools and engineers.
Habitat has experience in developing assessment tools for houses damaged, and also to identify the repairs/retrofitting needed. Habitat can also convene and deploy civil engineers from Trinidad and Tobago with experience in carrying out housing assessments.
RECRUITMENT OF PROFESSIONALS FROM NEIGHBOURING CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES
Skilled builders, engineers, architects, land tenure specialists.
Immediately after a disaster, it is not easy to find enough skilled technicians and builders in the affected country, due to the size of the countries and the type of economy prevailing in the region (tourism). Furthermore, it takes several months to train the local labour force. Through our network in the region, Habitat could deploy advisers from Jamaica and Haiti (land lawyers, land surveyors and GIS specialists), and convene civil engineers and architects who are Caribbean nationals and licensed to work in the region.
BASIC CONSTRUCTION TRAINING
Carpentry & Masonry training.
Habitat has developed a training package on the construction of wooden houses, with a special version for the repairing of roofs only. This integrates build-back-safer issues, explaining low-cost techniques for retrofitting of houses. We have also developed a training package on masonry, focusing especially on foundations and bearing structures resilient to disasters. Both courses are based on manuals contextualized for the Caribbean region.
HEALTHY HOUSING AWARENESS
Based on the recommendations from the Pan-American Health Organization, Habitat has developed a training package on hygienic-sanitary practices in homes and neighbourhoods. We can provide both train-the-trainer facilitators and community rollouts for the Healthy Housing Habits programme.
COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION
Habitat could provide expertise and resources to support the development and implementation of community mobilization strategies. Our flagship programme PASSA – (Participatory Approach to Safe Shelter Awareness) is a participatory methodology to assess risks, raise awareness and plan for safer shelter at the community level.
PROCUREMENT OF CONSTRUCTION INPUTS FROM TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
The construction department of Habitat Trinidad and Tobago Habitat can offer tendering and procurement services, especially for building materials for compatible jurisdictions.
LAND TENURE REGULARIZATION SERVICES, CAPACITY BUILDING & GIS ENUMERATION AND MAPPING
Habitat for Humanity’s fit-for-purpose services include know-how, methodologies, a GIS platform, apps, and other tools to advance the land tenure relationship. We support the security of tenure, sustainable land use, management and administration, territorial planning, land rights and land tenure systems assessments, as well as technological, legal, surveying and community participation solutions to make current systems more cost-effective, efficient, and sustainable.
Habitat can produce georeferenced information of a given community through enumeration exercises and produce maps using GIS software. We can also offer access to an online GIS platform, accessible through desktops, tablet computers and cell phones.
To learn more about how you and your organisation can contribute to Disaster Management programmes in the region, please contactus@habitat-tt.org or call 675-1222.
