Rebuilding communities affected by 8.2 earthquake

Introduction

During the reconstruction process of the Istmo of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, we have the results of collective work coming from communal organization and the strengthening of their constructive knowledge.Communities have reinforced their social ties and their commitment to generate a habitat that is in harmony with their culture and the environment.

The collective work has demonstrated that the objectives of reducing vulnerabilities and the strengthening of self- management is possible thanks to the hand in hand work, recovery of constructive systems and local materials self-management.

Reducing vulnerability of Women in La Blanca Community

During our social work with the community, we have reduced women's productive and economic vulnerability. While building their kitchens they have increased their knowledge on building and on the use of local materials. They have also recovered their income by selling local food and totopos. This is very useful because womens income represents an average of 33% of familie´s economy. In addition, women are recovering their ancestral alimentary culture, which strengthen their food sovereignty.

The kitchens are made by the reinforced constructive systems with local materials, which reduce the cost of building, it's more secure and their thermal characteristics make it comfortable and more habitable.

In the two years of work that we have been in the community, women have built 30 kitchens with the Cooperacion Comunitaria technique advisory.

Nursery-garden for reforestation of community

As part of the process of social and integral reconstruction of habitat, we have created a nursery-garden with community. This space has gathered people from all ages for the reforestation of timber species in order to give back to nature what we have taken from it to kitchen's construction. This nursery garden has sensibilize the community on the importance of reforestation in order to avoid land erosion, keep humidity, and contribute to a healthy environment. This part of the reconstruction process has the objective of the self management of plants and woods growth for their necessities. You can learn more about the process in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54gNs0Jf330

Autoconstruction of houses with local materials

The reconstruction process involves not only the building of houses, but also the strengthening of self- management building abilities that enable the constructive culture reproduction, their way of life and production. Throughout this process we have generated a working group with 10 families where the self -reflection has contributed to the diagnostic and participative design for the construction of their homes, recovering the bajareque building culture. 

The participant group that is starting the self production of traditional housing is currently managing the search for reused wood in good condition, as well as the stones and earth to start the rebuilding labour work. 

Tools for self management

Throughout the reconstruction, CC has been part of a formative process with builders and women which form part of a group or promoters and participants who have strengthened their self-management skills and generated conscience about the importance of saving the traditional building systems using local materials and taking care of the natural resources. Promoters have strengthened their leadership skills, as well as comunitary diagnosis.

On the other side, we have imparted first aid and use of equipment workshops for builders to propitiate a more safe working environment. We have also been part of a formative workshop for the self- management building skills as part of the Social Production and Management of habitat logic.

Links:

• Nursery-garden for reforestation experience video

During the covid pandemic our work related to food sovereignty has continued. Even in this context, we have managed to continue the reconstruction and reforestation projects; always with previous permission of the communities assemblies. 

Second phase results and beginning of the third stage of earthquake and strong winds resistant kitchens in La Blanca

After the 2017 earthquakes occurred, in La Blanca, Oaxaca, CC carried out an integral diagnostic for the reconstruction of kitchens given their productive importance for women in the region. In total we have finished 20 kitchens- composting toilets and we are currently building 10 more.

During this trimester, as part of this work, reforestation of timber species was made in order to give back to nature what we have taken for the kitchens reconstruction. As part of this activity, the integration and strengthening of two promoters that are currently working in the communitary mapping of natural resources has taken place. These promoters are working alongside the reforestation process team. 

This activity that we use as a part of the Social Production and Management of Habitat process strengthens the communities relation with the territory, reduces environmental impact and gives the communities tools for habitat self-management. In this region we have also consolidated a work group, increased the participation, and promoted the recovery and knowledge exchange that allow the continuation of constructive sovereignty of the communities in the medium and long term. 

Furthermore, we are glad to communicate that we have reached a governmental co-financed fund for 10 bajareque traditional houses reconstruction. This climate and earthquake adapted bajareque houses are destined for high grade vulnerable families that haven't received support for the reconstruction of their houses. 

As part of the formative technique process we carried out a socio environmental diagnostic alongside the families and we built  a bajareque ceren composted toilet. This, with the objective of sharing the necessary technique so that the community learns how to build them, to sensitise in their use and build their own in the future.

Participatory risk diagnostic with San Felipe and Las Conchas, Chimapala, communities 

Due to good results as part of the reconstruction works in La Blanca, San Felipe and Conchas communities contacted CC to begin the reconstruction process in their communities, which are located at the north of Istmo de Tehuantepec, in San Miguel Chimalapa municipality.

In these communities  we performed participative diagnostics, risk mapping and sensibilization on the use of local materials in homes and kitchens.This, in order to strengthen the traditional constructive knowledge from local materials, and to sensibilize on the ecological, economic and social benefits. These workshops have been relevant for the communities being that industrial materials used by governmental reconstruction programs  don't fit with climate and local culture, leaving aside their ancient knowledge related with the sustainable use of natural goods.

Sharing our experience 

Derived from the reconstruction process in 8 communities in which  we have been reducing socio environmental vulnerability since  2017 earthquakes, Universidad Iberoamericana, campus Puebla, invited us to impart workshops on Production, Management and Social Reconstruction of Habitat with risk integral management perspective, and a conference on risk integral management in patrimonial contexts.

On the other hand, Fondo Semillas invited us to impart an integral risk management workshop to a group of local women´ organizations from 30 different communities with whom they  worked on the  reconstruction after the 2017 earthquake. 

We were also invited to present our paper on “Rebuilding bajareque cerén kitchens from traditional knowledge of Oaxaca communities in México” at the International Conference on traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism. 

We are grateful for the invitation extended by GlobalGiving to share our experience during the methodology feedback workshop amongst their counterparts.