Rebuilding communities affected by 8.2 earthquake

After the diagnosis finished, maps of vulnerability were made, as well as a map that identified houses with partial damages and total damages in Ixtepec, Oaxaca. From then on, meetings with earthquakes victims are taking part in two separated groups. 

Due to lack of mason workers in the region, starting to build 70 houses has been slow. The work has begun little by little. Nine new houses are building foundations and 43 reinforced houses have started pulling the plaster down to see the cracks in the walls and start covering with a metal mesh.

On the other hand, we started the diagnosis to know the damages in kitchens, comixcal´s bases and bread ovens. After the diagnosis of 114 families, in 5 different neighbourhoods of Ixtepec, we founded out that 94 women needed 78 kitchens, 94 comixcales, 72 bases for comixcales and 34 bread ovens. 

In February we have delivered 94 comixcales in 4 different neighbourhoods, 19,000 bricks and material to build the comixcal´s bases, as well the bread ovens bases, while women have commited to look for the sand to build them. As soon as they get the material the construction will start.

Two hands on workshops for building comixcale´s basis have been made with women, and one participative design traditional kitchen workshop for their construction. 

Although inhabitants of Ixtepec mainly belong to zapaoteca ethnolinguistic group, Cooperacion Comunitaria is also recovering the women´s economy from other communities which are Ikoot or Huave culture. San Francisco del Mar was the first to organize with 23 women who made a kitchen. There, they learned about traditional construction, but Cooperación Comunitaria helped to reinforce the construction to resist the local earthquakes and hard winds that raise the 160km/hr in the region.

After we finished building the kitchen, Amelia, the owner of the first one and who lost her house and kitchen during the earthquake said: “ I am very grateful with all of you because you helped to recover the traditional knowledge that has almost disappeared. I liked the process because we learned something, I like the kitchen. Nowadays people buy all the material, I like this kitchen because is fresh¨.

With the inhabitants` organization and participation, the social recovering and the comprehensive reconstruction are easier and become a process not only a quick action. 

Cooperacion Comunitaria´s team and the communities of Oaxaca are deeply grateful with your contribution.

THANK YOU!!!

Links:

• An interview with Cooperacion Comunitaria about the project
• Totopos production, womens main economic activity.