Rebuilding communities affected by 8.2 earthquake

Last September marked one year after the earthquakes that severely affected the Isthmus of Tehuantepec region, in Oaxaca state, Mexico, where we developed the Comprehensive and Social Reconstruction of Habitat project, that has consisted in the recovery of constructive traditions, adequate to the environment and local culture; as well as in the use of local materials and adapted technology that enables safe systems, which resist the strong winds and earthquakes in the region.

During the last trimester of the year (September-November) several commemorative, reflective and training activities have taken place with the purpose of placing the inhabitants as key players for decision-making and taking action in the reconstruction’ process. Also, we sought to foster the recognition of the different processes that compose the whole project by the participants of each one of them; and to exchange their experiences and learning during this last year.

Throughout the project, we have built three school-kitchens where the constructive process serves as practical workshops to learn the reinforcements of bajareque, a traditional constructive system of the region, that adapt to each locality to resist the strong earthquakes and winds in the area.

The first one was built with the Ikoot community of San Francisco del Mar in December of 2017; and two others with the Binnizá communities of Ixtepec and Xadani, this last one was built along with the Centro Operacional de Vivienda (Copevi).

Besides, the last three months two more kitchens were concluded in Ixtepec —three in total— while six other are still in process. All of these have been built with the system of bajareque cerén, based on the traditional bajareque, but instead of placing tree trunks, the branches of trees are woven into columns for each corner. This contributes to diminish the severe deforestation that we have identified in the region.

Also, between September and November, thirteen traditional bread ovens have been finished and six more are in different phases of the construction process.

On the other hand, since last trimester we started the planning and design process of 22 kitchens of bajareque cerén in Niltepec along with Fundación Origen; and the reconstruction of seven bases of comixcal ovens in Santa María Xadani, in coordination with the civil association LUUM, with totopera women (who produce a regional kind of tortilla toast) that work with those organizations to improve the production, distribution and sale of their products.

This part of the project also includes 40 kitchens in San Mateo del Mar, where we reunited with the local Reconstruction Commitee to continue relations and pending commitments since September and October of 2017.

In the case of the housing reconstruction, 18 have been inhabited again by the families who lived there before the earthquakes damaged the structures. Meanwhile, the construction process of 17 new houses continues, as well as 44 reinforcements against the strong earthquakes and winds in the region. To this process, ten houses have been added, which include two of them that will be rebuilt with the system of traditional bajareque, with materials that were recovered from collapsed housing, such as trunks and roof tiles.

In the Center of Arts and Crafts the phase of walls flattening has ended, and it is currently in the roofing process. The construction of this Center has enabled the training of the builders in the technique of bajareque cerén, so now they are also tasked to build the kitchens.

As a transversal axis of the whole reconstruction process, tequios and workshops have taken place, based on their traditional ways of collective work and mutual support; as well as a part of the collaborative methodology proposed by Cooperación Comunitaria AC that engages the community with the constructive work. This fosters the assimilation of the proposal and the people's active participation during the construction of all structures. This allows them to know about the proposal of reconstruction with reinforcements and its appropriation.

Finally, during September and October we developed an environmental diagnosis related to the productivity of traditional ovens and a series of workshops about territorial risks' management and analysis; raising awareness about the use of local materials; and the right to adequate housing as a constitutional law and a human right.