SCHOOLS RECOVERY PROJECT - RETURN TO LEARNING
GER3 has been privileged to work in collaboration with UNICEF, the Ministry of Education (MoE), and District Superintendent Ivan Butler toward the reopening and continued restoration of seven (7) schools on Grand Bahama. All seven schools have reopened, allowing nearly 5,000 students, teachers, and staff to return to learning and regain some semblance of normal life.
GER3 team with UNICEF representatives, school district super intendant and school administrator
In the second phase of the schools restoration project, GER3 has completed eleven (11) sub-projects within the restoration of Grand Bahama’s schools. These include mucking and gutting, roof re-tarping and repair, mold remediation, plastering, sheetrock installation, painting, blackboard and whiteboard installation, doors installation for closets and classrooms, and agricultural center rehabilitation. GER3 has also provided work opportunities for several cash-for-workers to assist with each sub-project in order to provide a source of income to those who lost their jobs as a result of Dorian and support the local economy.
By the end of this second phase, all seven of the highest priority schools in Freeport will have been rehabilitated, allowing Grand Bahama’s children to return to learning in a safe, functional environment after the devastation of Hurricane Dorian.
With additional funding from UNICEF, GER3 is also offering assistance to several social workers and teachers whose homes were badly affected by Dorian. GER3 is working with each school to identify staff members who were particularly vulnerable to the affects of Dorian and to support the recovery and rehabilitation of their homes.
One of the social workers selected to be a beneficiary of GER3’s program had been posted in the emergency command for the entirety of the storm. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, Pauline remained away from her home as she assisted others to find loved ones, connect to vital resources and services, and reintegrate into their homes. Only after several days was Pauline able to return to her own home and assess the damage. She was overwhelmed at the sight of her belongings flooding through her front door as she opened it for the first time. As her neighbors started to repair quickly and get back on their feet, Pauline was caught several days behind the rest of her community, starting to muck and gut her home and repair the leaks in her roof, prioritizing her daughter’s room first and foremost. After an initial assessment, the GER3 team quickly worked to remediate the mold in Pauline’s home and will soon begin roof repair, sheetrock, installation, plastering, and painting.
For someone who has done so much for others in her community, GER3 is supporting Pauline with the resources in order to get Pauline back on her feet as soon as possible. GER3 will continue offering assistance to teachers and social workers across the island in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of their homes.
GER3 recently conducted an initial assessment on the island of Abaco, the most affected Bahamian island where devastation is widespread, most infrastructure is damaged or destroyed, and many vulnerable populations remain unassisted. UNICEF is supporting an expansion of our initial project in order for GER3 to begin work on schools, teachers’ homes, and social workers’ homes in Abaco in the coming months. Two of our team members will be traveling to Abaco next week to begin setting up operations. This phase of the work is projected to continue into March 2020.
HIGH ROCK DEBRIS MANAGEMENT, LIVELIHOODS & SUSTAINABLE GREEN RECOVERY PROGRAM
GER3 cash-for-work team celebrating their final work day for this project by the beach
In collaboration with the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP), GER3 has completed our project assisting the community of High Rock in East Grand Bahama. All 20 homes initially evaluated as belonging to the most vulnerable families have been mucked and gutted and cleaned and polished. In addition, light roof repairs were made where possible and all exteriors were completely cleaned. In a community-led decision, three of these homes were flagged as critical priorities to go deeper in their restoration. They belong to particularly vulnerable families including disabled and elderly members. Each of these homes were outfitted with new drywall, plastering, painting, new carpets, furniture, and essential appliances so that these families are supported through a full recovery process and can have peace of mind being back in their own homes within their own community.
With resources and time to spare, the High Rock team, led by Operations Coordinator, Richard Phillips, and his crew of 15 local cash for workers expanded to assist additional homes in the High Rock area, as well as the neighboring communities of Freetown and Gambier’s Point.
In a continuous effort to provide a sustainable and livelihood-generating recovery effort, the High Rock team used fallen trees to fashion several bed posts and community benches to be situated alongside the ocean, right at the entrance to the High Rock community. They will stand as a tribute to the remarkable efforts of the High Rock community to restore their homes and bring life back to their devastated neighborhood.
GER3 also continued its support of local copper and plastic bottle recyclers throughout the project, contributing in the best way possible to initiate new livelihood opportunities that also benefit the environment.
At the close of the CDP project on December 6th, GER3 rehabilitated 51 homes, two apartment building (12 individual apartments), 6 local businesses, and 2 schools in East Grand Bahama, making significant strides in building back better and returning families and communities back to a sustainable and restored way of life.
