Following the devastation of Hurricane Dorian in September 2019, Bahamian communities have a new appreciation for hurricane preparedness. The Category 5 hurricane was unlike anything they had faced before, taking many lives and leaving entire communities devastated. As part of their recovery efforts, communities are reconsidering how to prepare for future storms.
GER3 recognized gaps in hurricane preparedness and took the opportunity to develop a program to enhance hurricane shelter capacity and community resiliency. With generous funding from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP), GER3 supported critical rehabilitation of four hurricane shelters, each of which was considered to be a cornerstone for its community and was underserved by existing recovery efforts. In addition to the physical rehabilitation of shelter structures, shelter manager trainings and emergency supplies were included to ensure a holistic approach to capacity-building and resiliency.
The project also supported 18 vulnerable households to undertake critical home repairs, accelerating their path to recovery. The homeowners were particularly vulnerable in terms of their ability to restore their homes and many were losing hope for a full recovery. At the same time, many of these homeowners continued to support their communities and help other families and people in need before themselves. Through this project, GER3 was able to work closely with these remarkable individuals, helping them make significant progress in restoring their homes and lives on Abaco.
Watch below to learn more about the shelter and home rehabilitation project.