Eta & Iota Response Update No. 3

RESPONSE & RECOVERY EFFORTS IN HONDURAS CONTINUE

GER³’s team has continued response and recovery work in Honduras, building a strong local team with a focus on debris management. Two key projects are underway while the team also continues to design additional projects and programs to expand GER³’s impact and support to the region. Affected communities face a long road to recovery and GER³ is committed to supporting wherever possible.

PRONIÑO PROJECT

The team is hard at work recovering the Proniño property outside of El Progreso. Proniño is a children’s home that helps children that have lived on the streets and/or experienced abuse, death of a parent or extreme poverty in their home by providing them with education, living space, safety and the opportunity to learn a variety of skills while socializing with other children who face similar situations. Proniño currently houses 22 boys and 7 girls and also supports 6 university students who had previously lived on the campus and now receive assistance in the form tuition and employment opportunities.

GER³'s team of nine daily workers is leading the deep cleaning of mud and debris from 15 separate buildings on the campus, including pressure washing the walls and floors to thoroughly clean the interior and exterior of each building. A local equipment operator was contracted to remove the debris, sand and mud, amounting to more than 1,125 cubic meters removed from the property to date. Local workers are working alongside the heavy machinery to remove debris where the machine cannot. In addition, the team is repairing access to the property by clearing and restoring the driveway. Gravel will be installed in the coming days to complete the finished driveway. GER³’s work at Proniño will be completed in the next week, allowing for further assessments to take place and allowing Proniño to make informed decisions regarding next steps in the rehabilitation process.

LA CANAáN COMMUNITY & HOME DEBRIS REMOVAL PROJECT

Preparations are underway for a new community project, made possible by the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP). The project will focus on community debris removal and household cleaning in La Canaán. GER³ has been working with community leaders to make sure the work will be carried out as efficiently as possible while making a significant impact. With CDP’s support, all streets in the community will be cleaned by GER³’s team and residents who have not yet been able to remove mud from their homes will be assisted. Many families from La Canaán continue to live in temporary shelters or tents along a nearby highway. Most vulnerable families will be identified, and priority will be given to make sure that they are able to get back onto their feet and return to their homes as soon as possible. GER³ is eager to support this community and these families return to their homes throughout this project.

Abaco Shelter and Home Rehabilitation Project

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.

Central Abaco Primary School Rehabilitation

Over the past year, GER³’s team in the Bahamas led the rehabilitation of the Central Abaco Primary School (CAPS), the largest public school in Abaco that was badly damaged by Hurricane Dorian. The fully-rehabilitated, safer and more sustainable school is now being handed back to the community. Thanks to a strong team of local contractors, cash-for-workers and suppliers, the classrooms are freshly renovated, the ground is clear, and the new metal roof can withstand even the strongest winds. In addition, the school has been rebuilt to meet official hurricane shelter standards and is well equipped to serve the community during future storms.

GER³ is extremely grateful for our donors including The Lyford Cay Foundations, Discovery Land Company Foundation, One Bahamas Fund, UNICEF, the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, All Hands and Hearts and others who made this work possible.

Watch the story of GER3's rehabilitation of this community cornerstone through the eyes of the local community, workers, and teachers who made it possible.

Eta & Iota Response Update #2

The GER³ team continues important recovery work in Honduras in response to Hurricanes Eta and Iota. The team is currently based in San Pedro Sula and will soon be transitioning to La Lima, a more remote community in the affected areas surrounding San Pedro Sula.

Over the holidays, the team worked in a community called La Canaán located along the river near La Lima. The community had been completely flooded and was left with more than 3 feet of mud in some areas. GER³ began work on the Calle Principal (main street) to create access to the community and allow residents to return home and begin the laborious process of cleaning the mud and debris from their homes. A backhoe and multiple dump trucks did the heavy lifting, while a team of GER³ local workers assisted the machinery to reach the mud near buildings and load the debris that was found in the street. GER³ was able to clear more than 80% of the Calle Principal, allowing more than 20 families to begin cleaning out their homes.

Prior to the intervention, the entirety of La Canaán had been displaced by the hurricanes. Of the 120 families, 35 are sheltered in an elementary school in La Lima and more than 80 are making do in make-shift dwellings along the divided highway that passes near their community.

GER³’s local team also worked in a community called La 23 de septiembre. Five local workers assisted machinery in clearing debris that residents had removed from their homes, clearing the Calle Principal. In one day, the team was able to clear the entire main street, more than 200 meters, restoring vehicle access to the street and allowing more than 30 families to have full access to their homes.

GER³ continues to assess damaged communities and develop program designs for prospective projects. One upcoming project will support an orphanage called Proniño. This orphanage takes in children who were previously living on the streets across Honduras. The campus in El Progreso is home to 22 boys and 7 girls aged 6-17. All were forced to evacuate as the storm arrived and none have been able to return as the flooding left behind mud in all of their buildings and eroded the driveway to the campus. The team is looking forward to kickstarting this high impact project in the coming weeks to allow the children to return.

Response Operations in Honduras Continue

Last week, GER³ led a high impact debris removal project at the Hospital Limeños de Corazon. The local team, including cash-for-work and machine operators, removed mud and debris from the parking lot, sidewalks, drainage ditches and surrounding streets to allow access to the hospital. The Hospital Limeños de Corazon was selected by GER³ because it is considered the highest priority health center by the municipality of La Lima. It was severely impacted by hurricanes Eta and Iota and left largely inaccessible due to the flooding, mud and debris. Hospital Limeños serves many rural villages in the region, with the next nearest hospital over 35 minutes away. In August, it opened its doors as a COVID-19 response clinic and also plans to transition to a general triage clinic and maternity ward once recovered from the hurricane damage. GER³'s efforts will allow for immediate reconstruction efforts to begin.

This week, GER³ will also begin debris removal activities in the community of La Canaan in La Lima, while continuing to assess the greatest needs in the area.

Eta & Iota Operations Update #1

CONTEXT

Category 4 Hurricane Eta struck Honduras on November 3, 2020 as one of the worst hurricanes to hit Central American since Hurricane Mitch. With rainfall of up to 23 inches, the devastating storm took the lives of over 178 individuals. Just two weeks later on November 16, Hurricane Iota made landfall in the same region, adding an additional 10-20 inches of rainfall to the already hyper saturated lands, creating widespread flooding of over 200 square kilometers, and killing an additional 41 people while hundreds remain missing. Rainfall continues incessantly to this day exacerbating disaster conditions and impeding relief efforts.

Estimates are that 3,022,464 people in Honduras have been impacted by the storms with a high concentration of those affected in the department of Cortés. Tens of thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed with bridges and roads no longer passable, impeding humanitarian access. Many communities remain isolated with difficultly in access and communication; recent reports suggest over 100,000 people are isolated across 69 communities. Many municipalities in Cortés have sustained total or partial disruptions in electricity and telecommunications systems. Water supply systems are damaged due to power outages or damage to infrastructure. Crops have been lost affecting access to income, good and services. Affected communities and are in need of immediate relief support to begin recovery efforts.

GER3 RESPONDS

GER3 debris assessment team in San Pedro Sula

GER³’s Global Response Team (GRT) has been operating out of San Pedro Sula since November 21st with additional coordination based in Tegucigalpa since November 18th. Our GRT has conducted initial assessments in and around San Pedro Sula including Chamelecón, La Lima, San Antonio Cortes, El Progreso, and Choloma. These communities face significant relief and recovery challenges, particularly related to debris management; the significant debris is impeding the relief and recovery process by limiting access and making the initiation of recovery and rebuilding extremely difficult. While many have evacuated the area, many remain in their communities and are already attempting to begin the reconstruction process for their homes and local infrastructure.

PROGRAM DESIGN

Community-led relief and recovery programs will be tailored to meet needs of communities in the most affected areas of the Cortés Department. Programs will include in-depth community and household assessments, provision of items for shelter and clean-up kits, debris management (clearance and recycling), livelihoods opportunities (including the hiring of local persons to support the recovery), and green recovery and reconstruction mechanisms, including the possible introduction of off-grid/micro-grid electricity solutions and the reuse of recycled materials (including organic debris).

The proposed programs in Cortés Department will be structured, designed and continually adapted based on the following key program components:

• Conduct community and household-level assessments to assist with design of relief and recovery interventions
• Remove hurricane debris (recycling and re-using where possible)
• Provide relief supplies (temporary shelter items, household items and clean-up kits)
• Provide livelihoods and small business opportunities
• Ensure environmentally conscious and focused recovery

NEXT STEPS

GER³ is mobilizing local resources to support with immediate debris clearance, provide essential relief supplies to vulnerable communities and design sustainable recovery support. Simultaneously, GER³ is seeking donor funding to extend the impact of our work over the coming weeks and months. GER³’s initial funding to support this response effort is limited, so donations of any amount are extremely helpful and appreciated to support what we hope will develop into longer-term, impactful response programming.

Thank you in advance for your interest and support to GER³ and our response programs in Honduras.

A milestone for Hurricane Dorian recovery on Abaco

When GER3’s team began work on Central Abaco Primary School (CAPS) in January 2020, the destruction wrought by Hurricane Dorian was painfully visible. Classrooms were exposed beneath torn roofing, electrical wires hung loose and debris was strewn across the play area. There was significant water damage throughout the school, with furniture ruined and ceilings unsafe.

Less than a year later, and despite another immensely challenging year for Abaco, CAPS has been transformed. The classrooms are freshly painted, the ground is clear, and the rebuilt roofs can withstand even the strongest winds. Not only is the school now ready to welcome back students, it has been rebuilt to be safer and more sustainable than it was before the hurricane.

CAPS, located in Abaco’s town center Marsh Harbour, is the largest public school on the island. It had more than 800 students before Hurricane Dorian struck on 1 September 2019, killing at least 60 people and destroying more than 75% of homes. The damage on Abaco was so severe that many people were forced to move to neighboring islands. Other children have remained on Abaco but have to travel long distances to other schools; others have not been able to enroll elsewhere and have now been out of education for more than a year. Although a COVID lockdown means the school cannot yet open as normal, the completion of CAPS represents a major step towards making Abaco a viable place for displaced families to return. The school is a vital piece of infrastructure that will help communities to rebuild post-pandemic. Teachers are expected to return to their classrooms to deliver remote learning soon.

Safer

Before Hurricane Dorian there was a severe lack of government-sanctioned shelters on Abaco. The International Organization for Migration found that there were enough shelters for just 10% of the population. The rebuilt CAPS will go some way to plugging this gap. With support from the Bahamian Disaster Reconstruction Authority (DRA) and Ministry of Public Works, the GER3 team has rebuilt the school to meet official hurricane shelter standards, with space to shelter 1,200 people. A number of new systems have been installed to keep people safe in the event of a future disaster: strong winds will flow over the new aerodynamic metal roofs instead of lifting them, and hurricane straps and lateral bracing will further protect the building. The school also has a permanent backup generator and interior bathrooms accessible from every classroom.

The school’s safety was tested during Hurricane Isaias, which hit Abaco in August 2020. During the storm, CAPS safely sheltered 30 individuals and sustained no damage. GER3 is also training local community representatives as shelter managers, using a Bahamian government-sanctioned curriculum.

More sustainable

GER3 has also been working to make CAPS more sustainable and environmentally friendly. With funding from UNICEF, efforts are underway to install the first ever circular sanitation system at a public school in the Bahamas. This works by converting solid organic waste into nutrient-rich fertilizer for the school’s garden, which has been planted with several types of Abaconian wetland grasses, plants, and fauna. The entire system is gravity fed, reducing the need for high-maintenance pumps and excess electricity use. As well as making the school more environmentally sustainable, the sanitation system will act as a hands-on educational resource for students, who can learn about sustainability, biodiversity and engineering right in their school’s backyard. Photo GER3 has also prepared the school’s roofs for solar panels, which will be installed by the Rocky Mountain Institute in the coming months.

Jobs

The primary school has been rebuilt by a dedicated team of 60 local contractors and cash-for-workers, led by two GER3 project managers. GER3 focused on integrating cash-for-work staff, local contractors & suppliers into the project, in order to support and stimulate the local economy. All workers have received practical training at CAPS, developing valuable skills in roofing, painting, and carpentry.

Benson Danquah, Head Foreman at CAPS, described how the project provided a lifeline in the aftermath of the hurricane: “GER3 has really lifted the morale of the population in Abaco. Right after the destruction, GER3 was the only organization employing large amounts of local people. We had around 60 people working for GER3 at such a critical time. When we were all down in morale and struggling financially, GER3 was able to sustain the workers on the job.”

With government-approved precautions in place, the team has been able to continue work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

What’s next on Abaco?

With the primary school completed, GER3 will now focus on its other programs on Abaco. These including rehabilitating the Every Child Counts School, a school for students living with disabilities; several additional hurricane shelters and homes; and the repair of housing units for doctors and nurses working at the Marsh Harbour clinic.

To learn more about GER3’s work on CAPS, please see our Dorian Operations Updates

Dorian Operations Update #10

Recovery and Reconstruction Efforts on Abaco Continue

Commemorating the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Dorian this week, GER³ is grateful to still be with the Bahamian community, honoring those who were lost and remembering the incredible event that drastically changed their lives in a matter of hours. Over a year later, recovery and reconstruction efforts have come a long way, but a significant amount of work remains and the global pandemic has posed additional challenges to the recovery efforts. GER³’s response team arrived in the Bahamas exactly one year ago today and is proud to have supported projects all the way from the early relief phase through reconstruction.

Despite implications of the COVID-19 global pandemic, GER³ has maintained a Global Response Team on the ground on Abaco throughout 2020. Thankfully, the number of COVID cases on Abaco has remained relatively low and the hurricane reconstruction work has been permitted to continue despite various periods of lockdown and temporary closure of businesses in the Bahamas. Our team currently consists of three international team members in Abaco and over 75 local Bahamians who have integrated with our team as either cash for workers or local contractors.

GER³ is now working on three key projects, focusing on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of schools, homes, and hurricane shelters. At the core of each project is GER³’s approach to community engagement and building back better. Each is described in further detail below.

SCHOOL RECOVERY IN ABACO

Central Abaco Primary School (CAPS)

Significant progress at CAPS means the school is on track to open for the upcoming school year. As of this report, CAPS is expected to open for teachers on October 5th, however, the physical return of students to school is contingent upon COVID-19 safety protocols and procedures that are under continuous review. It is likely that teachers will begin teaching remotely from their classrooms on October 5th, with students returning at a later date through a hybrid approach. Some external work on the school will continue through the end of October, but will not affect the return of students and teachers.

As the project has evolved over the past several months, many additional elements of building back better have been incorporated into the design of the school. Notably, the school has been rebuilt to meet official hurricane shelter standards and has already been tested during Hurricane Isaias. During the storm, CAPS safely sheltered 30 individuals and sustained no damage. This was a great success for the CAPS team and community, especially considering the rehabilitation project is still underway.

CAPS windows boarded in preparation for Hurricane Isais on August 1st.

The project team at CAPS is led by GER³’s construction project manager, Damian Browne. Damian leads a team comprised of local contractors and cash-for-workers on site each day, ensuring that the various scopes of work are completed effectively, efficiently, and in line with GER³’s values and standards. The team continues to be tremendously dedicated to the project and the overall effort of rebuilding the community. Morning work briefings take place every day before tasks start to ensure coordination and safety on site. Special precautions are taken following the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Public Works’ guidelines for working on construction sites during COVID-19. Hand washing stations have been established, workers are spread out across the worksite, and mask-wearing is required for personnel working within certain distances of one another.

Interior repairs at CAPS have advanced significantly, with many classrooms nearing completion. All six main school buildings’ interiors are 95% complete with only light painting works, cabinet installation, and accordion door installation remaining. Interior tile installation across the school is 100% complete. The electrical trim out (final fix) is nearing completion and the A/C, windows and doors installation will be complete by the end of August. The final stages of furniture and equipment procurement are in motion with shipments to arrive in the coming weeks.

Substantial progress has been made on the exterior repairs as well. Shown in images below, the roof truss assembly has been installed over the courtyard with final tie-in to the existing structure underway. Blocking, hurricane strapping, and lateral bracing is also being installed to ensure durability and sustainability. Designs for two covered walkways on the north side are in-hand and procurement is underway.

All external crack repair and masonry work is 100% complete and exterior painting continues with resources allocated to steelwork and fascia boards. Bahamas Power and Lighting (BPL) will perform quality checks on its existing cables to the school as well as change out the existing transformers to support the new power requirements (800A) for the school’s electrical system. A new generator is on-site and ready for installation. Gutter installation is underway which will ultimately incorporate Water Mission’s (a WASH NGO) rainwater collection system for the school.

Exterior photos can be found below.

The new circular sanitation system has been successfully installed and is in the final stages its of set-up and commissioning. The goal of the circular sanitation system is to treat wastewater so that it can be re-used and recycled as nutrient-dense fertilizer for a constructed wetland (or garden). The garden at CAPS will encompass a footprint of roughly 1200 SF and will play host to several different types of Abaconian wetland grasses, plants, and fauna. Additionally, the system’s filtration will reduce the amount of black water that enters the grounds surrounding the school. The entire system is gravity fed, reducing the need for high-maintenance pumps and excess electricity use.

During the final stage of the system, treated effluent flows into a constructed wetland. The constructed wetland consists of a series of graduated rock sizes from large (at the bottom) to small (close to the surface). The treated wastewater flows through the rock beds, fertilizing the garden, and subsequently flows into an outlet pipe on the opposite side of the wetland. The effluent from the wetland is filtered three times before exiting and can therefore can safely enter the ground.

The system not only acts as a shining example of a green approach for Abaco’s public institutions, but also offers an educational tool for students at CAPS. It will act as a hands-on educational resource for students who can learn about sustainability, biodiversity, engineering, and sanitation right in their school’s backyard. This sanitation system was initially funded by UNICEF and was inspired by a similar project at the Island School on Eleuthera Island.

GER³ is extremely grateful for its donors and partners who are involved in the work at CAPS. It has been a tremendous effort and we look forward to sharing the success of the project with all who have contributed.

Every Child Counts School

Every Child Counts School (ECC) is a special needs school in Marsh Harbour that supports the education and housing of children and adults living with disabilities. Unfortunately, the school has been temporarily closed as a result of Hurricane Dorian. Initial rehabilitation work was started earlier this year by GER³’s partner, All Hands and Hearts (AHAH), but was postponed due to COVID-19 evacuations. Funded by the Discovery Land Company Foundation, GER³ is now working in close coordination with AHAH to complete the rehabilitation of the ECC school over the next three months. GER³’s specific contribution to the project is focusing on three main components of the school:

1. Residence Building: Built and completed shortly before Hurricane Dorian, it is intended to eventually house adults living with disabilities. Since Dorian, it has served as a place for AHAH volunteers to live while working on the school. In the near-term, this building will be used to house traveling teachers who do not otherwise have a place to stay in Abaco before eventually housing adults living with disabilities.
2. Seydel Building: This is a functional building which will house a multi-purpose classroom and a kitchen for the entire school.
3. Workshop Building (Gift Shop): The workshop functions as an administrative building combined with a hands-on art and workshop area for the residents and students of ECC.

As this is a new project for GER³, the team is developing scopes of work to be finalized soon with work to begin in the next several weeks.

Housing & Shelter Recovery in ABACO

Housing Rehabilitation

In addition to the work at CAPS, GER³ supported the full rehabilitation of several teachers’ homes (affiliated with CAPS) in the Marsh Harbour area. The rehabilitation of the teachers’ homes allows teachers to return home in time for the reopening of CAPS and the start of the new school year.

A total of seven (7) damaged housing units belonging to teachers in the Marsh Harbour area were selected for rehabilitation under a grant from UNICEF. The selection of homes was based on a mix of vulnerability, willingness to return to Abaco, and scope work to be completed. GER³ worked closely with the community and local general contractors to complete the rehabilitation work.

“On September 1st, 2019, the worst hurricane I have ever experienced in my 45 years on this earth destroyed my home but even worst took the life away from me I once knew. Being a single mother, I wasn't sure how and when I could ever restore my home, but thanks to GER³, I feel as if I'm getting my life back. Thank you for the constant updates and reassurances and most importantly for the professionalism and efficiency in which you demonstrated to get my home restored to an even better state than it was pre-Dorian. Words cannot express how grateful I am.” -Donica Mackey, June 25, 2020

Four teachers have returned and three are expected to return in the coming weeks.

In partnership with the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church (AGOC) in Nassau, GER³ has also supported the rehabilitation of two additional teachers’ homes in the Marsh Harbour area and two vulnerable community members’ homes. With the onset of this year’s hurricane season, it is very important for these individuals to be able to move back into their homes quickly and safely.

Shelter and Home Rehabilitation Project

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) is generously supporting GER³ with funding from the 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund to undertake another significant rehabilitation project. With a strong focus on hurricane shelters and homes, the project seeks to continue the rehabilitation of vulnerable communities on Abaco. The goal is to ensure communities are more resilient and better prepared for future storms – which are expected to increase in intensity on average as a result of increasing water temperatures in the Caribbean and South Atlantic.

An IOM report from March 2020 identified a significant gap in available hurricane shelter space and resources on Abaco and its corresponding cays. The report found that prior to Hurricane Dorian, government-sanctioned shelters had space for only 1,676 individuals, which is less than 10% of the island’s population. This project will increase the amount of available space in hurricane shelters and will ensure the shelters are more durable and better resourced for future storms.

The local team has selected three shelters: New Baptist Church located in Treasure Cay, Guana Cay Primary School located on Guana Cay, and Man-O-War Primary School located on Man-O-War Cay. GER³ is working with local community members and contractors to ensure these shelters are rehabilitated to meet official hurricane standards and incorporate GER³’s approach of building back better.

In addition to repairs and upgrades to the shelters themselves, GER³ will be training local community representatives as shelter managers using a Bahamian government-sanctioned curriculum. The team will also be providing the shelters with essential emergency items such as generators, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, flashlights, and/or bottled water/non-perishable food.

Separate from the direct technical assistance to hurricane shelters, but equally important for the surrounding communities, GER³ is supporting the rehabilitation of 15 hurricane-damaged homes in the same communities. In March 2020, the Red Cross launched a program to rehabilitate 300 homes; and within one month they had received applications for over 500 units. The main gap in housing rehabilitation is the lack of funding for heavy repairs and full reconstructions. Through this grant from CDP, GER³ is supporting the rehabilitation of these homes that require repairs that go beyond what other agencies (Red Cross and Disaster Reconstruction Authority) have been able to support.

Debris Management & Capacity Building

Funded by UNDP, GER³ managed and implemented a debris removal project on Abaco that included muck and gut, mold remediation, and debris removal services at Central Abaco Primary School, Patrick J Bethel School and eight (8) teachers’ homes using a cash-for-work (CfW) modality.

Debris removal work was conducted at the schools by local cash-for-work beneficiaries. An international field specialist and two local women supported GER³ to contact and organize workers. GER³ also worked with Abaco Machinery to provide the required equipment for the jobs, especially the truck and trailer needed to remove the debris from the schools to local debris staging areas. A total of 113 individuals - 64% female, 36% male – participated in and benefitted from this cash-for-work activity, and at least 68 truckloads of debris were removed from the two schools, clearing space for the on-going rehab work.

The second output of project entailed capacity building for the affected community. By the end of the project, cash-for-work beneficiaries and the Abaco community at large were trained on the process of mold remediation of private homes as a form of vocational training and increased local resiliency. GER³ arranged a week-long workshop for 15 local participants to receive training and full certification on mold remediation.

Thank you

We continue to be extremely grateful for our partners and donors who have supported GER³ to grow our programs and impact in the Bahamas. A special thank you to our donors: The Lyford Cay Foundation, Discovery Land Company Foundation, One Bahamas Fund, CDP, UNICEF, UNDP and AGOC and many partners who continue to make this work possible. We are proud of our local team and the significant work that has been completed thus far and look forward to exploring opportunities to continue our recovery and reconstruction work this fall.

DORIAN OPERATIONS UPDATE #9

SCHOOL RECOVERY IN ABACO

Central Abaco Primary School (CAPS)

Rehabilitating Abaco’s largest primary school (CAPS) remains the focus of GER³’s work in the Bahamas. The school is a critical piece of infrastructure on Abaco, serving many purposes within the community of Marsh Habour. As one of the only schools being rehabilitated on the island after Dorian, its reopening is highly anticipated by the community – it will be a great token of hope in the recovery process. With support from the Lyford Cay Foundations, UNICEF, the Discovery Land Company Foundation, One Bahamas Fund, All Hands and Hearts and the Ministry of Public Works, GER³’s work at CAPS continues to progress rapidly, with a current target of reopening by the new school year (fall 2020). Thankfully, there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Abaco to date, so GER³’s team continues to be able to operate while adjusting to new safety protocols, work and travel restrictions.

GER³’s project team at CAPS includes a combination of local contractors and cash-for-workers on-site. With incredible dedication and love for their community, over fifty cash-for-workers have contributed to the CAPS project. Each has received practical training at CAPS, developing valuable hands-on skills related to roofing, painting, and carpentry. They are now able to utilize these skills in their own communities and as income generation to support their families. Approximately twenty of these cash-for-workers are also graduates of CAPS themselves. They often tell stories about their favorite teachers, their memorable games such as marbles and soccer in the courtyard, and joke about who had been called to the principal’s office most. Their deep love for the school is clear and shows in the quality of their work. They go above and beyond to restore the school so that future students can enjoy similar experiences.

With this great team, work at CAPS has progressed nicely despite minor setbacks related to COVID-19. As of the week of May 11th, all primary areas of the school are entirely dried in with new ice and water shield and are ready for the application of a standing seam metal roof which will commence in the coming weeks.

In conjunction with the Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of Education, and GER³’s structural design firm, Integrated Building Services (IBS), GER³ decided to implement a more significant redesign of the north section of the school. The rebuilding will include hip roofing for the central buildings and covered walkways for the students outside. This decision will lead to a far more efficient construction process and a more resilient roof structure. In addition, the central courtyard roof will be rebuilt with a four section truss design, allowing all sections to be built on-site instead of manufactured off-island, which will save time and hopefully accelerate the completion date.

Significant progress is also being made in the interior of CAPS. Sanitization has been completed in all but three buildings; sheetrock installation is complete in two wings; electrical rough-ins have been performed in 50% of the school; and plumbing works are well underway. The first wave of bulk materials arrived this week from the United States, allowing work to progress far more smoothly and efficiently.

Another exciting advancement at CAPS is the decision to make the school an official hurricane shelter. With support from the Disaster Reconstruction Authority (DRA) and Ministry of Public Works, GER³ is working to ensure that a portion of CAPS can serve as a designated hurricane shelter in the future. This means that as CAPS continues to be rehabilitated, a few additional components will be included, such as installing pass-through doors between all classrooms. This will allow access to various parts of the building during a storm, such as lavoratories, without having to exit the building.

Circular Sanitation

With funding from UNICEF, efforts to install the first ever circular sanitation system at a public school in The Bahamas continue. This project, which entails the installation of a system which will convert solid organic waste into nutrient-rich fertilizer for a local wetland (or garden), was inspired by a similar project at the Island School on Eleuthera Island and has generated great interest from the Ministry of Education.

Finalized designs have been agreed upon by the system designer, Clear Water Caribbean, and a contract will be put in place this week to manufacture the Bioclere filter and have it shipped to Abaco. The primary septic tank for the system is being re-enforced, designs for the constructed wetland are being generated, and a site layout has been decided.

The system will also act as a hands-on educational resource for students who can learn about sustainability, biodiversity, engineering, and sanitation right in their school’s backyard. The system is planned to be installed by the end of June.

Teachers’ Homes

With support from UNICEF, GER³ is leading the full rehabilitation of several teachers’ homes in the Marsh Harbour area. All of the teachers worked at CAPS prior to Dorian and the rehabilitation of their houses will allow them to return home in time for the reopening of CAPS.

Seven homes have been identified for immediate rehabilitation activities. Four of these homes are government-owned cottages that, once completed, can be put into immediate use for any teachers in need of housing on Abaco. GER³ has partnered with ADRA in order to expedite the reconstruction process on these cottages. ADRA has completed roofs on four units, while GER³’s local contractors have completed drywall and electrical rough-ins for two units. In addition, GER³ has identified three private teachers' homes to rehabilitate. Works ranging from minor interior repairs to full exterior rebuilds all began this week. Each home has been assigned a local contractor allowing all works to be performed simultaneously. All homes are scheduled to be completed by June 30, 2020.

COVID-19

GER³ continues to closely monitor the global pandemic. During the work week, the Bahamas remains on a 24-hour curfew, however, GER³ and other hurricane relief agencies are exempt for hurricane reconstruction and can continue to work during this curfew. This week, the Prime Minister of the Bahamas announced progress towards the phased approach to reopen the country. Some Family Islands (specifically the Southern Bahamas) reopened businesses and it is expected that many restrictions will be lifted in Abaco in the coming weeks.

GER³ continues to ensure additional safety precautions at the worksite, including requiring all workers to arrive separately, operate at a safe distance from one another (minimum 6 ft), wear appropriate PPE (masks and gloves), and sanitize hands regularly at designated hand-washings stations.

It is expected that unemployment in The Bahamas could reach as high as 30% as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the CAPS rehabilitation being one of the largest on-going projects on the island, many people who have lost work have come to CAPS seeking opportunities. GER³ will continue to support local workers as much as possible and as much as the budget will permit, during this difficult time. GER³ will also refer workers to partner organizations on the island as they resume and/or scale up their activities.

Dorian Operations Update #8

School Recovery in Abaco

While closely monitoring the global situation, GER³’s operations on Abaco continue to move forward. No confirmed coronavirus cases have been reported on Abaco to date. GER³’s team continues to operate while adjusting to new safety protocols, work and travel restrictions. Most local businesses are temporarily closed under the most recent Bahamian Government orders, however, hurricane reconstruction projects are permitted to continue working (except during periodic full “lockdown” periods). This means that for the time being, GER³ will be able to continue rehabilitating Abaco’s most populous elementary school in order to reopen by the new school year (fall 2020).

As work continues at Central Abaco Primary School (CAPS), GER³ is ensuring additional safety precautions at the worksite. This includes things such as requiring all workers to arrive separately, operate at a safe distance from one another (minimum 6 ft), wear appropriate PPE (masks and gloves), and sanitize hands regularly at designated hand-washings stations. The site foremen and team leaders have been informed of these standards and are ensuring they are adhered to by everyone working onsite. GER³ has also clarified COVID-19 response protocols with the Ministry of Health and the local health clinic and has coordinated with local health NGOs – such as Americares – to consider how assistance can be provided if needed.

Central Abaco Primary School (CAPS)

As GER³ transitions into the longer-term CAPS rehabilitation program, we are excited to welcome two new team members this month. Andrew Meyer has joined GER³ as the Bahamas Program Manager. With extensive experience working with NGOs globally, Andrew brings great experience and leadership to the team. Levi Haley has also recently joined the team as Operations Coordinator. He is an skilled construction manager and will oversee all technical aspects of the rebuilding operations. An additional reconstruction project manager, Damian Browne, is providing remote support and technical guidance to the work at CAPS. He was scheduled to arrive in Abaco on April 3rd, but his travel has been postponed due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

With funding from the Lyford Cay Foundations, UNICEF, the Discovery Land Company Foundation and One Bahamas Fund, work at CAPS continues with approval from the Bahamian government and Ministry of Health. Although the staff working on site have been reduced in order to respect social distancing protocols, the cash-for-work team remains strong and continues to work harder than ever.

Ninety percent of Phase 1 buildings have been completely dried in with new plywood and ice and water shield to cover all portions. Sanitizing has taken place in the priority wing and will continue in the remaining wings over the next several weeks. Electrical work has begun, and supplies are en route from Nassau and the United States for the upcoming works. GER³’s partner for the sanitization of CAPS, All Hands and Hearts (AHAH), regretfully departed the island due to organization-wide protocols restricting work for their volunteers during COVID-19. However, AHAH continues to support the project with materials donations. GER³ is rapidly identifying alternative options to keep the sanitization work going.

Welcoming guidance from the Bahamian Ministry of Public Works and Ministry of Education, a recommendation was made to include new wheelchair ramps. GER³ has now installed these in the southwestern wing and in one of the main corridors, providing access to the main portions of the school. Under the expertise and supervision of Levi Haley, and adhering to GER³’s mission of building-back-better, beams and trusses have been constructed and erected in the northeast wing of Cat Island.

GER³ continues to work closely with local engineering firms in order to design a more resilient roof for the portions of the school where roofing was completely destroyed. The new roofing will employ new standards of resiliency and will be able to withstand winds up to 200 mph. Last week, GER³ launched a large open international tender for construction materials for roofs and additional materials for the school. The tender closed on Friday, April 3rd and the team is now reviewing the received applications.

Upon beginning work at CAPS, the initial goal was to reopen a portion of the school by April 14th. However, due to COVID-19, all schools are temporarily closed in the Bahamas and are not anticipated to reopen during the spring of 2020. Despite this shift, GER³ continues to work diligently to ensure that classrooms will be available for faculty and students as soon as the COVID-19 protocols are lifted.

Circular Sanitation

In an effort to provide greater sustainability to CAPS and in conjunction with UNICEF WASH, GER³ plans introduce a circular sanitation component to CAPS. This project was inspired by a similar project at the Island School on Eleuthera Island, which has generated a great deal of interest from the Ministry of Education. Effluent water from the school will be recycled as fertilizer providing sufficient nutrients for a wetland, or central garden, to be cultivated. The system will include everything from a settler to a bio-clear trickling filter and constructed wetland that will produce a fully functional and biodiverse garden. The system will also act as a hands-on educational component for students who can learn about sustainability, biodiversity, engineering, and sanitation right in their school’s backyard. This will be the first such system installed at a public school in The Bahamas.

Teachers’ Homes

With support from UNICEF, GER³ is supporting the repair of teachers’ homes in the Marsh Harbour area. The rehabilitation of these houses will allow teachers to return home in time for the reopening of CAPS and the start of the new school year.

Seven (7) homes have been identified for immediate rehabilitation activities. GER³ continues to work closely with the Ministry of Public works to outline works on four government-owned teachers’ cottages. Bidding has been completed with multiple local contractors having been invited to provide estimates. Thus far, muck and gutting and debris removal has been completed at four of the seven houses with roofing works to begin shortly.