Disaster recovery and resilience around the world
When Michael returned to New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, there was only a cinderblock foundation left where his home once stood.
“I felt rudderless, like I had no roots. But I knew I was coming back to New Orleans. That was never in doubt.”
The American Red Cross estimates that 1.5 million U.S. Gulf Coast residents evacuated ahead of Hurricane Katrina, and almost half of those had no house to return to. The storm also laid bare and exacerbated deep-rooted systemic inequities in New Orleans and the surrounding region.
As Gulf Coast residents launched their long-term recovery efforts 20 years ago this fall, local Habitat affiliates mobilized quickly, working alongside residents like Michael from the very start.
In partnership with the community, we ultimately helped build, rehabilitate or repair more than 6,000 homes along the Gulf Coast.
Local Habitat affiliates have helped communities recover from more recent storms, including through resilient building techniques, advocating for affordable insurance and disaster preparedness training.
Katrina’s devastating impact on housing required an approach that integrated early recovery, long-term reconstruction and disaster-resistant rebuilding — an approach we successfully implement around the world. The most vulnerable among us are disproportionately impacted when disaster strikes because disasters often exacerbate existing housing affordability, accessibility and inequity issues in communities.
“We try to be very intentional about what the needs of the community are,” says Chris Monforton, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
“Each family has a different circumstance and different needs. We pride ourselves on being responsible lenders and doing our best work with families in a way that enables them to be successful.”
A strategic response to global disasters
After the December 2004 tsunami, we responded with on-the-ground assessments of shelter needs in the four hardest-hit countries — Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand — and worked side by side with residents and other international organizations to help rebuild. We focused on creating permanent housing solutions that involved community members in decision-making and emphasized disaster mitigation and preparedness.
Our work was governed by strategies designed to leave communities stronger than before, leveraging alliances with donors, government agencies and other nonprofits to increase housing that could be incrementally expanded or improved upon as a family’s resources allowed and to create access to hygiene solutions, education and employment.
Twenty years on, more than 25,000 families have secure homes, as well as opportunities for secure land tenure, new skills, access to better hygiene, and the ability to continue to build onto their homes incrementally.
After losing their homes during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, 15 residents of the Lambhuuk area of Bandu Aceh, Indonesia, built stronger, more resilient homes with Habitat. This resident, photographed in 2005, was proud to have helped construct his own home.
After losing their homes during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, 15 residents of the Lambhuuk area of Bandu Aceh, Indonesia, built stronger, more resilient homes with Habitat. This resident, photographed in 2005, was proud to have helped construct his own home.
Habitat staff in a boat traveling toward the island of Cot Kumbang in Aceh Barat, Indonesia, in 2006.
Habitat staff in a boat traveling toward the island of Cot Kumbang in Aceh Barat, Indonesia, in 2006.
When an earthquake hit Nepal in 2015, Kancha’s roof collapsed. Ten years later, Kancha says he feels safe and secure in his Habitat home built with durable materials.
When an earthquake hit Nepal in 2015, Kancha’s roof collapsed. Ten years later, Kancha says he feels safe and secure in his Habitat home built with durable materials.
After the devastating 2015 earthquake in Nepal, we worked with the government, communities and families to help people rebuild their own homes using construction techniques designed to withstand future earthquakes. As we rebuilt, on-the-job training in masonry became standard, so families gained new knowledge and skills that helped them build structurally sound homes and communities and to collectively make informed choices about construction, water, sanitation and other shared resources.
In the 10 years since, we have helped more than 43,700 families through various programs, including reconstruction, skills training and education in acquiring loans to continue to improve their lives.
That’s why we are so committed to helping communities build back better — stronger, more resilient and able to withstand future disasters.
Learn more about Habitat’s disaster resilience and recovery work.
A place to call home
Twenty years after Michael lost his home in Hurricane Katrina, he sits on his front porch and takes in the sound of the violinist next door, happy and at peace. He lives in Musicians’ Village, a community that New Orleans Area Habitat and local musicians built together. The homes use a FORTIFIED building method that helps protect them from severe weather, ensuring the city’s music-makers could return home to a place designed to offer more resilience during future storms.
“After all of that trauma, to have a place to come back to — and the added blessing of being in a place called the Musicians’ Village — it felt like a justification for all the years of struggle,” Michael says.
Working with Habitat and volunteers from around the world to build this community was what restored his strength after tragedy, he says.
Colorful homes in Musicians’ Village in the Upper Ninth Ward of New Orleans where Michael lives. The neighborhood was built after Hurricane Katrina nearly 20 years ago and is vibrant today.
Colorful homes in Musicians’ Village in the Upper Ninth Ward of New Orleans where Michael lives. The neighborhood was built after Hurricane Katrina nearly 20 years ago and is vibrant today.
“I’m just so thankful. Who would have thought? I’m 71 years old. God blessed me to make my living playing music. And here I am, and I have a place to call home.”
With your support, we can assess the shelter and housing needs that exist after a disaster and help communities with long-term recovery efforts.
Built with Shorthand-
See the long-term impact of our disaster recovery work; learn what access to clean water means to families in Argentina and Kenya; and more.
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Habitat Magazine illustrates the mission at the center of all our work – ensuring people in our communities and around the world can achieve the safety and stability of affordable homeownership. Journey through the impact of Habitat with our collection of Habitat Magazine issues.