DOMINICA HURRICANE UPDATE – FINAL REPORT (February 2019)
WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT ALL OF OUR DOMINICA PROGRAMS ARE NOW COMPLETE ● On January 10th we celebrated the opening of Morne Prosper Primary and Pre School with over 150 people in attendance. See here and here for press articles on the event. ● On January 18th we celebrated the opening of Charlotte’s Pre School; a colourful event enjoyed by all! See press article here. ● On January 19th we completed our final roof (number 33!) and our two local roofing trainees were presented with certificates of achievement. DISASTER PROFILE Regarded as the worst natural disaster on record in Dominica, Hurricane Maria made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane on September 18, 2017 with winds over 160 mph. Hurricane Maria left Dominica completely devastated, damaging tens of thousands of buildings, all power, water and telecoms, and obliterating 100% of agriculture – a major source of income. Damages and losses are estimated at USD $1.3m, or 224% of Dominica’s GDP. OUR WORK All Hands and Hearts – Smart Response has focused its efforts in Dominica on rebuilding schools and repairing residential roofs. Having completed our first project in August 2018 - rebuilding Paix Bouche Primary and Pre School in St. Andrew Province - we then moved onto rebuilding Morne Prosper Primary and Pre School in St. George Province. This was completed in January 2019, alongside our fifth school project - Charlotte’s Pre School in Newtown. During this time, we also completed 33 residential roofs and rehabilitated a local community water source. At the center of our work were Build Back Better techniques to make the schools and roofs resistant against future hurricanes and earthquakes. Working closely with the Ministry of Education, other NGOs, the schools and the local communities, this essential work has created much safer homes and more appropriate learning environments, which also serve as evacuation shelters for the surrounding communities.