DOMINICA HURRICANE UPDATE – MORNE PROSPER (December 2018)
CURRENT ACTIVITIES (RECOVERY PHASE) ● Completed two concrete roof pours for the primary and preschool - 34.4m and 28.2m of concrete respectively. ● Volunteers are now focusing on landscaping, rehabilitating the basketball court and preparing the grounds for the preschool playground, whilst local workers are plastering the schools.
●
●
21 residential roofs have been completed - on target to finish all of the homes available for repair in Morne Prosper. Volunteers have poured concrete foundations at the base of the Liveier Tadour Water Source & are now building timber stairs to improve access.
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 been focusing its efforts in Dominica on rebuilding schools and repairing residential roofs. Having completed our first project - rebuilding Paix Bouche Primary and Pre School in St. Andrew Province - we are now focusing on rebuilding Morne Prosper Primary and Pre School in St. George Province, and will shortly be starting our third school project at Charlotte’s Pre School in Newtown. At the center of our work are 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 will create much safer homes and more appropriate learning environments, which also serve as evacuation shelters for the surrounding communities.