Preventive Resettlement of Populations at Risk of Disaster - GFDRR

The self-effort and mutual assistance spirit has led to neighbors’
higher commitment and enthusiasm to build, to complete
and to improve the quality of the housing. This is unusual
for the works the municipality carries out.
Mr. Juan Carlos Benítez, Mayor of Colonia Delicia, Misiones
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For beneficiaries
New houses in safe locations with appropriate sanitary
conditions improved the families’ health and saved
them from the loss of assets due to frequent flooding.
Another major achievement was the beneficiaries’ improved
self-esteem. They actively participated in the
construction effort, thereby overcoming notions that
they were receiving charity. Moreover, women were involved
throughout the process (characterized by transparency
and equity), occasionally assuming leadership
positions, on an equal basis with men.
The way in which the community organized for selfconstruction
triggered a spirit of cooperation, fostered
solidarity, and improved people’s job opportunities. For
low-income families, the new urban developments, with
their network of services, helped integrate them into society
and formal city life, overcoming their former isolation
and ostracism.
Now my daughter runs around and plays everywhere. She
couldn’t do this before. In fact, now when it rains, the children
are inside running from one place to the other. We don’t
have to worry whether we are going to be flooded, or because
of the pests, or that they are coming to take us away
because of the flood. Thank God, we see the water pass us
by, so to speak, on the outside. We are at home!
Lilian Benítez, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones
6. Lessons Learned
The implementation of the housing component was an
enriching experience for all those involved, including
beneficiaries, municipalities, provinces, and the central
government. The SUCCE carried out, supervised and
monitored the work, in coordination with the provincial
teams and municipalities.
For many of the municipalities, the flood risk program’s
housing component was an opportunity to learn a new
approach to building homes; also, the national government
contributed with physical and human resources.
The SUPCEs made a key and timely contribution to
various activities.
Most of the lessons learned have to do with involving
the population early on in the planning and execution
of the works. Key factors that made this possible were
coherent administrative and institutional management,
along with the commitment and hard work of the beneficiaries.
Instead of the authorities’ adopting a charity approach,
they made a conscious effort to promote and strengthen
community organization and enable the beneficiaries to
play a proactive role.
In this learning process, special emphasis was placed on
decentralized practices with the active participation of
the population, municipalities, housing institutes, provincial
governments and suppliers of construction materials.
Another lesson was the importance of fostering equal
opportunities for the low-income families hurt by flooding
and avoiding any form of discrimination.
The PPI benefited from lessons learned in the PREI and
El Niño programs. For example, the PREI had not cov-
40 Preventive Resettlement of Populations at Risk of Disaster: Experiences from Latin America