A Hierarchial System for Training and Awareness Raising at Grass Roots Level: Experiences of NSET from Earthquake-Resistant Housing Reconstruction in Pakistan

Abstract eng:
It is a known fact that heavy loss of life and properties during earthquakes is mainly due to weak buildings and lack of preparedness resulting from the low awareness level and lack of sufficient capacity to incorporate earthquake resistance into the construction practices. Although there exists tremendous knowledge on engineering aspects of earthquake safer construction in many academic and research institutions even in developing countries, but the basic knowledge and concepts of earthquake-resistant construction have not been reaching to the common people where such knowledge requires most; not reaching to the local masons, petty contractors, self-builders who are predominant constructors in the developing world and who construct more than 80% of the residential dwellings. The houses where common people live are still being constructed without consideration of earthquake safety. This situation, in one hand requires significant efforts to raise awareness of common people as well as of the authorities and policy/decision makers; on the other hand needs lots of education and trainings for enhancing capacities for safer construction. Experiences have shown that a continuous system for awareness raising and capacity building is required to systematically address the need. Above concepts have been reflected in awareness raising and training programs of the National Society for Earthquake Technology - Nepal (NSET) and has been successfully implemented in Nepal and have also been utilized intensively in rural housing reconstruction in Pakistan after the massive disaster due to 8 October 2005 earthquake. Various awareness and capacity building programs were implemented with many national, international, donor and UN agencies, namely with UNDP Pakistan, UN Habitat and USAID/OFDA. A set of 16 different courses were developed, and hierarchy of training programs were implemented for developing cadre of instructors from which a total of 28 master instructors were developed. Total of more than 70 different training programs were conducted in around one and half years period and more than 4,000 different audiences were trained. The program was successful in positively influencing the construction of around 600,000 rural houses of Pakistan and demonstrated a high replication potential in other parts of the region. This paper describes philosophical background, approaches, methodology, activities, outcomes and lessons learned in detail.

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