Disaster risk reduction
About the Program
Disaster preparedness at the household level is of paramount importance in building resilient and sustainable communities, especially among slum dwellers, who are disproportionately affected by the devastating effects of climate change. Their housing units, often built with cheap materials such as mud, do not withstand the heavy rains and wind that have become more intense over the past decade. Many families are left homeless when their homes collapse, placing a strain on their already meagre financial resources.
To support the residents of the Makululu settlement in Kabwe, Habitat for Humanity Zambia is testing the participatory approach to safe shelter awareness, or PASSA, to raise awareness of the “everyday vulnerable” and the “everyday risks” to foster locally appropriate safe shelter and settlement practices.
The PASSA methodology enables communities to identify their own solutions and realistic learn more details comprehensive strategies for addressing spatial and environmental planning, local building cultures and the effectiveness of local construction techniques. Additionally, it fosters partnerships among local authorities, communities and supporting organizations to prepare for, cope with and recover from disasters.
As pioneers of the PASSA methodology in Zambia and a leading NGO in low-cost housing provision for low-income urban residents, we hope to have numerous replicable lessons from our pilot initiative in Makululu between 2021 and 2023.