Categories: Smart Aid

Build Back Better

When Disaster Aid Australia responds to a disaster one of the key elements in helping those affected is ‘Shelter’.

Our SmartAid approach to Shelter is to help people repair and/or rebuild their homes.

The first step in this approach is to arrange for in-country purchase of materials, which we have found is faster, and less expensive, than trying to import materials or temporary accomodation.

Distribution of building materials, Philippines

By helping those affected build their home, rather than provide temporary accomodation, we help build pride and certaintly.

A second step is to help people build more resilient homes, a process known as ‘Build Back Better’.

Build Back Better -Timber Frames

Timber frame construction is quite common in the Asia Pacific region.

When ‘Building Back Better‘ we help people rebuild homes with;

Foundations that tie the building down, and the structure together;
Bracing against movement:
Stronger fixings

Rebuilt home in the Philippines

These make the buildings more resilient to the typhoons that sweep the pacific on a regular basis.

Build Back Better – Masonry

Although masonry construction is generally more resistant to typhoons is can be severly damaged by earthquakes.

Our help for rebuilding masonry homes in earthquake regions includes:

Strong foundations;
Reinforcing the walls horizontally and vertically with reinforced concrete columns at corners and openings;
A lightweight roof.

Rebuilt Home in Chiapas, Mexico

If you would like to help Disaster Aid Australia continue to help disaster affected people ‘Build Back Better’ with Smart Aid . . . click on the link below;