Build Change | Sumatra Program

West Sumatra Earthquake Housing Reconstruction Program

IMPACTS before the September 30, 2009 earthquake:

Safer
Houses 655

Better Builders 330

Trained Professionals 619

Empowered Homeowners 799

IMPACTS after the September 30, 2009 earthquake:

Safer
Houses 11,993

Better Builders 389

Trained Professionals 1,065

Empowered Homeowners 3,591

Last Update 21 July 2011. See Notes Below.

PROGRAM SUMMARY

In January 2008, Build Change's Indonesia team relocated from Aceh to West Sumatra to provide hands-on technical assistance to homeowners who lost houses in the March and September 2007 earthquakes. The region was hit by another earthquake on September 30, 2009. None of the houses that met Build Change's minimum standard for earthquake safety had any damage.

In the six months following the 2009 earthquake, Build Change partnered with members of the Emergency Capacity Building Consortium with funding from USAID OFDA to provide technical assistance and training to homeowners and technical supervisors. Build Change partnered with CHF International and Oxfam International GB to train builders.

Now, Build Change is providing hands-on technical assistance to homeowners as they rebuild permanent houses with grant funding provided by the Indonesian government. Build Change is also training technical facilitators (construction supervisors) and technical high school students.

(1) LEARN FIRST: Technical Reconnaissance Study

Build Change completed technical reconnaissance studies in West Sumatra following the March 2007, September 2007, and September 2009 earthquakes to understand why buildings collapsed, and why they didn't. DOWNLOAD THE REPORTS HERE…

(2) DESIGN EARTHQUAKE-RESISTANT HOUSES

Confined masonry and timber frame with a masonry skirt wall are equally common structural systems in West Sumatra. More homeowners are switching from poorly built masonry to timber structures, which are easier and less expensive to build safely in West Sumatra. Build Change's minimum standards for confined masonry and timber frame with masonry skirt are included in our HANDBOOK on the Technical Resources page.

(3) BUILD LOCAL CAPACITY

Build Change is training homeowners, builders, government officials, technical high school students, and relief agency staff to build safe houses in West Sumatra.

BUILDERS - In partnership with Oxfam GB and CHF International, Build Change trained 363 builders in a six-day practical course on the basics of earthquake resistant design and construction for single family, rural houses. Also, Build Change provides on-the-job training to builders as needed.

TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS - Build Change has re-started its popular technical high school student training program, which successfully trained and inspired 372 students and their teachers prior to the 2009 earthquake. We have expanded this practical, short course on earthquake-resistant design and construction to include construction site safety and leadership skills workshops. So far, 234 students have been trained with funding from the Caterpillar Foundation.

TECHNICAL FACILITATORS - Build Change is training technical supervisors employed by international agencies during the implementation of their own projects. In total, 46 facilitators were trained in collaboration with partners Save the Children and CARE International. These professionals have, in turn, supervised the rebuildling of over 11,000 transitional and permanent houses.

INTERESTED IN BUILDER, ENGINEER or GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL TRAINING PROGRAMS? EMAIL US

(4) STIMULATE LOCAL DEMAND

HOMEOWNERS - Build Change empowers homeowners with knowledge about how to build an earthquake-resistant house so that they can supervise their own construction and have confidence that their house will keep their family safe. Build Change:

Gives simple explanations on why houses collapse and how to build them better

Assists homeowners to select the type of house (timber, confined masonry, or others) and draws a layout that meets their needs, budget and plot size.

Provides detailed design drawings, contract templates, and instructions on signing a complete contract with the contractor so the homeowner's rights can be protected

Gives hands-on construction training before and during the construction process, to build skills and empower homeowners to check materials and construction quality themselves.

Distributes simple posters and booklets on earthquake-resistant construction. Check our Technical Resources page for the complete set.

Along with partners Save the Children, Mercy Corps, and Catholic Relief Services, Build Change has assisted homeowners by providing seminars and presentations, practical examples, printed resources and discussions regarding safe transitional, semipermanent and permanent shelter options.

Build Change is now providing hands-on technical assistance to over 400 homeowners as they rebuild permanent houses.

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS - In partnership with the ministry of public works, Build Change has trained 172 municipal staff and engineers.

(5) FACILITATE ACCESS TO CAPITAL

Funding for house construction materials and labor is directly provided to homeowners through a cash grant from the Indonesian government.

(6) MEASURE THE CHANGE

See above for current impact numbers. Notes:

Safer Houses is the number of houses which are better because of Build Change's inputs. This number includes better transitional and permanent houses.

Better Builders is the number of builders and contractors who completed a 6-day Build Change builder training course, received on-the-job training from Build Change, and masons trained in the production of concrete blocks.

Trained Professionals includes local engineers, government engineers, architects, technical high school students, their teachers, government engineers and/or other construction professionals employed and mentored by Build Change or attending Build Change's training courses. Staff of Build Change have to pass theoretical and practical competency exams.

Empowered Homeowners includes homeowners who have done one of the following (1) used a Build Change layout, (2) used a Build Change contract template, (3) attended a Build Change homeowner training program.

Press Coverage

World Vision Report

January 23, 2010. "Build Change" by Chad Bouchard

World Vision Report profiles Build Change's technical assistance programs in West Sumatra, Indonesia. READ IT HERE…

Jakarta Globe

October 14, 2009. "Building Post-Quake Hope in Padang" by Lisa Siregar

The Jakarta Globe features Build Change after a fundraising event for safe reconstruction after the Padang Earthquake. READ IT HERE…

What People Say About Build Change

Now I know the specific reasons my home collapsed. It had no steel reinforcement at all. Many other homes in the area are also built like this and I didn't know any different. Now I know how important good construction is I will keep my eyes on the builders reconstructing my home. Alinar, villager and young mother in West Sumatra, Indonesia

While conducting a field visit during one of our homeowner courses, I had a chance to see that a younger participant had used his Build Change "bar-bending" flyer as a wrapper for his lunch of rice and fish. Upon seeing this, an older community member reprimanded the young man, who responded by saying: "Well, it's good for keeping my hands clean! to which the older member quipped: "It's also good for building a safe house to eat your rice in!" to the subsequent cheers of the gathered crowd." Michael Collins, Build Change Program Manager, West Sumatra, Indonesia

Mercy Corps has had a long and beneficial relationship with Build Change...as a technical consultant, Build Change conducted six weeks of homeowner trainings for Mercy Corps beneficiaries, reports from which were very positive. In their final reports, both Save the Children and Catholic Relief Services also praised the work of Build Change. Erynn Carter, Director West Sumatra, Mercy Corps