Please Get Behind Our Efforts to Demonstrate Sustainable Development and Relief for Chile Quake/Tsunami Victims
Editor’s Preamble:
Permaculturists famously endeavour to ‘turn the problem into a solution’. At the moment we have a tremendous opportunity to apply this principle in wonderful, productive ways in disaster-hit Chile.
The quake-tsunami combo that hit on February 27, 2010 has created a void just begging for sustainable relief and re-development. Grifen Hope and Javiera Carrión of Ecoescuela El Manzano, a partner organisation to the Permaculture Research Institute, are well positioned to fill that void with all kinds of permaculture goodness – in the form of low-cost environmentally friendly buildings, improved sanitation and nutrient cycling through construction of composting toilets, water harvesting systems and in education in home garden design, etc.
Grifen and Javiera have already established successful projects in Chile and his national contacts make this a particularly significant opportunity, to not only directly help people in great need at this time, but to also offer more holistic and community centred alternatives to local and national government – alternatives with far greater short and long term potential than those offered by the scores of contractors seeking to cash in on misery. PRI Australia feels so strongly about assisting El Manzano with his noble ambitions, that we’re putting forward the first AU$1,000 donation.
Both PRI Australia and PRI USA are taking donations for this cause (people in the U.S. will want to donate through PRI USA, to take advantage of their tax-exampt non-profit status). In the interests of transparency, PRI USA will take 5 percent of donations to cover administration and the work that had to be done to facilitate the legal aspects of sponsoring this project – but that 5% will help PRI USA develop its own projects). PRI Australia will pass 100% of donations to the project in Chile.
Additionally, as we feel this work deserves significant exposure, and as we seek to ensure that valuable permaculture relief work gets noticed at the highest levels, to attract further governmental support for future disasters worldwide, PRI Australia and myself (Craig Mackintosh) will share the costs for myself to go to Chile to cover and report on El Manzano´s work via photographs, writing and video.
I would like to take this opportunity to ask people to get behind this in whatever way they can. Donations, large or small, will all assist in what is the very best form of aid work. Perhaps ask your employer to match your donation – many will. Additionally, people with contacts in government, aid agencies and other NGOs are invited to share this page with them. Thanks in advance to the worldwide permaculture community for getting behind this work. You never know – in the future you may be the recipient of such assistance.
*Please be sure to click on the ‘Add special instructions to seller’ link, and then type ‘CHILE’ in the field provided, to ensure these fund are correctly diverted.
El Manzano in Transition – Towards Community Resilience, by Design
1. Project Aim
The primary objective of this project is to assist devastated communities of Chile to plan and design their own resilient settlements, to quickly recover from the devastating Earthquake of February 27 2010, and to build long-term resistance to the future effects of natural disaster, economic, climate, and energy disruption.
This project presents a call for regional, national and international investment in living examples of good practice in the planning and design of resilient human settlements. Evidence of the outcomes from this approach will be used to influence regional and national government officials and policy makers to replicate the model throughout the affected regions of BìoBìo and Maule.
2. Background
On February 27th 2010 Chile was hit by a ´Mega-earthquake´ that shook the very foundations of Chilean society. In total 4.2 million people have been affected, many of whom are still without basic public services. Approximately 1.5 million homes have been destroyed or heavily damaged, with an estimated 1 million people left homeless. Initial estimates suggest the recovery will cost US$30 billion and take 3-4 years.
On reflection it could have been much worse. While the quake was 500 times stronger than that in Haiti and devastation is enormous, Chile has fared relatively well. Compared to Haiti the death toll and damage to buildings and infrastructure has been moderate. With a long history of devastating earthquakes the Chilean government and people are well prepared to withstand, respond and recover from a large earthquake.
At this point in time the priority is still on the relief response and providing basic needs to hundreds of thousands of affected people. However, attention is now turning to planning for the reconstruction phase. I think some concise reference to the vulnarabilities of modern industrial systems to multiple likely future impacts of peak oil, climate change, etc. is warranted to explain why this local resilience approach is so important to advance, rather than using existing local national and international capacity to rebuild communities on the old pattern.
3. Problem and Local Context
The village of El Manzano, home to 28 families, is the first official Transition Town in Latin America and in a pre-earthquake process of redesigning itself for resilience to disaster. The village remains highly vulnerable to the systemic crises of natural disaster, economic, climate, and energy disruption. Many of the basic necessities such as water, food and medical care are dependent on external resources, and existing housing is not fit for human habitation. These poverty related issues have been compounded by the recent earthquake. As El Manzano is out of the main disaster area it is very low on the priority list for recovery. In response the community has identified its own vulnerabilities;
1. Dependence on electricity for water for drinking, irrigation of crops and animals.
2. Lack of access to land for subsistence crops, low fertility and low moisture holding capacity of existing soils, with dependence on unhealthy external food sources.
3. Earthquake damage to two houses making them uninhabitable, and a general state of substandard housing for the majority of village residents.
4. Reliance on septic tanks for household and human waste disposal, subsequent excessive use of water and contamination of shallow groundwater used for drinking.
5. Low participation in community activities and the design of a community plan for the development of local resilience.
4. Objectives and Actions
The community of El Manzano has identified the following priorities for disaster response and recovery in coming months. These activities will provide practical training opportunities for local residents and permaculture trainees in construction of simple systems, and in regenerative design that can be replicated in other communities.
1. To ensure water supply for 28 families independent of the electricity grid for drinking and irrigation.
(a). Implement appropriate solutions for the supply of gravity fed household drinking water and irrigation systems to generate resilience in drought times or black out.
(b). Manufacture of PVC hand pumps for extraction of clean shallow groundwater.
(c). Recovery of existing deep wells which can extract water without electricity.
2. To ensure local food security for 71 people by increasing natural fertility and water holding capacity of soil using locally available materials and recycling of organic wastes.
(a). Establish 1.2 hectares of community garden to meet the vitamin and calorie needs of 71 residents.
(b). Cultivate 1.9 hectares of community compost and grain crops for the food self-reliance of 71 people.
(c). Implement a local food cooperative so residents can purchase bulk food in the village.
(d). Development of soil improvement techniques and organic soil amendments.
3. To rebuild two houses made uninhabitable in the earthquake (affecting 2 families: 3 children, 3 women, 4 men) as a model for other residents to improve substandard housing conditions.
(a). Rebuild the 40 m2 house of Don Oscar and family using locally available natural materials to be earthquake resistant.
4. To ensure appropriate sanitation for 28 families, reduce need for water and reduce groundwater contamination.
(a). Reduce water consumption and contamination of ground water with construction of dry composting toilets.
(b). Implementation of simple bio-filters for the safe re-use of grey water in gardens.
5. To support the community design process in EL Manzano and develop a Community Resilience Action Plan.
(a). Provide a model of community-led planning and design for community that can be replicated widely in the affected regions of BíoBío and Maule, and around the world.
(b). Disseminate the results widely to local and regional authorities to attract attention and replication in other affected communities of BíoBío and Maule.
5. Networks
Ecoescuela El Manzano (EEM) is uniquely positioned to make a big
difference in the reconstruction process. EEM has developed strong
relationships with the El Manzano Neighbourhood Association and Youth
Group, and assisted a core team to begin the Transition planning
processes here. Relationships have been formed with the mayor and local
council of Cabrero and their PRODESAL programme supporting rural women in small
enterprise. A partnership has been formed with the regional
demonstration centre Centre of Education and Technology (CET) Yumbel to
share resources and expertise. EEM is working with the foundation Work for a Brother
to duplicate the El Manzano project in some of the worst disaster
affected communities on the coast of BíoBío. An existing contract with
the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) through the Environmental Protection Fund exists to install
appropriate technology during 2009 in a community demonstration centre,
and in 2010 in all houses in the village. In 2009 El Manzano was
recognised as an example of best practice in community development by
national organisation Territorio Chile. At a national level Ecoescuela has
been instrumental in forming the Instituto Chileno de Permacultura and training a
network of 140 permaculture designers and teachers. At an international
level Ecoescuela is a regional training centre for sustainability in
partnership with the Permaculture
Research Institute, Holmgren Design Services, Gaia
University and the Transition Towns Network.
6. Financial Information
Ecoescuela El Manzano has committed to raise US$50,000 to augment an existing US$17,500 for this ambitious and important project in 2010.
A donation from you will help turn disaster into opportunity. Through redesign of damaged settlements we can alleviate emergency need, and invest in long term resilience.
Gracias from Chile!
Advance to the worldwide permaculture community for getting behind this work. You never know – in the future you may be the recipient of such assistance.
*Please be sure to click on the ‘Add special instructions to seller’
link, and then type ‘CHILE’ in the field provided, to ensure these fund
are correctly diverted.
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