quickscan: Santa Maria Ostuma
Quick Scan Report: Santa Maria Ostuma
Accompanied by: Jorge & Manuel (Fundasal)
Date: 13/03/09
Time: 13:00-15:00
Introduction
The municipality of Santa Maria Ostuma is situated in the far north part of the La Paz region. The epicenter of the second earthquake of 2001, 13 February, was in this municipality. The total population of just over 6000 people lost their homes and had to survive three days without any help, water or food from the outside world.
30% of the population is living in the urban area of the village of Santa Maria Ostuma.
In El Salvador it is common that a disaster response is coordinated either by the national/local government or by the (Catholic) Church. The responses on the earthquake in Santa Maria Ostuma were coordinated by a collaboration of those two institutions, and therefore rather special. Within our visit to the town, we speak to both parties, first we have a interview with the local priest on the corner of the street and afterwards we sit down in the city hall to speak to Deisy, who is working in different redevelopment projects.
Collaboration between government and church
After three days the first emergency help did reach the town and was coming from the central government, the municipality of Valencia (spain) and the catholic churches from the United States. In order to create a good distribution out to the beneficiaries, the local government and the church putted up a distribution center next to the church. The municipality was divided into 8 ‘cantones’ in order to control the distribution. People could make a list of necessary items and give this to there ‘canton’ in order to get the products they needed. At the start of the reconstruction process the help was given in the same way. Building materials were stocked in the distribution centers and the beneficiaries made a list of necessary building materials that they could get from the stocks.
The collaboration between the church and the municipality didn’t last very long. The priest stepped out, when he found out about different people within the local government were not equally distributing the help. The 8 ‘cantones’ kept on working together without the Local government. The inconvenience and anger of the population did the priest look for a new mayor who was elected in the local elections of January 2003. This mayor plays an important role in the reconstruction and development process.
From reconstruction to development
Next to over 1000 houses that were build with international help of Germany, Caritas and Habitat. The new mayor started to work with the central government and the program Fisdl. Another 300 houses, 4 schools and new infrastructure were built. The new mayor did see the potential of the 8 ‘cantones’ as a social network. The reconstruction process created a lot of willingness to contribute within the local community. The standard of live has gone up, and the hunger for further development has grown. The quality of houses is a lot better, new schools are built, the infrastructure did improve, and there is a community garbage disposal, there is a communal playground and they are even building a small park at the back of the church.
With the conversation at the city hall we found out that after the reconstruction process they used the community feeling and organization to develop the community. Different development programs were initiated and eventually funded and implemented. The community organizes festivals to attract tourism to give an economical input. Due to education there are different environmental projects implemented, the community works with children to create awareness of the danger, for example on deforestation by organizing tree planting activities. Another interesting education program is how the municipality is implementing a garbage separation program by letting high school kids teach the primary school children and inform elders themselves. The intent to reach the families through the (young studying) children.
Due to the earthquake of 2001 the people of Santa Maria Ostuma had to work together to built up their lives again. Where they were used to mostly think of their own, they created a social networks and a communal way of thinking. Due to the national and international help it became clear that they could develop further if they wanted to, Deisy explains. The new inputs, a social network and a good mayor created the opportunity for the municipality of Santa Maria Ostuma.
Accompanied by: Jorge & Manuel (Fundasal)
Date: 13/03/09
Time: 13:00-15:00
Introduction
The municipality of Santa Maria Ostuma is situated in the far north part of the La Paz region. The epicenter of the second earthquake of 2001, 13 February, was in this municipality. The total population of just over 6000 people lost their homes and had to survive three days without any help, water or food from the outside world.
30% of the population is living in the urban area of the village of Santa Maria Ostuma.
In El Salvador it is common that a disaster response is coordinated either by the national/local government or by the (Catholic) Church. The responses on the earthquake in Santa Maria Ostuma were coordinated by a collaboration of those two institutions, and therefore rather special. Within our visit to the town, we speak to both parties, first we have a interview with the local priest on the corner of the street and afterwards we sit down in the city hall to speak to Deisy, who is working in different redevelopment projects.
Collaboration between government and church
After three days the first emergency help did reach the town and was coming from the central government, the municipality of Valencia (spain) and the catholic churches from the United States. In order to create a good distribution out to the beneficiaries, the local government and the church putted up a distribution center next to the church. The municipality was divided into 8 ‘cantones’ in order to control the distribution. People could make a list of necessary items and give this to there ‘canton’ in order to get the products they needed. At the start of the reconstruction process the help was given in the same way. Building materials were stocked in the distribution centers and the beneficiaries made a list of necessary building materials that they could get from the stocks.
The collaboration between the church and the municipality didn’t last very long. The priest stepped out, when he found out about different people within the local government were not equally distributing the help. The 8 ‘cantones’ kept on working together without the Local government. The inconvenience and anger of the population did the priest look for a new mayor who was elected in the local elections of January 2003. This mayor plays an important role in the reconstruction and development process.
From reconstruction to development
Next to over 1000 houses that were build with international help of Germany, Caritas and Habitat. The new mayor started to work with the central government and the program Fisdl. Another 300 houses, 4 schools and new infrastructure were built. The new mayor did see the potential of the 8 ‘cantones’ as a social network. The reconstruction process created a lot of willingness to contribute within the local community. The standard of live has gone up, and the hunger for further development has grown. The quality of houses is a lot better, new schools are built, the infrastructure did improve, and there is a community garbage disposal, there is a communal playground and they are even building a small park at the back of the church.
With the conversation at the city hall we found out that after the reconstruction process they used the community feeling and organization to develop the community. Different development programs were initiated and eventually funded and implemented. The community organizes festivals to attract tourism to give an economical input. Due to education there are different environmental projects implemented, the community works with children to create awareness of the danger, for example on deforestation by organizing tree planting activities. Another interesting education program is how the municipality is implementing a garbage separation program by letting high school kids teach the primary school children and inform elders themselves. The intent to reach the families through the (young studying) children.
Due to the earthquake of 2001 the people of Santa Maria Ostuma had to work together to built up their lives again. Where they were used to mostly think of their own, they created a social networks and a communal way of thinking. Due to the national and international help it became clear that they could develop further if they wanted to, Deisy explains. The new inputs, a social network and a good mayor created the opportunity for the municipality of Santa Maria Ostuma.
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