Caribbean
The Bahamas: Rebuilding Post-Dorian During a Pandemic
It’s been a year since Hurricane Dorian made landfall in The Bahamas, leaving thousands of people homeless and communities in shambles. In November of last year, we reported on the sheer devastation that we witnessed during our assessment and how Malteser International Americas has been contributing to reconstruction efforts.
We determined that rebuilding schools was essential to healing the community of Abaco and would be an important step in bringing back its residents. With the help of the members of the Order of Malta, we identified schools that needed to be rebuilt and trustworthy partners to take the lead in reconstruction.
We partnered with NGO All Hands and Hearts to rehabilitate the Catholic school St. Francis de Sales, and Every Child Counts, an educational facility for children with special needs.
Fast forward to September – a month that usually signals back to school and new beginnings, as well as a new hurricane season. COVID-19 brought the world to a standstill for several months, yet news from the Caribbean islands has been scarce.
There are currently over 3,000 cases of COVID-19 in The Bahamas and 68 confirmed deaths, with a sharp increase in new infections in the last month.
With this unprecedented scenario, we wanted to know how COVID-19 is affecting post-Dorian reconstruction efforts in The Bahamas, so we reached out to our partners at All Hand and Hearts Aileen Boyle, Operations Manager; and Leazona Bethell, Partnership Manager.
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How has COVID-19 impacted reconstruction efforts in the Bahamas?
LB: The Bahamas has undergone a series of lockdowns and travel restrictions. While construction has continued in the areas affected by the hurricane, the restrictions have led to delays in the supply chain that has slowed progress. Our team has had to suspend our program on the island due to COVID-19. This has significantly delayed help getting to so many vulnerable residents.
How has COVID-19 affected your work and the rebuilding of the school?
AB: It has obviously put a massive hold on our initial timeline. We had originally planned to be completed our work at Every Child Counts (ECC) school by now, and we had almost 200 houses in our work queue, which we had to pause on. It has put a massive strain on our volunteer-driven model as it is almost impossible to safely and responsibly have people come into The Bahamas. At the time of shutdown, we had over 70 people on base, working 6 days a week. Right now there are just 2 of us!
We have hired some local contractors to help us get back up and running, as well as working with another NGO called GER3.
What were your plans for 2020 and what is the new timeline?
AB: Our plans for 2020 was to finish the restoration of Central Abaco Primary (CAPS) and ECC, as well as continuing to work on individual homes and begin some community engagement projects.
We are still committed to the schools and the homes (although the model of doing so has slightly adjusted). Most community engagement projects are on hold until we can begin to work safely with the community.
Have the needs changed in the last year?
AB: Yes and no. A lot of the immediate damage from the hurricane has been cleared (debris clean up, demolition work etc.), but there is still so much work still needed to get this area up to what it was like pre-Dorian. We have started to shift our focus slightly from response – which is the initial clean up after a disaster, to recovery – which is more focused on long term rebuild.
How are students and their families coping (mentally, financially)?
LB: Families are having significant mental health issues. There is so much uncertainty and life is really hard for many. Electricity is not fully installed in the islands, so many will have to visit the food stores every day for ice to keep food cool, or to simply restock perishable items. It’s a daily chore of managing petrol for generators and getting things done before sun-down. We still have folks living in tents, or in compromised homes with mold and leakage issues, all while being apart from some of their family members. The recent storms added to the anxieties. While many planned to evacuate to the U.S., the current COVID situation removes that option.
Jobs are limited to construction, so many women are without jobs, and reliant on food distribution initiatives to cover food for their families. Very few take-away restaurants have returned, but they are a great option for folks who are unable to cook at home. For many, they have not had sustained work in a year and it weighs heavily on them. Many are still frustrated by banks not releasing insurance funds. They are not able to begin work on their homes, which adds even more to their anxiety. While life is a struggle, there is a lot of hope as each day another area is cleaned up, or a home has a new roof. Folks are exhausted but hanging in there.
What measures are being taken to prepare for this year’s hurricane season?
LB: The government agencies have their protocols that they go through each hurricane season and days leading up to a hurricane. A group of NGOs have come together to work on the gaps that we observed from the meeting that we were able to participate in. Some of the issues were around communication of shelters and the times they were officially open; the readiness of shelter regarding food and supplies as well as the availability of emergency vehicles like high clearance vehicles, dinghies and jet skis in the various communities.
While COVID-19 has caused some delays with the rebuild in Abaco – as it has everywhere else in the world – we are committed to continuing the work we’ve started with the post-Dorian reconstruction and beyond. Executive Director, Ravi Tripptrap, says
“Malteser International Americas is proud and grateful to be working with these professional partners especially under these challenging circumstances. We renew our commitment to support the people of Abaco and will make sure to stay until the school is reopened and operational again. We are committed to the ‘build back better’ motto and stand by those who need us most. To make this happen, Malteser International Americas’ relief activities will include direct assistance to students – by supplying educational material and school equipment – as well as their parents, by providing longer-term assistance around mental health.”
*As of 2021, Malteser International Americas no longer funds nor works with All Hands and Hearts, as a result of disturbing allegations regarding All Hands and Hearts’ conduct with volunteers. MI Americas will no longer work with the organization in any capacity.
