press releases
NGOs Participate In USAID Training On Earthquake-Resistant Design
04/12/2006
Islamabad - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is training engineers, project managers and builders from local and international non-governmental organization (NGOs) in earthquake-resistant design so they can, in turn, teach these reconstruction methods to quake-affected communities. By working through the NGO community, USAID greatly expands the reach of this state-of-the-art program, making it possible for the greatest number of those affected by the earthquake to get the best available expertise and training.
USAID implementing partner GOAL is conducting the five-day workshops with organizational support from Mercy Corps. Nine NGOs sent 37 representatives to the most recent workshop in Muzaffarabad. Participating NGOs include Premiere Urgence, RedR, the International Human Rights Observer, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and Oxfam.
Nisar Ahmed Mir, an associate engineer for Premiere Urgence, said he learned more about earthquake-resistant building from the workshop than from his studies as an engineer. "They taught me about wood, bricks, stones, plaster – how the structures fail, what are the shortcomings, how to get passed these shortcomings." His organization plans to conduct its own training in two union councils in Muzaffarabad District.
The seminar’s training program is similar to that that has been offered directly to builders and contractors. Training emphasizes hands-on participation and teaches site selection and building techniques for wood, masonry and concrete structures.
"That was a very comprehensive training," said Jehanzaib Singha, a project manager for the Interfaith League Against Poverty. Singha said that he appreciated the workshop’s hands-on, rather than lecture-based, approach. He also said that the workshop helped him understand how to launch reconstruction building programs in the Balakot union councils where his organization works.
Before the Oct. 8 quake, few people knew area homes sat on unsafe ground and most buildings did not include structural bracing for walls and roofs. The lack of awareness of earthquake resistant building techniques led to large numbers of deaths as structures collapsed on their occupants.
The United States, through USAID, is providing more than $1.5 billion in development assistance to Pakistan over the next five years to improve education, health, governance and economic growth. In addition, the United States has pledged a total of $510 million in earthquake relief and reconstruction efforts to assist the people of Pakistan and to support Pakistani government relief and reconstruction efforts.