Resilient Dominica is now completing the initial Soufriere Primary School rebuild project with the addition of a brand new working kitchen.

This joint project between Resilient Dominica and World Central Kitchen is a good example of how a successful collaboration between two separate, non-profit organizations can lead to improved community resilience.

The project goals are:

• to meet the daily cooking needs of the primary school
• to function as a culinary classroom to teach cooking skills for local empowerment
• to serve as an efficient cooking station for the community in the event of a major disaster.

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On September 4, 2019 the children from Soufriere, Scotts Head and Galion moved back into the Soufriere Primary School for the first time since Hurricane Maria in 2017. There was great excitement in the community for this important step for the children, parents and especially for the teachers and principal who were relieved to move out from their temporary, challenging teaching environment into their entirely refurbished and improved school.

To make sure that the end result of the project would accomplish all of its goals, throughout the project REZDM consulted with the Ministry of Education, the Principal, the teachers and the parents to take into consideration the various needs for a new and improved space providing inspiring learning conditions.

Although the children and teachers are returning to the same physical location, the buildings composing the Soufriere Primary School are now very different from what they were prior to Hurricane Maria.

The Soufriere Primary School has been an important project for the REZDM team and we are very happy to be able to turn the keys over to the Ministry of Education and the community of Soufriere.

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REZDM has now completed the first iteration of a Coastal plan for the Southwest of Dominica covering the area from Pointe Michel to Scotts Head. The Costal plan takes into consideration the significant changes to the topology and reduced habitability of the littoral since hurricane Maria as well as the expected increase of activities associated with tourism.

The general objective of the coastal plan is to establish or refine specific and coexisting usage zones that are compatible with the protection of the Soufriere Scotts Head Marine Reserve (SSMR) while allowing for a managed and controlled expansion of the touristic activities in the costal zones of the Southwest of the Island.

The selection of the proposed locations for each activity and zone that are included in the Coastal Plan REZDM has been made factoring in resilience and the ability for rapid recovery from natural disasters.

The next steps towards further elaboration of the Coastal plan are to continue and extend public and government consultations and expand the plan to include inland areas that can have direct impact on the Coastal zones included in the plan.

The Coastal Plan is now available here on the REZDM website.

Read more about the REZDM Projects in Dominica here.

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This meeting brought together stakeholders from across the Caribbean to discuss the progress being made in rebuilding island nations after the devastating 2017 Hurricanes: Irma and Maria.

“This Action Network brings together leaders from across sectors to develop new, specific, and measurable plans that advance recovery and promote long-term resiliency across the region.”

In Dominica, REZDM is currently operating half a dozen projects with the objective of making communities in the south of Dominica more resilient and better equipped to deal with natural disasters

REZDM Project Manager, Mr Simon Walsh, presented the status of these projects to the meeting participants.

• Read more about the REZDM Projects in Dominica here.

Mr Simon Walsh, REZDM Project Manager presenting at CGI Action Network on Post-Disaster Recovery

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On Thursday, April 26, 2018 the Humane Society of Dominica is collaborating with REZDM and the Dominica Government Veterinary Unit to hold a spay and neuter clinic for the Southern District, deeply affected by Hurricane Maria in September 2017.

Following the destruction of 90% of the district’s homes and the displacement of families, domestic pet population has soared and the increase in the number of roaming cats and dogs has a direct impact on the ability of local wildlife such as small reptiles, iguanas and birds, to come back to their pre-hurricane levels.

In keeping with Dominica’s goal of becoming the first resilient island nation, able to rebuild and sustain its rich and balanced environment, this spay and neuter clinic is a first step, humane response to the pet population boom. With the participation of the local school children, the clinic will also be used by the Humane Society of Dominica and REZDM as a teaching tool about the importance of spaying and neutering for the long term control of local pet populations.

The post Cats & Dogs: Spay and Neuter Clinic for the Southern District first appeared on REZDM.