Rebuilding from disaster: it doesn’t end when housing aid projects finish

Disasters are typically followed by an influx of resources, including millions of dollars channelled through humanitarian agencies for rebuilding housing. Images of destruction and distressed victims create deep empathy and generosity, generating a “revolution of giving” to ease suffering and help rebuild shattered lives. For instance, the Aceh post-tsunami reconstruction received nearly US$7 billion worth of humanitarian aid.

However, this outpouring of support often occurs with limited understanding of the actual conditions of affected people and the support they need. In contrast to the costly implementation of reconstruction projects, very little attention is paid to project evaluation. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other humanitarian agencies often focus on short-term outcomes.

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