New report from Tewa touches on role community philanthropy can play in disaster recovery
20 Sep 2016
Tewa and Nagarik Aawaz’s recently published research entitled “A Gendered Look Into Bhaktapur’s Recovery and Rebuilding: An Applied Research”, explores the social, economic and cultural changes that are taking place in Nepal following the 2015 earthquakes. The research illustrates how community philanthropy organizations’ strong local ties, deep rooted knowledge, and relationships become even more important in a crisis to inform national policy and decision making. The report uses a sample of nearly 500 individuals from the historic city of Bhaktapur, known for the temples of Durbar Square which were also devastated by the earthquakes, to provide empirical evidence to show how the disaster is changing the society, particularly the role of women who are now more commonly working outside the home to earn income for their families.
Notably, the research recommends a specific post-crisis role for government, particularly around strengthening transport infrastructure and maintaining peace and security, and tends to reject money, dedicated projects and well-paid, specialized staffing as the solution to Bhaktapur’s recovery and development. Instead the report’s authors highlight an increased need for the close knit Bhaktapur community to build on its existing strengths and maintain traditional safety nets. Key to this will be how local organizations, such as Tewa and Nagarik Aawaz, continue to work at the grassroots, helping community partners get back on their feet for the long-term.