Earthquake Housing Project

In July 2000 an earthquake shook Masaya and the valley around the Laguna de Apoyo, a few kilometers from the city. Up to 70% of housing in the nine municipalities of Masaya was damaged and an estimated 1500 homes were completely destroyed. Seismic activity continued, creating panic and adding to the horrors of homelessness and disease.

Within days, The Leicester Masaya Link Group launched an appeal and over the next few months raised more than £15000 to help provide relief in the short term and participate in the reconstruction of the city’s homes in the long-term.

The LMLG worked with 3 NGOs to provide houses for families in two rural areas in the Masaya District and in on urban area of Masaya city itself. Whilst the project was responding to the immediate consequences of a natural disaster, the NGOs facilitating it were clear about the need to address particular issue as part of the long-term strategy in the fight against poverty and hunger. To this end, it was agreed that all the beneficiaries should be women and the prime objective was to ensure that they gained legal ownership of both the house and the land it is built on. The process of empowerment also involved training and workshops to provide opportunities for these women to learn new skills that will ultimately help them improve their personal, social and environmental conditions within their own communities. All the women were involved in helping to build their new homes.