Assessment to Implementation: Reflections from a 3-Year Community-Academic Partnership to Improve Disaster Risk Reduction in Delmas, Haiti

Background:  National disaster plans have been developed in Haiti; however, little is known on how to ensure communities are equal partners in implementing disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies.  Since 2012, a community-academic partnership continues to collaboratively grow the capacity for preparedness in the Delmas community.

Methods:  In 2012, a community assessment of 144 households was conducted to understand current knowledge at individual and household levels.  In 2013, 6 DRR activities were piloted among 44 community members to inform a DRR curriculum that was implemented with 16 community leaders.  Mixed methods have been used to identify opportunities for program and partnership improvement including: community focus groups, key informant interviews, community-driven evaluation, photovoice activities, acceptability and knowledge acquisition surveys, and community meetings.

Results:  The 2012 community assessment identified a need to disseminate DRR training utilizing community members in leadership roles.  Key outcomes from this project to date include the development of a community-informed modular DRR curriculum, ongoing evaluation of community leader activities, the formalization of a Haitian-led DRR organization, Gwoup kap Travay pou Rediksyon Risk ak Dezas (GTRRID), and the planning of a February 2014 community forum initiated by GTRRID.

Conclusions:  Community-academic partnerships have the potential to build community DRR capacity.  Continued process evaluation on the partnership itself in addition to identifying and solidifying roles of community partners, local government, and academic partners remain crucial for continued success.  Future activities will include formal partnership assessments, strategic planning, and ongoing evaluation to improve and extend the DRR training to additional communities.