From the Cyclone Idai disaster to the COVID-19 pandemic: An account of inadvertent social capital enhancement in Eastern Chimanimani, Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe suffered a devastating meteorological disaster when Cyclone Idai affected the southeast part of the country in March 2019. Barely a year after the cyclonic event, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic emerged, leading to the declaration of a nationwide lockdown that paralysed socio-economic systems. This article examines how social capital was autonomously cultivated and eventually utilised by the Cyclone Idai disaster survivors in Eastern Chimanimani to face the fresh socio-economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this article, a qualitative method embedded in a case study design was used. Data was collected using 30 purposively selected key respondents who interacted with victim communities from March to July 2020. A thematic content analysis approach was applied to obtain opinion patterns and subsequent inferences. The study results revealed a lack of immediate external disaster intervention during the Cyclone Idai disaster in Chimanimani. Accordingly, a strong sense of collective action developed between victim communities, thus enabling them to perform hasty operations meant to salvage lives and property. The enhanced social capital helped the Cyclone Idai victims to face the new COVID-19 lockdown challenges. This article recommends pro-active and well-coordinated government and private sector disaster response strategies supporting local area initiatives to minimise loss of lives and property during disaster situations.

When Housing and Communities Were Delivered: A Case Study of Post-Wenchuan Earthquake Rural Reconstruction and Recovery

This study contributes to an in-depth examination of how Wenchuan earthquake disaster survivors utilize intensive built environment reconstruction outcomes (housing and infrastructural systems) to facilitate their long-term social and economic recovery and sustainable rural development. Post-disaster recovery administered via top-down disaster management systems usually consists of two phases: a short-term, government-led reconstruction (STGLR) of the built environment and a long-term, survivor-led recovery (LTSLR) of human and social settings. However, current studies have been inadequate in examining how rural disaster survivors have adapted to their new government-provided housing or how communities conducted their long-term recovery efforts. This qualitative case study invited sixty rural disaster survivors to examine their place-making activities utilizing government-delivered, urban-style residential communities to support their long-term recovery. This study discovered that rural residents’ recovery activities successfully perpetuated their original rural lives and rebuilt social connections and networks both individually and collectively. However, they were only able to manage their agriculture-based livelihood recovery temporarily. This research suggests that engaging rural inhabitants’ place-making expertise and providing opportunities to improve their housing and communities would advance the long-term grassroots recovery of lives and livelihoods, achieving sustainable development.

Libraries Assist Disaster Survivors with Information Needs and Refuge but Need to Amplify Their Role and What They Offer

A Review of: Braquet, D. M. (2010). Library experiences of Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans flood survivors. LIBRES: Library and Information Science Research Electronic Journal, 20(1), 1. https://www.libres-ejournal.info/528/ Abstract Objective – Describe the experiences and library usage of patrons displaced by Hurricane Katrina and the New Orleans Flood. Design – A qualitative study with interview components and a questionnaire with open and closed-end questions Setting – New Orleans, Louisiana and surrounding area Subjects – 314 questionnaire respondents and 30 interview (24 face-to-face and 6 phone) participants with 5 individuals completing both Methods – The study consisted of an online questionnaire with open and closed-end questions occurring concurrently with semi-structured interviews conducted over the phone and in person. Individuals were recruited via convenience sample by flyers at public locales in the New Orleans area and electronic mailing lists, forums, blogs, and news sites that catered to the New Orleans community. Main Results – Disaster survivors use libraries for Internet access, information and technology assistance, mental relief, physical refuge, and also view them as symbols of both loss and hope. Library resources (including the physical spaces) allowed survivors to regain a sense of control by helping patrons access local information and experience pre-disaster pastimes, such as leisure reading. Conclusion – The study provides rich description of how libraries can support people displaced by disaster, however just over half of participants did not consider the library a part of their disaster experience. Future research should examine how libraries and library workers can amplify their impact during disasters and disaster recovery, as well as partner with disaster planning and response professionals.

Pelaksanaan KKN Kemanusiaan Mahasiswi STIBA Makassar di Kelurahan Malunda, Kabupaten Majene

Kelurahan Malunda is one of the areas affected by an earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale in West Sulawesi. Disaster survivors who survive in refugee camps are very vulnerable to post-disaster trauma, which is why the Humanitarian Community Service Program of STIBA Makassar aims to carry out the three principles of higher education by taking on the role of service and humanity in the Malunda area. The method of implementing the program begins by identifying the needs of the people in the affected areas using SOAR analysis which then results in several programs including social service, teaching the Koran with the dirosa method, Muslim taklim, memorizing the Koran for teenagers and a religious child festival. The results of the implementation of this program have had quite a positive effect on the community in dealing with post-earthquake psychological stress, as well as making a significant contribution to the quality of volunteer personnel in helping affected communities in the Malunda village.

Functional Clothing for Natural Disaster Survivors

Natural disasters occur in increasing intensity and frequency. When disasters occur, several humanitarian agencies are mobilized to provide relief aid. Donated clothing is deployed as a response to donors’ perceptions of need; however, these donations may be climatically and culturally unsuitable, creating a glut of clothing that not only undermines the domestic economy but also consumes scarce resources. This research investigates survivors’ clothing needs during the relief phase of natural disasters in order to improve current aid protocol. The study is accomplished by needs analysis focus groups with survivors, including interviews with relief aid volunteers and aid administrating agencies. Using these data, a prototype is designed using the Functional, Expressive and Aesthetic design framework as proposed by Lamb and Kallal (1992). It will provide groundwork for humanitarian agencies and future academic study in the field of functional apparel research for disaster situations.

Spiritually Oriented Expressive Writing and Promoting Positive Outcomes After a Natural Disaster

Natural disasters can disrupt and challenge survivors’ core belief systems, leading to negative health consequences. People often rely on religion/spirituality to help them cope and make meaning, but to date very few studies have specifically focused on exploring spiritually oriented expressive writing interventions with natural disaster survivors. Therefore, the current longitudinal, mixed-methods study utilized an experimental design with random assignment of 132 survivors of the 2016 Louisiana flooding. Quantitative measures were completed before and after the writing intervention, then at 1-month and 6-month follow-up time points. Results indicated that the spiritually oriented intervention was effective in promoting meaning in life but not life satisfaction. Survivors with lower preintervention positive attitudes toward God evidenced the strongest growth over time regarding meaning in life. Qualitative analyses, using a directed content analysis approach, revealed six themes in the experimental group’s written responses that expanded previous research. Finally, we discuss implications for counseling and future research.