Disaster Risk Reductionand Community

Based Adaptation

in El Salvador

Karina Copen, Humanitarian Program Officer CAMEXCAGina Castillo, Climate Change Program Lead

Argument

An effective way of addressing vulnerability is to combine community organizing, vulnerability analysis, and network building.

This experience is evidence for the argument that addressing vulnerabilities through specifically strengthening networks across different groups can catalyze action that helps build adaptive capacity.

Context – multiple hazards

Context

EL SALVADOR

• History of political repression

• Civil War 1980s

• Violence

• Poverty

The Project

PRVASReducing Vulnerabilities in

Ahuachapán and Sonsonate Program

Methodology

1. Forming the consortium and unification of methodologies

Methodology

(2) Community organizing and increasing capacity/knowledge and linking across networks

Methodology

(3) Advocacy and relationship building with authorities

Conclusions

• The combination of community organizing, vulnerability analysis, and network building can catalyze action that helps build adaptive capacity

• Networks become strong and capable through organizing at the community level over time.

• Trust built between communities and local authorities forms a base for ongoing works that need to happen to build stronger, resilient communities.

• The ability for communities to collaborate with authorities and to advocate to them is key for decreasing vulnerability and strengthening community capacity

• Once the efforts at the local level are validated by meeting and joining forces with other networks at the municipal, national and regional level, vulnerability issues can be addressed at en ever larger scale.

Thank You!