Program areas at Build Change
Colombia: Seven years after launching our Colombia work in Bogota, Build Change achieved a staggering milestone: arriving at national systems change scale amidst the pandemic. Build Change continued to advise the Casa Digna, Vida Digna resilient home improvement program run by the Government of Colombia, piloting a comprehensive technology platform to enable housing evaluators and contractors to digitally assess at risk homes and strengthen them. Also in 2020, Build Change began formally supporting the Caja de la Vivienda Popular, an office of the Municipality of Bogota, as a policy and technical ally on two programs designed to evaluate, design permit, and supervise the strengthening of informal houses. The success of these programs will serve as a model for other cities in Colombia and throughout Latin America.
Indonesia: In 2020, Build Change provided safe, socially-distanced classroom and field-based training to the American and Indonesian Red Cross in both Sukabumi and Banyuwangi on simple home strengthening techniques, By working with the World Bank, the team also created guidelines and training on how to strengthen public buildings (including schools) as well as Covid-19 response infrastructure (like hospitals) in Central Sulawesi.
Philippines: As if the pandemic weren't enough in 2020, the Philippines also endure 37 earthquakes of a magnitude 5.0 or greater, 27 typhoons and 1 volcanic eruption. Confronted with these disasters, Build Change's local team shifted their plan for the year. By refining their approach to incremental home strengthening, the team was able to make resilient home improvements more affordable for homeowners. In partnership with the Thornton Tomasetti Foundation, the team tested the new approach, strengthening 14 homes through our microfinance partners. With in-person outreach extremely limited, the team also increasingly shifted to a digital approach, reaching more than 185,000 people through Facebook with dafe housing, Covid-19 awareness, and disaster preparedness messages.