Organized self-help housing in Pachacútec, Peru: Training women's groups in earthquake resistant housing construction

Abstract

Ciudad Pachacútec is a suburban development scheme north of Lima, where deficiencies were great from the start. The main problem was the population’s safety in the sandy and arid urban landscapes, which are prone to earthquakes. The main objective of the NGO Estrategia - together with the municipality of Ventanilla - was to provide the self-builders with technical and organizational knowledge to improve housing quality. The NGO has developed effective programs to support women's groups in building earthquake-resistant houses. The result was that building materials were produced locally by households that were also trained in construction technology. Some families working together in groups, were able to start businesses. The developed model for earthquake resistant housing in New Pachacútec is effective and can be used in other areas alongside Peru’s Pacific coast, that are prone to earthquakes.