1. Assessing The Rural Economy In A Post
Disaster Setting:
CASE STUDY OF CASABLANCA, PERU

2. The Day of the Earthquake
6:40 pm, August 15th – an 8.0 magnitude earthquake
struck of the coast of the Peru 1
Highly affected areas south of Lima
 Chincha
 Pisco
 Ica
Over 500 killed, thousands injured
Nearly 20,000 homes destroyed
Approximately 20,000 individuals continue to live in
emergency conditions (i.e., no shelter, limited access to
food and water, loss of electricity and running water)
1. USGS. Retrieved on November 5, 2007.

3. University of Miami’s Past Projects in Peru
For 2 years, UM has been working on local
development projects in the Los Molinos region of
Ica
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Education programs
Well water projects
Dam building & Tree planting for mudslide
prevention/mitigation
Small scale economic development
A UM-sponsored community forum had taken place
in Los Molinos hours before the earthquake

4. Casablanca School Children Presented Uniforms:
August 15th…Day the Earthquake Struck

5. UM Field Assessment Team Deploys
Two weeks after the earthquake a UM team of
professors & students leaves for Lima
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Prof. Richard Weisskoff– International Studies, Economics
Prof. Sherri Porcelain – Global Health, International Studies
Shannon Gibson – International Studies
Michaela Sachs – Latin American Studies
Nick Schaad – International Studies, Anthropology
Aleandro Teixeira – International Studies, Study Abroad
Funded by the Rasmussen Foundation & UM
Disaster Research Global Public Health Program

6. UM Students in Casablanca Post- Earthquake
The UM Student Team

7. Assessment
Systematically collect feedback from the people in
the Los Molinos area
Identify immediate and long-term needs in the Los
Molinos area (at the city, family & individual levels)
Determine potential small-scale economic
development projects which would aid the entire
community
Expand network with local government and
community leaders in order to enhance program
sustainability in the future

8. Survey Instrument
Designed based upon information and knowledge of
the region
Pre and post disaster: household, education, water,
electricity, sanitation, garbage, pests, health
situation, employment, inventory of animals,
inventory of land ownership, open-ended section.
Field test and modifications
Guidelines established, reviewed and implemented

9. Methods for Data Collection
Survey (Specific to Casablanca)
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Demographics
Changes Since Earthquake (i.e., damage to housing, crops lost)
Education Levels
Water Source & Usage
Sanitation
Heath & Access to Healthcare
Employment
Economic Assessment - Land & Livestock Inventory
Survey / Interview Hybrid
Observation
Photo/Video

11. Video of Damage – South of Lima
http://picasaweb.google.com/sgib1982/PeruTrip/photo?authkey=d

12. Findings from Survey
Surveyed 52 families over a one-week period 2 weeks
after the earthquake hit
Head of household sought first
However, multi-generational households, surveys were
conducted with more than one member of household
present
Two assessment team members per survey
All surveys were read to the participants & answers were
recorded by assessment team members
Adaptations: recorded important/interesting comments
on backs of surveys, often asked additional questions
after survey completed to get a better understanding of
how the community worked (collectively)

13. Demographics
52 Families – covering 199 individuals
Gender Total: 53% Male, 47% Female
Gender Total: 53% Male, 47% Female

14. Education Levels

15. Education Levels

16. Effects of the Earthquake

17. Disaster Impact on Community

18. Displaced Populations

19. Effects of the Earthquake
Problem Identified: Need for Quick Rebuilding & Earthquake Resistant Housing
Problem Identified: Need for Quick Rebuilding & Earthquake Resistant Housing

20. Government Response
NGO’s that did show up
NGO’s that did show up
Germany AID, Ireland AID, Red Cross, Japanese Medical Team
Germany AID, Ireland AID, Red Cross, Japanese Medical Team

21. Non Governmental Assistance Arrives

22. Rebuilding Efforts

23. Typical Household

24. Water & Sanitation
Those who do treat use liquid or tablet Chlorine
Those who do treat use liquid or tablet Chlorine

25. Water & Sanitation
 All residents get their water from a spring which flows from
the top of the mountains
 Problems:
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No regulation mechanism for farmers using fertilizer
No trash collection – residents burn or toss it wherever

26. Water & Sanitation
Problem Identified: Lack of Access to Clean Drinking Water
Problem Identified: Lack of Access to Clean Drinking Water

27. Health Issues & Access to Healthcare
Health Issues Since Earthquake
Health Issues Since Earthquake
Colds & Sore
Colds & Sore
Throats Headaches
Throats Headaches
Respiratory Problems
Respiratory Problems
Other issues since Earthquake
Other issues since Earthquake
Dust
Dust Fleas
Fleas
Rodents
Rodents Flies
Flies
Bats
Spiders
Bats
Spiders
Problem Identified: Lack of Access to Healthcare
Problem Identified: Lack of Access to Healthcare

28. Employment & Economy
Many work seasonally as day workers – income not steady
Many work seasonally as day workers – income not steady

29. Employment & Economy

30. Household with most land & animals

31. Employment & Economy

32. Employment & Economy
Problem Identified: Need aamethod for transporting
Problem Identified: Need method for transporting
viable animal/farming products to market
viable animal/farming products to market

33. Open-Ended Questions
Words used to describe families situation since the
earthquake.
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Scared
Frightened
Preoccupied
Tranquil/Calm
Traumatized
Nervous
Critical
Worse
Sad
Poor

34. Open-Ended Questions
Do you have any ideas for economic activities in your
community?
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Raise & Export Guinea Pigs
Mill for processing animal feed
Collective Farming & Transportation
Clean Water
Electricity
Health Center
Chicken Coops

35. Proposed Projects Based on Findings
Potable drinking water
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Current water source is used by animals and for crop
irrigation, bathing, cooking, cleaning clothes & drinking
Install a pump at a lower level water source to bring water to
the village to be used for DRINKING WATER ONLY
Possible use of solar panels to power the pump
Health Post in Casablanca
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Closest health post is in Los Molinos (40 minutes by car, 2.5 - 4
hours by foot)
Train local community members in general healthcare

36. Proposed Projects Based on Findings
Collective Milk/Cheese Production
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Research indicates that there is a surplus production of milk &
cheese
Due to lack of transportation, much less refrigerated transportation
has kept farmers from capitalizing on the production of these
products
Talks are underway with the Mayor of Los Molinos in order to set up
a collective buyer program
Donation or Loan for Collective Mill
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To process locally-grown corn stalks and alfalfa to produce cattle
feed
Benefits: provides local market for crops, reduces highly laborintensive process for those who do own animals
Cost analysis pending

37. Community Input is Vital!

38. El Olivo – More Work to be Done

39. Research Potential
Neoliberal economic theory DOES NOT apply to rural,
collective farming economies
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Property rights do not apply
Subsistence farming leaves little to no room for savings & investment
Limited market & purchasing power
Limited access to market
Institutional Barriers Common to Many of the World’s
Poor
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Low literacy rates
Do not own deeds or titles to land or homes
Both factors make it difficult for poor laborers to receive access to
small monetary loans necessary for stimulating family-based
economic growth

40. Muhammad Yunus & Micro- lending
The Plight of the Landless Poor Laborer
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Bamboo stool maker in India
Has no collateral, cannot read – thus cannot take out a
conventional bank loan
Borrows bamboo (worth 22 cents) from a middleman in return
she must sell her stools back to the middleman for 24 cents…
profit = 2 cents per stool
Cannot borrow money for raw supplies- middlemen charge
large interest and can demand payment at anytime
Therefore, this woman is destitute because she cannot come up
with 22 cents to buy bamboo and sell her product on the open
market where she would make more than 24 cents per stool

41. The Case in Peru
Average day worker makes 12 – 13 soles per day ($1 US =
3.02 Soles )
Average farm worker makes $4 per day
Most families do not own deeds to land or homes
Lack of access to market – more research needed to see if
residents are fetching “true market value” for their crops
that do make it to market
In one village we visited, all of the homes had been
donated by a church organization
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The residents had requested to be able to buy the land and therefore
have collateral
Church refuses
This type of “hand out” – not very effective for raising poverty level

42. Solution: Muhammad Yunus
Micro-Lending
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Provide small-scale one-year loans to landless, poor
Provides workers to explain and fill out application papers
All members must:
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Qualify at certain level of poverty
Attend educational seminars and pass oral exam to show
understanding of the loan, repayment procedures & bank duties
Be a member of a “loan group”
Loan Groups
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Meet weekly to discuss their progress
If anyone in the group wants a new loan it must be approved by
members before submitted to bank
If one member of the group defaults, no one in the group will be
allowed to ask for a new loan for the next year

43. Reconstruction Phase
Need better methods to promote human
development in post-disaster settings
Region is challenged by natural and human-induced
disasters
Grass roots to top roots approach may be the best
investment to improve global public health and
human development in the devastated area
More to come on the University of Miami’s
collaborative efforts to promote community
development in the rural communities of Ica, Peru.