Weathering the storm: participatory risk assessment for informal settlements
Field research over ten sites during the Training, Education, Awareness and Marketing (TEAM) project, combined with extensive previous community risk assessment experience in the Western Cape made it possible to produce a facilitator’s guide that is useful in informal settlements.
The guide comprises six main chapters:
- Chapter One: Introduction;
- Chapter Two: Risk Reduction - a development priority in informal settlements;
- Chapter Three: Participatory risk assessment - preparatory steps;
- Chapter Four: Carrying out a participatory community risk assessment;
- Chapter Five: Flooding, storms, fire and environmental health risks: priority risks for informal settlement; and
- Chapter Six: English / Afrikaans / isiXhosa glossary of key terms.
These represent important technical terms for disaster risk management, flood and fire risk management as well as environmental health protection – and have been reviewed by technical specialists.
Chapter Five provides useful information specific to informal fires, flooding and environmental health risks, while the trilingual glossary consolidates both disaster and development terminology.
The guideline, co-financed by the City of Cape Town, is heavily illustrated with colour photographs. It includes maps and aerial photographs.