Climate change and its consequences often affect the human race closely. The poorest people and those living in high-risk areas are the first victims.
Many environmental factors related to climate change can affect your home, according to several studies. They can cause fires, floods, wind damage, water and electricity failures.
So the concept of habitat cannot be treated without taking into account three essential and inseparable dimensions. They are the inhabitant, the dwelling and the environment, according to Dominique Allaume-Bobe.
Relief Web points out that climate change has serious consequences for the most vulnerable populations. While people in developing countries have a lesser role in climate change, they are more exposed to the consequences of climate change because of their geographical location, the same source said.
Your house and its location help identify your vulnerabilities to climate change, as confirmed by the Green Gicumbi project.
As part of the implementation of this project, FONERWA has launched a project to build climate resilient houses in several locations.
The main objective of the project is to build household resilience within the intervention. It focuses on investing in climate-resilient settlements for vulnerable families currently living in areas prone to floods and landslides.
The implementation of this project can be seen in Kabeza site, Nyamiyaga cell, Rubaya sector. 40 resilient houses are being built. The project plans to build 4,000 resilient houses in the whole of Gicumbi district.
“When we talk about resilience to climate change, we mean a house that respects the criteria of a resilient house built with sustainable materials and on favourable land,” says Fulgence Dusabimana, in charge of infrastructure in the GG project.
According to Marcellin Ndereyimana, construction supervisor, the work is progressing well and will be completed soon. For the beneficiaries, the level of exposure to climate change risk, such as flooding, was very high.
“We were filled with joy,” says one of the project beneficiaries. “We were exposed to a lot of erosion on a high-risk site, but with the houses being built, our lives will no longer be in danger,” he adds.
Rainwater in all these houses will be collected from the roofs of the houses to protect the infrastructure. It will also be used to irrigate vegetable gardens. Plastic tanks are available. Underground water reservoirs will be built to control erosion and supply manages.
Building to withstand extreme events is a priority of the Green Gicumbi Project, hence the houses built in a conventional manner and in sustainable and resilient materials, one of the effective measures for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Gérard Rugambwa & Florent Ndutiye
