Rehabilitation beyond reconstruction: A study of people's empowerment through nongovernmental organizations' interventions in postearthquake Kutch, India

After the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat, India, both the Gujarat government and Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) experimented with one of the largest rehabilitation programs in the world. They invited the victims of the earthquake to be partners in rebuilding their lives both in terms of infrastructure and livelihood. Although most of the victims opted for an owner-driven approach to reconstruction, some of them chose a contractor-driven approach. The part NGOs played in both of these approaches was different. In the owner-driven approach, the NGOs were helpers of people, whereas in the contractor-driven approach the NGOs were builders of homes.;Rehabilitation is a two-pronged activity: reconstruction of homes and provision of services to people enabling them to be empowered. This study specifically focused on the NGO interventions after reconstruction both in owner-driven and contractor-driven villages. The variables measured in this study include demographic variables, satisfaction at reconstruction, satisfaction with rehabilitation services, types of services and satisfaction with them, empowerment through services (FES), psychological and economic empowerment, and participation.;Along with other studies from Gujarat, this study found more people in owner-driven villages were satisfied with reconstruction than people from the contractor-driven villages. But people from the contractor-driven villages were more satisfied with rehabilitation services than people from the owner-driven villages. Furthermore, people from the contractor-driven villages were more empowered than people from the owner-driven villages. One of the reasons for satisfaction with rehabilitation services was participation, just as participation was the reason for satisfaction at reconstruction. The theoretical framework that guided this research was empowerment theory and the concept of coproduction. This theoretical framework explains people's empowerment and satisfaction. The services provided post reconstruction to villages were meant to enhance health, education and livelihood options of the people.;This study's results run counter to the conventional norm that those in owner-driven villages will feel more satisfied and hence more empowered, as they had started off feeling more satisfied. Services provided for the well being of the people should be participatory, satisfying and empowering.