| The tsunami in December of 2004 provided an opportunity to rebuild communities with a foundation based on sustainable development. The Coastal Rehabilitation and Livelihood Program in Banda Aceh, Indonesia incorporates each component of sustainability through mangrove rehabilitation and the development of a microenterprise, the latter designed to rebuild livelihoods for women and to create a revenue stream to support mangrove replanting. An evaluation was performed to learn whether and to what extent this program might serve as a model for subsequent disaster recovery programs. Sources of evidence include a field survey of mangroves, surveys and group interviews with the program's beneficiaries, and interviews with staff of the organization incubating the microenterprise.; The research demonstrated that the program has not yet successfully met the expectations of its beneficiaries, and the microenterprise has not generated enough revenue to support itself or the continuation of mangrove rehabilitation. However, the program created a social network for women whose lives were devastated by the tsunami. Although this was not a goal of the program's developers, it was valued by participants. The findings of this research can contribute to discussions about the design of future disaster recovery programs. |
