Eight years of civil war in Liberia (1990-97) took a serious toll of human resources, institutions  and physical infrastructures. Housing and basic community infrastructures both at urban and rural settlements  were extensively damaged in many towns and villages. The many years of civil strife have resulted in:

Severely weakened institutional capacity at local, county and national levels for strategic planning, policy formulation and implementation of programmes especially in the housing and human settlement sector. Especially to respond to the immediate and long term needs of rehabilitation and reconstruction of war affected communities.

Reconstruction  of  rural  houses  and  related  basic  infrastructure  services  damaged  during  the war for the most vulnerable groups amongst the returnees,  displaced  and ex-combatants.

      The lack of a comprehensive housing policy have also constrained the government for design of strategies and programmes to deal with the housing, infrastructure and social services reconstruction. It impairs the ability of institutions at all levels to respond to the immediate and long term needs of rehabilitation and  reconstruction and to oversee the transition from emergency interventions to sustainable human settlements development.    

      On account of the dire need for reconstruction of rural housing and to strengthened the capacity of the government, national institutions and local communities to effectively address the housing problem; UNDP in Collaboration with  UNCHS-Habitat and the Government of Liberia  after the signing of a programme support document in April 1999 , launched the Programme for Reconstruction of Rural Housing on World Habitat Day in October 1999.  The programme is funded by UNDP, executed by UNCHS-Habitat, and  implemented by local communities & NGO’s. It aims to demonstrate a process of rehabilitation and reconstruction of  Towns and Villages destroyed by the war through effective community participation, ensuring that the communities are the prime movers of the reconstruction process. Moreover, the programme supports construction micro-enterprises in order to promote local economic regeneration and contribute to poverty reduction in the settlements. The pilot phase of the programme therefore involves two distinctive  features:

      Products  Innovation - Transfer of  technologies facilitating accessibility  and   affordability of building materials for the  reconstruction programme.

      Process of Reconstruction - Methodology for rehabilitation and reconstruction of housing and basic   infrastructure services through effective  community participation.

Project Support Unit - LIR/99/002

The Programme Support Objectives  are:

a.     Institutional  building for delivery of   rural housing and community level basic infrastructure and services. 

b.     Economic regeneration, revitalization and development of micro-enterprises in construction and basic infrastructure. 

The programme also aims to contribute to the achievement of the following two UNDP Intended Outcomes  on the Strategic Results Frameworks for the period 2000-2003:  

- Increased capacity of the social structures in affected communities to sustain processes of recovery and reconciliation.

- Sustainable re-integration of war affected populations (such as returnees and IDPs)

      Achievement/Significant Outcomes of the Programme:     

a   Introduced a process of mobilizing  local communities to effectively participate in the reconstruction and development of their community and individual homes, serving as prime movers of the reconstruction process.  

b   Provided an entry point for poverty eradication and sustainable livelihoods for beneficiaries by providing skills training for gainful employment and self-reliance; through transfer of  technologies facilitating accessibility  and  affordability of building materials and production equipment  - fabricated locally.(Cinva Ram Block machine, Roofing Sheets & Roofing Tiles production machines).  

c   Through Community Development Programmes provided a window of opportunities for peace building and reconciliation at the community level involving local leaders, women and youths, which enhanced a sense of partnership, ownership and unity amongst communities – that were adversely affected by the conflict.  

d  Strengthened the  Institutional capacity of the National Habitat Secretariat for effective coordination and  delivery of housing and human settlements programmes.  

e   Improved community-level access to planned settlements and enhanced environmental sanitation.

f   Established the First Local Building Materials Production & Training Centre (1^st BMPTC) and the  Local Building Materials Producers & Builders Cooperative Society (LOMACOS) Liberia, to facilitate the productive capacity for locally produced and affordable building materials for shelter provision and reconstruction.

g   Set up of  Town Development Committees and Community Rehabilitation , Reconstruction  & Maintenance Task Force  at local level;  enabling local leaders to effectively participate in the development activities of their communities.   Developed mechanisms to support  rural housing reconstruction and addressed the  needs  of  micro-enterprises  in appropriate  building construction technology  and  business management skills in order to reactivate  small  scale  construction  enterprises  aimed  at  reintegration  of   returnees and  demobilized  ex- combatants.  

     Capacity Building Training Programmes  implemented by the project  to Accelerate the Reconstruction  Process:  

     - Building Materials Production & Construction Technology.

     - Economic Housing Construction, Rehabilitation and   Reconstruction Works.

     - Community Training Programme in Well Construction Technology.

     - Community Development & Leadership.

     - Housing Delivery Process.

     - Equipment Fabrication and Marketing.

     - Construction Micro-Enterprise Development and Business Management.

     - Settlement Planning and Environmental Sanitation.

     - Computer Application & Data Base  Management.  

     Lessons learnt from the experience of the pilot phase of the programme. 

      i. Capacity building initiatives at national and community levels  through  quick impact training schemes and technical support provided an accelerated and empowerment process for the beneficiaries to effectively participate in the reconstruction programme. The involvement of   local authorities and communities “especially women” in Community Development and Leadership Skills Training provided a  conducive atmosphere  for conflict resolution, trauma healing and reconciliation among eight towns affected by the war. Town Development Committees were established - chaired by the local chief to manage development of  their respective towns, and a task force consisting of trained local artisans to undertake the rehabilitation, reconstruction and maintenance of community facilities.  

     ii. Skills development in local building materials production and construction technology for local artisans women and ex- combatants - strengthened the capacity of the communities to effectively participate in the delivery of rural housing and  reconstruction of  basic infrastructure and services they use communally; such as access roads, water and sanitation services, etc.  emphasizing on community-based methods of providing these services. Health centre, Wells, VIP Latrines  are  constructed by the villagers themselves after they have acquired a four months training in local building materials production and construction technology  through the process of learning by doing.  

    iii. Micro-construction enterprises development and management skills training essentially accelerates economic regeneration and  revitalization  of   the construction sector, this ensured the participation of micro-enterprises in construction and infrastructure works - thus generating  employment and income at the community level.  

    iv. Working in partnership with national organizations and community groups has improved coordination among line ministries, corporations, and NGO’s involved in the delivery of rural housing, and the reconstruction programme.  

     v. After several years of war, the coping mechanisms of the people in the communities were weakened and the people were desperate with high expectations to receive assistance.  It was apparent that the communities did not receive adequate humanitarian assistance to enable them restore their livelihoods. Therefore more time was spent to mobilize the community when they realized that the programme is not relief base with hand outs, but more on capacity building  for self reliance and sustainable development.