Humanitarian assistance and team work are full speed ahead in the Maule and Bio Bio regions of southern Chile, where IOM is managing the construction of more than 450 temporary home for persons left homeless by last February's earthquake.

"No doubt that the most important achievement, in addition to the construction of the much-needed temporary homes, has been the high degree of participation and cooperation by the affected families, the community, the local authorities, and the military and men and women which are all helping to make this project a success," explains Viviana Mellado, head of the IOM Mission in Chile.

More than 2,000 families left homeless by the massive February earthquake and subsequent tsunami will directly benefit from the 1,507 temporary homes being built by IOM and its partners in the southern regions of Maule and Bio Bio, the two areas most heavily impacted.

IOM is working with the Government of Chile, local authorities and NGOs in the construction of the homes, with funding from the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

According to the Government of Chile, some 160,000 homes (37 per cent of them in the Bío Bío Region) were damaged beyond repair.  Official estimates place the number of persons in need of emergency shelter support at 100,000.

IOM developed the project with an emphasis on local labour and local building materials to help the local economy which was also affected by the earthquake.

In the urban area of Coronel, in the Bío Bío Region, the community of Santa Elena came together and is working on the construction of the temporary homes without knowing which house each family will be allocated.

Meanwhile in rural areas, the relentless work of neighbourhood teams has managed to complete the construction and the beneficiaries are enjoying their new temporary homes.  Many of those involved in the team effort had to travel long distances to participate in the construction; the women have shown not only incredible physical strength, but also strong leadership skills, as some worked as supervisors at the construction sites.

Currently, there is construction underway in Portezuelo, Parral, Cabrero and Quirihue where some 120 soldiers and another 200 persons are putting the house panels and then moving the structures to the designated areas.  Some 100 of these workers are women.

Clotilde is 60 years old and lost her home to the violent earthquake, which measured 8.8 on the Richter scale.  She hails from the rural village of Ninhue, located 110 kilometres from the city of Concepcion, the capital of the Bío Bío region.  She lost her home and almost all of her meagre belongings, but still had the strength to forge ahead and to help in the construction of the temporary homes.  The poverty in which the rural population live, coupled with the vast distances they have to travel every day to get home, make this woman and her family an example of the scope of this project in the rural area.

Today Clotilde is smiling because just a few days ago she moved in to her new temporary home.

"Thank you for doing this.  My house was badly damaged.  With this new home I can start again with my family.  This is a great thing because we had received no assistance, and now that we have this house we are very happy.  We came together, all of the residents of this community and we did together. I'm so happy!" exclaims Clotilde.

Thirty-year-old Clarissa Venegas is the president of the community of Santa Elena in Coronel.  She works hand in hand with her neighbours in the construction of the 150 new homes for this community, even though none of them know which house they will receive. 

This community is an example of what can be achieved with team work and when all actors come together in the aftermath of an emergency.  Many of them did not know their neighbours before the earthquake and today are openly proud of what they have achieved.

"The houses are beautiful.  The women have worked very hard.  We are very happy and grateful for this assistance and are proud of all families who participated in this endeavour," says Clarissa.

Both of these women lived months of uncertainty. Today they agree and say in unison: "This is a gift from heaven."

For more information, please contact:

Viviana Mellado
IOM Chile
Telephone: +56.2.274.6713
E-mail: vmellado@iom.int