This Learning Needs Assessment identifies capacity gaps and learning needs among engineers and technical specialists engaged in response efforts in Libya.

Understanding these gaps is essential for developing targeted training programs, that can enhance the skills and knowledge required to address the complex challenges posed by the conflict. 

The LNA also assessed the existing strengths among engineers, so RedR can recommend the best ways that humanitarian partners can leverage best these capabilities. 

Using the findings to train disaster responders on the most urgent topics

Subsequently, RedR conducted this in-depth and detailed Learning Needs Assessment to better inform the ongoing training response to the disaster in Libya. The overarching questions that this Learning Needs Assessment seeks to assess are:

• What are the current capacity gaps and learning needs amongst humanitarian responders to
  the Libya floods?
• What are the capacity strengths amongst humanitarians responding to the floods?
• How can humanitarian partners best utilise these strengths?

It enables RedR to tailor our response to the evolving needs of the crisis. By understanding the specific learning needs and capacity gaps, RedR can provide training that is most relevant and impactful, thereby enhancing the overall response in Libya. 

Key findings

Various trainings were identified as a need such as:

• coordination
• needs assessment
• water management
• WASH
• flood effect on structures and infrastructures
• Rapid Damage Assessments
• Accountability to Affected Populations
• Humanitarian principles
• protection
• personal safety and security.

There is a shift in needs now that Libya is no longer in an emergency phase but is now in a transitional phase. Some of the trainings that are more of a priority now are DRR and climate
change.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Lorem ipsum

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

In October 2023, Herat province in Afghanistan was impacted by a series of earthquakes which caused severe destruction to buildings and infrastructure. Ebadullah Momand has overseen response from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on shelter and housing, since then, serving as technical focal person at the field level in the region.

“We supported the community financially and technically to build transitional shelters in one
village (Chahak)”, explains Ebadullah. He is now working to continue support through building
and repairing homes. 

“The RedR training on repairing and retrofitting vernacular houses was very relevant”, says
Ebadullah. “Such trainings are rare, and there is a huge expertise gap in Afghanistan in
retrofitting vernacular and even modern buildings and houses.”

When earthquakes strike, these houses are often significantly impacted. We need repair and retrofitting techniques that are affordable and earthquake resistant. He says, “My experience with UNDP has taught me about vernacular concepts including carbon emissions, climate-friendly practices, and building local knowledge and capacity, which have helped me easily understand the training on retrofitting and repairing of vernacular houses, conducted by RedR UK.” 

As Ebadullah explains, however, there is significant value in preserving and repairing vernacular houses, created through traditional techniques – from not only a cultural, but also a technical standpoint. “In preserving cultural heritage through these traditional techniques, we also ensure the sustainability of these structures with minimal carbon emissions. Using local materials and traditional techniques not only enhances the resilience of these houses to seismic forces, but also makes them more adaptable to local climate conditions, leading to natural energy efficiency.”

This training, specifically catered to developing earthquake resilience in vernacular structures such as these, therefore holds particular value in the Afghan context. “By equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills to implement earthquake-resistant features and retrofitting measures in vernacular houses”, says Ebadullah, “we can help communities better withstand the impact of earthquakes and protect their cultural and traditional method of life.”

“The training has had a significant impact on my work, as it has deepened my understanding of the importance of preserving vernacular housing techniques, especially in disaster-prone areas like Afghanistan. I now have the knowledge and skills to implement earthquake-resistant features and retrofitting measures in traditional houses, which will help communities better withstand the impact of earthquakes and protect their cultural heritage.”

“This training has inspired me to continue working in disaster response, as I see the value in combining traditional knowledge with modern techniques to build more resilient and sustainable communities.”

Thanks for your support for RedR’s work in training disaster responders worldwide. Give financially to support this and similar projects for disaster-affected communities all over the world here.

Yousra is a mental health physician, with experience working with many different organisations, locally and internationally.

Working with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) as a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Capacity Building Assistant, she runs training and workshops on mental health, especially for migrant groups in schools and other community contexts.  She is also the founder of Mwja, an enterprise providing training and raising community awareness about mental health. Yousra is experienced in supporting people through crisis contexts. In 2019, she founded an NGO platform to raise awareness around managing stress created by the civil war in Libya. 

The flood in Libya, caused by the breaking of two dams following Storm Daniel on 11 September 2023, caused over 30,000 people to lose their homes, with more than 10,000 people having lost their lives. The disaster causes widespread psychological trauma for those affected by the flood, as well as for those who respond.  

Through RedR’s Training of Trainers programme, Yousra developed her skills in online training delivery, learning to improve interactivity, and ensure participants take in what they’re learning. “In addition to a certificate that may help me develop my career”, says Yousra, “valuable information and a network of relationships with trainers and attendees is the biggest gain for me.” 

Equipped to develop her own online training for mental health support workers working with those affected by the Libya floods, Yousra is launching her own online programme in February 2024. With specific expertise for disaster contexts, Yousra will pass on her expertise in psychological first aid, self-care for responders, and empower her participants to begin their own basic steps to facilitate support group for adults and children.  

Thanks for your support for RedR’s work in Libya, generously supported by H2H and FCDO. If you’d like to give financially to support this and similar projects for disaster-affected communities all over the world, you can do so here. 

Since the floods that devastated the city of Derna in Libya last September, Basma El-Werfally has been working with her team to provide support.

Chair of Meras Organisation for Development, a youth volunteer and development organisation, Basma lead a large campaign in the aftermath of the flood, giving food, household items, and other essentials to families who had lost everything. 

Founded in 2017 to strengthen the role of civil society in Libya, Meras usually focuses on capacity development, particularly of women and young people. Their first project strengthened social entrepreneurship among organisational leaders, and Meras went on to support capacities for various vulnerable groups affected by conflict, adopting projects for economic and political empowerment of women and young people. With several projects implemented with funding from the European Union and local partners, Meras aspires to implement many programs that enhance its role as a Libyan civil society organization contributing to achieving sustainable development in Libya.

Although Basma was experienced in working in contexts of conflict, the flood brought a new kind of disaster on an unprecedented scale. Alongside the challenges of the emergency response including lack of available data, security and political challenges, and a widespread lack of confidence in donor organisations, Basma and her team were also profoundly affected psychologically by the disaster. 

Although she is already an experienced coach and trainer, Basma had never worked in a humanitarian disaster of this kind. RedR’s Training of Trainers programme equipped Basma with the humanitarian knowledge she needed to train others, with the specific skills needed in emergency disaster response contexts. 

Thanks for your support for RedR’s work in Libya, generously supported by FCDO and H2H. If you’d like to give financially to support this and similar projects for disaster-affected communities all over the world, you can do so here. 

Clean water. Hot food. Safe roads. These are everyday necessities. But for many people, they are still out of reach.

RedR has embarked on an innovative partnership to support humanitarian engineering innovations looking to meet some of these challenges in Uganda. This is in collaboration with the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE) and the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) at Makerere University, and made possible thanks to generous donations from WSP, Ramboll, and The Royal Academy of Engineering.

First, our Humanitarian Skills for Engineers training course strengthened the capacity of engineers in Uganda to lead such a project. Then, participants were awarded a microgrant of £3000 to enable them to practice the new skills acquired in the training, in partnership with a local NGO, for the benefit of a local community. Read on for the transformation brought by four different projects completed across Uganda.

Annet Nsiimire: Clean Energy and new life in Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement

The Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement in South-western Uganda is home to more than 78,000 people. Most are women and children, who have fled over the border from the conflict in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Rwamwanja had an urgent need for clean energy. At the Mahani reception centre, residents with specific health issues receive cooked meals. The clean energy system used by the residents was, however, in disrepair and difficult to use.

Annet Nsiimire was able to use her microgrant to bring change. She began a partnership with NGO Advance Africa to renovate twelve cooking stoves at Mahani, allowing the residents to cook with clean energy. The installation also included dimmer switches to allow heat to be regulated, greatly improving the cooking experience.

For Annet, it was a significant priority to empower the women and girls in Rwamwanja to use clean energy. Almost all households sampled in Annet’s community engagement exercise use firewood as a primary fuel, taking women and girls a minimum of two hours per day, every day, to collect. “It takes not less than six hours to collect firewood and get back home”, said one respondent. The women in Rwamwanja explained that in such daily journeys, the women and girls who go risk violent attack and sexual abuse, as well other threats such as snake bites. “Many times”, explained another respondent, “children are abused and beaten by landowners when looking for fuel, which may include agricultural residues and dung. Running away, they are cut by barbed wire.” Another respondent revealed that “the energy crisis is worse for refugees, because trees in settlement zones are marked, and no refugee is allowed to cut any tree. Members of the host community cut them.”

“Collection and use of fuels is a life-threatening activity”, says Annet. The use of clean energy, however, liberates women and girls from this dangerous daily labour, which causes conflict and degrades the environment. Annet has already seen the impact of repairing the clean energy stoves.

“Immediately after the project,” she says, “new arrivals came in, two mothers among them and gave birth. Because of the easy access to clean fuel, it was very easy to fix quick meals and access warm water to bathe the newborn babies. When I heard of this it was really fulfilling to my heart. Our project was making a difference in the community, supporting the babies’ first moments along with their mothers at such a significant time.”

Annet is now a Trainer on the Humanitarian Skills for Engineers course, passing on her skills and experience to new cohorts of humanitarian engineers, and multiplying the impact of her expertise.

Oryem John Speke: Access and empowerment in Iyer Communities

The rural access road to the Iyer village communities in Agago District, Northern Uganda, is often submerged. During the rainy season, residents are forced to travel an extra ten kilometres for basic services. No vehicles reach them. Humanitarian Skills for Engineers participant Oryem John Speke met members of the Organisation for African Social Development (OASD) at a RedR UK event in Kampala. With RedR UK microgrant funding, they planned a project to install culverts and drainage systems under the road, to transform the lives of people in the three Iyer village communities.

Previous culverts installed to draw water away from the road were not effective – they had been laid as part of political campaigns, without professional guidance. John’s team reinstalled this old material, along with a new bridge, so that the way to markets, employment opportunities, and health and education facilities would never be cut off by floodwater. The new culverts were tried and tested during the rainy season in April and May, where they swept away flash flood water without affecting the new bridge or the road.

Mobilising the community made the project a success. John and the dedicated OASD team collaborated tirelessly, engaging local and district leaders, stakeholders, and community members with the right message. “There has been an increase in the community’s awareness of their role in community development”, says John. The people of Iyer were mobilised to provide local resources, including finance, tools, and labour. “The project has also promoted unity in the community”.

A significant achievement was the participation of women and girls. John took care to ensure they contributed to the decision-making process and planning, as well as implementation. “I helped them to know that they can do anything the men do, from setting out project site and masonry, to clearance of the site, and the reinstatement of the environment”, shares John. “I had to give them opportunities to show what they are capable of”. 20 women and girls worked on the installation of the project. “Thus,” explains John, “women have come to learn and participate in the community at large, and they are seen as valuable. When it started, people in the community would say that women cannot do this job. But during implementation phase, they were seeing the benefits!”

The Iyer communities still face many challenges, including the most pressing – no access to safe water during dry seasons. OASD has introduced a social development plan to community members. They will continue to work with them in the coming months, opening an office at Iyer Tekulo to implement more life-changing projects.

John and OASD have already jointly written a proposal for water supply, irrigation, and a solar powered water pump, and they are now looking for a sponsor to help provide clean water year-round for the whole Iyer community, as well as installing additional culverts for other access roads.

Swaib Semiyaga: Water and welcome at Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement

Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement in Madi-Okollo, northwestern Uganda, houses more than 130,000 refugees. Most of them have fled conflict in South Sudan.

Engineer Swaib Semiyaga, a Humanitarian Skills for Engineers participant, used a RedR UK microgrant to bring change for new arrivals to the settlement, partnering with the Arua District Water and Sanitation Association (ADWASA).

Two refugee reception centers in the Rhino Camp Settlement did not have easy-to-use handwashing points. Swaib explains, “a WASH project in a refugee setting requires regular maintenance to ensure that channel blockages and leakages are worked on. Pipes and valves are always vandalized.”

Working with ADWASA, Swaib coordinated the installation of four new water points, with reduced energy needs from previous models. The ease-of-use system eliminates valves at the user end point. They have improved the handwashing practice in the reception centres, encouraging new arrivals to use the taps in a safe and non-destructive way. 

The team’s vision is to expand this successful initiative to other humanitarian settings, enabling more communities to benefit from improved WASH practices. Through their dedication and innovation, they have proven that small changes can make a big difference in transforming lives in even the most challenging of settings.

Taban Denis: Protection for young girls in Kira, Bweyogerere

In the heart of Wakiso district, engineer Taban Denis partnered with the Teenage Mothers and Child Support Foundation (TMCSF), to bring about a life-changing project – the construction of a community spring well.

This initiative aimed not only to provide safe water for thousands of households, but also to protect girls from teenage pregnancies and child marriages.

Prior to the project, the local community relied on a shallow and contaminated ponded spring for their water needs. The spring was often polluted by runoff surface water during rainy seasons, and littered with plastic. For 3,500 households, this meant compromising their health and well-being on a daily basis.

Joining humanitarian and engineering expertise, these projects have assisted communities to respond to disaster and prepare for upcoming risks. Affected communities are empowered to safeguard their local environment, their health, and their economic prospects.

Could you help bring basic provision to transform communities around the world? Give to RedR UK here, or contact fundraising@redr.org.uk to enquire about how you can support us.

If you’re interested in developing your skills, get in touch at training@redr.org.uk or browse our open courses here.

This article contains elements that may be distressing. 

In mid-March, soon after the February earthquake, we sent our Emergency Response Coordinator Mohammed Bashein to Türkiye.

He accompanied the Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team (EEFIT), from the Institution of Structural Engineers, on a research trip to earthquake sites. Mohammed spent ten days with the team as they carried out their research into structural, infrastructural, geotechnic, and humanitarian work that is required. 

For RedR, this was an opportunity to understand the situation on the ground first hand, to inform our ongoing response. “Humanitarians always talk about serving populations,” says Mohammed. “But if we only operate from siloes, ivory towers, and computer screens many miles away we won’t really know or understand.” Insights from the trip have been invaluable in informing our Learning Needs Assessment, freely available to all working in this context.  

Coordination saves lives, and this trip has helped us make more connections. We’re looking forward to bridging the humanitarian and engineering sectors in the region to build a coordination group. We have good connections, for instance, with engineer syndicates in Syria, and we’re also part of the Shelter cluster. We can use our positionality to connect them. 

How can this trip inform ongoing conversations about capacity, power, and privilege? Here, Mohammed shares his reflections and insights.

What was it like to be on the ground? 

“I’ve been to Türkiye many times before, and some of the culture and politics overlaps with Libya, where I’m from. My personal experience in Libya gave me some insight. In the 2019 conflict in Tripoli, my house burnt down, so I had a lot of empathy for how damage affects people’s lives first hand. In each storey of those damaged buildings, you can see a life.

Do any interactions with people you met there stick in your mind? 

“One of our first conversations was with an elder, fixing and building some tents. I greeted him.  

“‘Hi uncle, I hope you and your family are well. I thank God for your safety.’ Lots of people needed to hear that kind of thing. On the night of the earthquake, he had taken his daughter to another city for routine medical treatment. When he returned to a ruined house, he couldn’t get a tent from the government. Someone else had given these to him. He told us that being from Syria undermines you. ‘We’re not a high priority’, he said. ‘But I’m thankful my family are safe, and people help us’. He insisted we stay and have coffee with him.” 

“On another occasion, an elder lady asked us to see her home, even though we explained that we could not carry out any government assessments. She and her four sons were from Syria, but they had been renting this now partially collapsed house for ten years. I tried to give her some psychosocial support. Standing in her courtyard, next to her collapsed house, I told her I recognised her pain. People in this part of the world always pray for you as you speak. ‘I know you can’t do anything’, she said, ‘but you entered my heart. I hope to meet again in better circumstances.’ She said her daughters-in-law could make us some lunch. The moment made me realise the number of shocks these people have been through. I wasn’t sure if I was seeing resilience, or numbness.”  

“Another woman asked us to see her house, although authorities had already told her it must be demolished. I tried to manage her expectations. I didn’t have the authority nor the capacity to assess its structural integrity, and her house had a lot of cracks. She told us she came every day just to be near it. I know from my experience in Tripoli that feeling, of trying to figure out where to start.”

The earthquake has now completely fallen out of the news cycle here in the UK. What are your thoughts about the ongoing need? How can we make a difference? 

Even if you are on the wrong side of those linguistic and cultural barriers, anyone who wants to do good can find a way. It’s a matter of recognising your positionality, including from a socio-historical perspective. Be aware of how you see people, and how they see you.  

“The needs are still there, and there is lots to be done. Many of us are privileged to be in parts of the world, where these are not our problems. That gives us a responsibility to try and mobilise resources.  

In my conversations with friends in the UK, I see that people are very interested to know what’s happening and donate. They want to make an impact. They just want to know how.” 

The Urban Competency Framework (UCF) outlines the key competencies and accompanying behaviours that all those working in humanitarian response need in order to work effectively in urban settings.  

As populations in cities continue to grow, global crises are increasingly urban in nature: humanitarian action must enhance its efficiency in these settings. 

Individuals, institutions, or organisations can use the UCF to assess suitability for working in urban crises, improve competencies, and ensure those involved in urban humanitarian action are effective. Learning providers can use it to develop courses and curricula based on the skills needed in urban humanitarian action. It can also be a tool for improving collaboration and encouraging an intersectoral approach between local authorities, humanitarians, built environment professionals, engineers, civil society and other key stakeholders. 

To learn more about how to use the UCF, and for a toolkit of resources to support using the framework, download a copy of our User Guide. 

The UCF was drafted through a consultative process, with input from urban specialists from around the globe. If you would like to read more about the initial research behind the first drafts of the UCF download a copy of the Research Report. 

Click here to read a case study on local urban response in the Philippines and learn how this relates to the UCF. 

This Learning Needs Assessment identifies capacity gaps and learning needs among engineers and technical specialists engaged in response and reconstruction efforts in Ukraine.

Understanding these gaps is essential for developing targeted training programs, that can enhance the skills and knowledge required to address the complex challenges posed by the conflict. 

The LNA also assessed the existing strengths among engineers, so RedR can recommend the best ways that humanitarian partners can leverage best these capabilities. 

Using the findings to train engineers

The findings from the LNA informed the development of a specialised training program focused on structural detailing and blast-induced damage assessments. This program aims to equip engineers and technical specialists with the necessary skills to conduct thorough and accurate assessments, ensuring that buildings are safe for occupancy and use. 

It enables RedR to tailor our response to the evolving needs of the crisis. By understanding the specific learning needs and capacity gaps, RedR can provide training that is most relevant and impactful, thereby enhancing the overall response to the infrastructure challenges in Ukraine. 

Key findings

The study revealed that technical capacity and confidence among respondents were relatively low in most areas. However, areas where respondents felt most confident included preparing technical documents (such as scopes of work and bills of quantity), construction quality assurance and control, and non-structural repairs. This indicates a strong foundation upon which further skills can be built. 

Major challenges identified included security issues due to the ongoing conflict, insufficient funding and resources, lack of specialists and skilled personnel, and inadequate tools and equipment. These challenges are compounded by the continuous threat of shelling, economic instability, and the complex logistics of working in a war zone. 

Priority learning areas identified included rapid damage assessments and classifications of buildings, understanding the blast effects on structures, performing load calculations and computer modelling, and conducting building and shelter construction/reconstruction. These areas were highlighted as critical for improving the technical capacity of engineers to effectively assess and repair damaged infrastructure. 

Recommendations

Based on the findings, the LNA recommends the development of a learning program with the following priority areas: 

• Building and Shelter Construction/Reconstruction: Training in this area will focus on the practical skills needed to rebuild and repair shelters and other structures safely and efficiently. 
• Rapid Damage Assessments and Classifications of Buildings: This training will provide engineers with the knowledge and tools to quickly assess the extent of damage and determine the safety of buildings. 
• Preparing Technical Documents: This will cover the creation of essential documentation such as scopes of work, bills of quantity, and scoring criteria, which are critical for project planning and execution. 
• Blast Effects on Structures: Understanding the impact of blasts on buildings is crucial for assessing structural integrity and safety. 
• Construction Quality Assurance and Quality Control: Ensuring that reconstruction meets the required standards and is carried out safely and effectively. 

Additionally, non-technical training areas such as project management, coordination with the international relief system, and monitoring and evaluation were highlighted as critical for enhancing the effectiveness of response efforts. These skills are essential for managing complex reconstruction projects, ensuring effective collaboration among stakeholders, and maintaining accountability and transparency. 

The LNA underscores the urgent need for targeted training programs to build the capacity of engineers and technical specialists in Ukraine. By addressing the identified gaps and leveraging existing strengths, RedR UK aims to support a more effective and resilient response to the infrastructure challenges posed by the ongoing conflict. This initiative will not only improve the immediate response but also contribute to the long-term recovery and stability of the affected communities, ensuring that rebuilding efforts are sustainable and provide safe, dignified living conditions for all.