Self-recovery from Humanitarian Crisis

Principal Investigator(s): Professor Cathrine Brun, Mr Charles Parrack

Project start: October 2019

Funded by: EPSRC

About us

The aim of this project is to co-develop best-practice programming guidance for the support of self-recovery that places the priorities and agency of individuals, families and communities at the centre.

The project is led by the Centre for Development and Emergency Practice (CENDEP), Oxford Brookes University, in collaboration with CARE International UK.

Other partners are Habitat for Humanity, CRAterre and Catholic Relief Services, with further co-operation from the:

  • International Federation of the Red Cross
  • British Geological Survey
  • Overseas Development Institute
  • Global Shelter Cluster.

The project is supported by a growing community of practice including NGOs, academics and policy-makers.

Additional project information

Families starting to build temporary shelters following Cyclone Sagar in Gargaara, Somalia.

Research impact

Residents rebuilding their home after it was destroyed by typhoon Haiyan, Philippines.

The majority of people affected by conflict and disaster ‘self-recover’. Families and communities rebuild using their own resources with little or no support from outside agencies.

In the context of the ever-increasing need for humanitarian assistance as well as grave constraints on humanitarian funding, there is an imperative to understand how communities self-recover and how best to improve support for that process.

Images credit

Per order of appearance on the page:

  • Jakob Dall/CARE 2017: A South Sudanese refugee building a house from homemade bricks in Imvepi refugee camp, Uganda
  • Mustafa Saeed/CARE 2018:  Families starting to build temporary shelters following Cyclone Sagar in Gargaara, Somalia.
  • Peter Caton/CARE 2013: Residents rebuilding their home after it was destroyed by typhoon Haiyan, Philippines.