MOBILIZATION OF RESOURCES

Financial:

It presented a project that was approved by CONAVI, organization who finance through a trust contract with the IPC, and this last one makes disbursements to ASOAVI of Pantano Abajo.

It created a cooperative association to repair homes that has been contracted by the IPC directly.

The partners make a contribution equivalent to $US 1 monthly and achieves ASOAVI own income by consultancy, project development and other activities for self-management.

Technical Resources

It has recovered traditional techniques of construction thanks to the contribution of specialized professionals who were part of the IPC and Universities, and also with the participation of specialist’s artisans belonging to the community. ASOAVI has a technical management division consisted of 14 professionals. At the level of traditional artisans are 50 people. ASOAVI PANTANO ABAJO, VENEZUELA Page 7 3/27/2008

Human resources:

There is an Administrative Management division and other social work management division where it works administrators, lawyers, social workers, journalists and others, 8 people at all.

The resources are managed entirely by ASOAVI Pantano Abajo with shortages criteria, efficiency and maximizing their resources. The ASOAVI directive is 60% formed by women. ASOAVI reports their technical-administrative-social managing to the IPC periodically.

PROCESS

The process of recovery of traditional houses from the historical center of Coro has its roots in the declaration of the city as a UNESCO Heritage. The main problem at the beginning of the process was the exclusion of the community, an overcome situation by the pressure of organizes community for a greater presence. Resource constraints did not allow for the proper rehabilitation of buildings, which led to problems in some constructive intervention. This was overcome from the year 2001 when it had more resources allowing architectonic interventions based structural consolidation of the buildings. Since 2006 the resources are executed directly by ASOAVI supervised by the IPC.

Currently, the main problem is lack of access to timely financial resources for the administrative bureaucracy affecting cash flow with maximized impacts in an inflationary economy (148% last 5 years). Another unresolved problem is the recovery of funds invested, because the credits were originally conceived as a Loss Fund, and there is no figure of recovery of receivables.

The method access credit:

Registration family in ASOAVI requesting credit Technical and Social Development Report ASOAVI directive establishes consensus list of priorities for repairing houses contract with the owner.

When ASOAVI has the resources available, updates the scope of the repair work and signs a Selection of the artisan who will execute the work by consensus among ASOAVI-Ownerartisan repair their own property.

If the family has benefited artisan (s) formed within the training program can be used to execution. ASOAVI appoints pair of professional inspection work to ensure the quality of materials and after the work involved sign a document giving terminate the work. The owner accepted the work, records know the final amount of credit to pay and payment Since that moment is the warranty period of the work, at least 3 months. delivers a maintenance manual minor housing.Overall, people's participation has been active and enthusiastic. For the community, poverty and lack of provision for traditional housing makes encrypt their hopes on this project. Government organizations have maintained a dynamic relationship with the community, to ensure the independence and mutual respect.

For each family, ASOAVI conducts a brief history of tradition with the neighborhood and  ASOAVI PANTANO ABAJO, VENEZUELA Page 8 3/27/2008 

RESULTS ACHIEVED

Improve Housing by the fully rehabilitation of 350 traditional houses

 Preservation Housing intervening 160 traditional houses with minor repairs

Improve life’s quality of approximately 2,710 people, among women (1,525), men (1,016) and children (169).

Capacity development forming approximately 4,000 participants in various activities ranging from manual’s construction with mud up to social comptrollership.

Creating direct jobs (6,680) and indirect (1,172) for women (30%) and men (70%)

Six annual activities with children of both sexes for heritage preservation: heritage Workshops,

Crafts, guided tours and typical Games. Approximately 300 children are involved each year.

The Grandparents house receives 60 seniors, who were provided shelter in a traditional recovered by ASOAVI medical services, recreational and educational activities. The group facilitates the recovery of intangible heritage.

Recovery of historical and symbolic parts of the heritage of Pantano Abajo, by donations and discoveries during the execution of works. They are used to make presentations at regional events and the events of the own ASOAVI

ASOAVI is part of the Local Public Planning Council where it discussed the budget assignments and municipal ordinances.

 ASOAVI is part of the Presidential Commission for the rescue of the heritage of Coro and La Vela de Coro in their areas of influence.

Public and Private Banks have started granting loans to repair homes made with traditional materials.

ASOAVI as part of the presidential commission approved the Master Plan for efficient management of the UNESCO Heritage of Coro.

The prestige achieved by ASOAVI contributes to a positive image of themselves and their community.

SUSTAINABILITY

Financial:

• Submission of projects permanently to regional and national public institutions to obtain loans.

• Recovery of receivables through the optional fund for recovery of resources for investment in micro

credits.

• Encouraging jobs without distinction of race, sex, religion or political ideology.

• Encourage of a multi-purpose cooperative association for the acquisition and sale of traditional and modern building materials.

Socio-Economic:

• Community participation without distinction of social class, gender, race, religion, political or otherwise.

• Circulation of money, through the use, purchase and sale of different concepts, among people in the same affected area.

Cultural:

• Promotion of cultural heritage.

• Adding value to our traditions and cultural property.

• Cultural and recreational activities with people of all ages and both sexes.

• Training for professionals and non-permanent, human capital formation.

• Direct communication with community (assemblies, telephone, etc), and through the mass media radio, television and press.

Environmental

• Using constructive method mostly renewable materials (wood and clay) advocating the rescue of heritage and the change in a constructive way that had been replaced by the use of concrete.

• Campaign against visual, sound and air pollution.

• Campaign for public health to prevent environmental pollution.

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Institutional:

• Existence of UNESCO Decree to Coro city as a cultural heritage of humanity that motivates the government to finance projects for maintenance and recovery of that heritage

• Existence of the Housing Policy Act that allows preferential access to credit for housing recovery and acquisition

• Heritage Protection Act Venezuelan legal framework that gives local resource allocation.

• Creation of the Institute of Municipal Heritage

• Municipal ordinances of the municipality for heritage protection

• The strong support of the national government to the policies of community participation allows to non government organizations as ASOAVI Pantano Abajo achieves funds for similar projects. 

LEARNED LESSONS

Being occupied dwellings, such projects should be conceived as a Problem of Habitability and Adequacy Cultural and not only as a problem of infrastructure. Therefore community participation and decision-making will be an integral part of the project. This allows:

• Project ownership by the communities

• Decrease of resistance to the implementation of the same by mistrust and / or disinformation

• Outreach and advocacy project in time for the community itself

The inclusion of social and cultural variables in the planning of the project will allow, to known by firsthand the reality not only of infrastructure but of the beneficiaries, that the implementation finished succesfully.

It requires the generation of income of they own. The problem of cash flow makes the administrationcof resources in ASOAVI based on shortage criteria, maximizing resources and effectiveness. To guarantee the independence ASOAVI itself generates income that confirms a minimum level of activities without giving in to political pressure or otherwise. This has been achieved through the monthly contribution of each partner of $ 1-Month that fosters a relationship between equal partners.

Another means of additional income is the marketing of Professional Services of ASOAVI thanks to the experience gained in this project.

It requires leadership Capacity. The directive of ASOAVI has succeeded in getting respect for the public and private sectors because of the results of their labour. It has achieved confidence and the consequence of the community represented by the principles that guide its management, which are:

Constance and honesty, transparency in the management of resources, a principle of social justice, equal treatment and non-discrimination, perseverance to overcome difficulties and the ability to solve problems.

For these projects is essential a responsible community leadership. 

TRANSFERS

The experience of Pantano Abajo has been partially transferred to other sectors of the city of Coro.

We said partially because other associations have created self-managed housing (ASOAVI's), but its main focus has been limited to the recovery of housing and employment generation, excluding the work with popular culture and participatory groups for the solution of common problems.

It was created in 6 ASOAVI Coro who succeeded initially repairing approximately 180 traditional houses. At present days the operational capability of these organizations is almost zero, so it could not be said to have succeeded in transferring the practice.

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In order to replicate our initiative we believe that we should keep in mind what is stated in the Learned Lessons which should be considered:

• Like a Problem of Habitability and Adequacy Cultural and not only as a problem of infrastructure

• It requires the generation of income for they own

• For these projects is essential responsible community leadership.

The absence of one or more of the considerations described in one way or another, made that was not keep at the time initiatives in other neighborhoods.

It is important that people who are part of the ASOAVI directive residing in the community who represent, and they should be popularly elected by the members of the commission who will be the beneficiaries and applicants for the project.

In addition to the above, the existence of an accurate and well known strategic planning with objectives, plans, goals, strategic guidelines, deadlines, resources and an organizational structure that ensures the relationship process responsible-all embedded within the Venezuelan legal framework and in line with the guidelines of UNESCO for the heritage of the city, are crucial keys to achieving efficient results and the confidence of financiers and beneficiaries to support the project in time.

Additionally must be established and published the method of allocation of resources to priority partners with the technical-economic-social criteria that define ASOAVI to ensure transparency and equality in the provision of resources.

In conclusion, the experience is indeed transferable, but we believe that requires resources specifically dedicated to succeed in it.