The surveys will help a climate change financing facility target the needs of those it intends to benefit.

Students of the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC), will undertake a Structural Assessment Survey, alongside enumerators from the Central Statistics Office.

The survey will guide a Climate Adaptation Financing Facility (CAFF) that will provide loans at concessional interest rates to Saint Lucian households and businesses to undertake climate change risk reduction efforts.

Last week, the students  were briefed on climate change and survey protocol. This week, they will receive hands-on training from World Bank officials to use geo-referencing technology that will allow for easier collecting and storing of data.

The CAFF is a US$5 million facility that will be managed by the Saint Lucia Development Bank (SLDB). It's main goal is to provide loans at concessional interest rates that will help households and businesses build resilience to the impacts of climate change.

In its ongoing effort to ensure that the CAFF meets its objective, the Government of Saint Lucia, in collaboration with the World Bank, has agreed to undertake a Structural Assessment Survey. The survey will analyze the structural integrity of homes: that is, their ability to withstand climate-induced natural disasters, such as hurricanes.

Data amassed from the survey will be used to complement information already collected from an earlier household survey which assessed 1500 households. The data will ensure that the CAFF is ultimately designed to meet the needs of those whom it intends to benefit.

Of the 1500 households that participated in the initial survey, 500 will be selected to take part in the Structural Assessment Survey scheduled to commence on July 15. Project proponents request the assistance and support of the general public in this venture.

The CAFF is a critical component of the Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (DVRP). The DVRP, launched in December 2014, is a US$68 million dollar initiative undertaken by the Government of Saint Lucia, in conjunction with the World Bank. The project aims to considerably reduce Saint Lucia’s risk to natural disasters in an era of climate change.