Lloyd's Launches Disaster Resilience Partnership

Lloyd's has launched a new disaster resilience partnership with Habitat for Humanity Great Britain, as part of its ongoing response to emerging risks and the challenges they pose to communities around the world.

Habitat for Humanity Great Britain is eager to utilize Lloyd's and the re/insurance sector's expertise in natural hazard risk modeling and mapping to help it develop new tools and models. In particular, expert advice on flood risk reduction strategies will enable the most vulnerable communities to build their capacity to successfully tackle flood threats.

A key component of the new partnership is funding a project in Malawi's Chikwawa District that was affected by severe flooding and devastation from Cyclone Idai in March 2019.

The project will analyze why certain communities choose to live in flood-prone lowland areas and the best way to improve the resilience of these communities to future disasters. The report will help Habitat for Humanity and other disaster response organizations respond to future disasters more effectively and will be applicable to other regions that are affected by similar natural disasters.

The Malawi project will also provide access to community rescue hubs for more than 20,000 individuals, giving local families access to training sessions and materials to "disaster proof" their homes. They will also function as emergency shelters for 36 families, reducing vulnerability in the region. Collaboration with local communities and authorities and capacity building is key to the success of disaster preparation, Lloyd's said.

Lloyd's Charities Trust will also be running a Build trip to Malawi for individuals working across the Lloyd's market to share their skills and experience to support Habitat for Humanity Great Britain, utilizing a range of professionals from companies across the re/insurance sector.

Vicky Carter, chairman of Global Capital Solutions, International, at Guy Carpenter & Company Ltd., and trustee of Lloyd's Charities Trust, said, "Sharing risk is central to the work of the re/insurance sector and the Lloyd's market. This is an incredibly exciting partnership for us as the charity responsible for driving disaster resilience initiatives on behalf of the market. With a wealth of knowledge and intelligence in our market around climate-related risks and mitigation to share, it is a natural fit for us to partner with Habitat for Humanity to build the resilience and coping capabilities of the most vulnerable communities."

Tum Kazunga, CEO at Habitat for Humanity Great Britain, added, "This new partnership with Lloyd's Charities Trust is an important step toward helping communities prone to natural disasters build their resilience and help us as an organization respond even more effectively.

"East African coastal communities, including, as we've seen in the case of Cyclone Idai, landlocked countries like Malawi, are increasingly at risk from the growing frequency of tropical cyclones. With Lloyd's Charities Trust support, we will be able to not only rebuild but to also train these communities and help them to become more resilient to flooding. These training programs are designed to support communities, local authorities, and other stakeholders to prepare, withstand, and recover from future disasters."

Lloyd's said it will release a report in 2020 explaining why communities choose to live in flood-prone lowland areas.