Resilience

RAN defines Resilience as the capacity of people and systems to mitigate, adapt to, recover, and learn from shocks and stresses in a manner that reduces vulnerability and increases wellbeing.

Process for Developing RAN’s Resilience Framework

This framework is based upon the Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy (Tulane/DRLA) conceptual resilience assessment model and through RAN stakeholder engagement and a series of workshops held at each of the RILab sites (Kampala, Uganda, Ho, Ghana Jimma, Ethiopia and Pretoria, South Africa), revised to reflect the contextual drivers of risk, capacity, and resilience in target communities in sub-Saharan Africa. The Resilience Assessment, Monitoring, and Evalu­ation (RAME) Workshops, held July 2013, were further supplemented by initial secondary data analysis and structured literature reviews carried out by each RILab and represent all of the key steps in an iterative process of developing the RAN Resilience Framework.

Themes of Focus

The Eastern Africa RILab
The Eastern Africa RILab located in Uganda examines community resilience in the face of chronic conflict and displacement – for example, comparing two northern Uganda communities that recovered from civil war at different rates. It also examines climate change and variability – governance challenges, and communities’ ability to adapt. The lab has established strategic partnerships with universities in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The West Africa RILab
The West Africa RILab based in Ghana focuses on population growth and urbanization, from fast-growing cities and low-income settlements to refugee camps, working to understand local adaptive capacities. The lab has partnered with universities in Ghana and Senegal.
The Horn of Africa RILab
The Horn of Africa RILab located in Ethiopia examines the impact of drought and chronic displacement on local communities and regional dynamics. Partners include universities in Ethiopia and Somalia.
The Southern Africa RILab
The Southern Africa RILab based in South Africa concentrates on the impact of chronic disease, especially HIV/AIDS, on access to livelihood assets and understanding local adaptive strategies. Partner universities are in South Africa, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.