SBP, BRAGSA Concrete Block Production St Vincent
SBP, a disaster recovery NGO, and BRAGSA are partnering to support long-term recovery efforts in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Using volcanic ash collected by BRAGSA, SBP is providing funding, equipment, and training to begin a production pilot to produce concrete blocks using 15% volcanic ash in an effort to scale building materials for future reconstruction activities.
This public-private partnership is part of a larger plan to give other governments and aid groups a guidebook on how to reuse volcanic ash to cut down on the cost of rebuilding after a volcano erupts.
SBP first landed in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in early June 2021. After coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SBP met with BRAGSA to discuss the possibility of stockpiling and testing the volcanic ash for suitability in concrete block making.
Within 3 days, BRAGSA had established a stockpile site, and by early July, BRAGSA engineers had completed the initial testing to determine that 15% volcanic ash could be used in the mix design without compromising the compressive strength of the concrete blocks.
SBP began working with their donors to identify and purchase block-making equipment to scale their work. Over the last year, the team has been working to continue testing and establish a site to begin production in partnership with BRAGSA.
SBP is an established NGO focused on changing the way America and the Caribbean region prepare for and recover from disasters. Since 2006, SBP has rebuilt homes for over 3,700 disaster-impacted families across 15 communities.
SBP has actively been rebuilding in the Caribbean since 2017, first in Puerto Rico following the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Maria and later in the Bahamas in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. Both operations are still ongoing, as long-term recovery for thousands of impacted families can take years.
SBP has rebuilt 790 homes in the Caribbean, 250 in Puerto Rico, and 540 in the Bahamas since 2019. SBP is now launching new long-term recovery projects in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in partnership to assist with the reconstruction efforts.
To learn more, visit SBPUSA.org and like or follow on Facebook and Twitter (@SBPUSA).
