The social infrastructure of disaster recovery: policy implications for ‘Build Back Better’ after Cyclone Idai in Malawi

Build Back Better (BBB) approaches frame disaster recovery as an opportunity for sustainable development and climate adaptation through community engagement. However, BBB implementation, particularly in resource-constrained settings, often falls short of this rhetoric. This study focused on BBB implementation following Cyclone Idai (2019) in rural Malawi, where recurring cyclones have caused widespread displacement and devastation. Drawing from document analysis, 40 in-depth interviews, and field visits across 22 villages, the study examined local interpretations of ‘better’ housing and recovery needs to understand BBB applications in rural Sub-Saharan Africa settings. The findings revealed a significant gap between BBB's theoretical emphasis on community engagement and its practical implementation. Although BBB frameworks advocate for community-centered recovery, constrained resources and limited disaster governance resulted in recovery plans focusing primarily on individual needs and overlooked essential social infrastructure and cultural meanings. Although international BBB goals are reproduced through localization processes to state and district levels, they remain misaligned with local understandings of what constitutes ‘better’ housing and long-term recovery. The results underscore the need to shift from individual-oriented to community-oriented support, as strengthening community networks and social infrastructure enables support for vulnerable members and enhances sustainable development and adaptive capacity to extreme weather events.