Sri Lanka "To us, it's a palace"

Under
an Oxfam cash-for-work scheme in Tangalle, southern Sri Lanka, families have been trained and paid to build temporary houses. They were also fully involved in discussions about the design. Oxfam provided materials, tools, training, and wages.

"When
I saw there were going to be houses built here, I came to ask
for some work as a labourer - any kind of work I could do,"
says Kaluhandadige Lalitha, a mother of four who moved in at the
end of February. "All I had was taken by the tsunami. Foreigners
I don't know have given this to me because of the tsunami and
it was my part to work to build the houses. I learned how to prepare
ground, how to build and use materials - everything was new for
me. The salary I got from the labouring work with Oxfam will keep
me and my children for some time. When we were given the keys
to our new homes, I was so happy... I knew we'd be OK."

Comprising
one main room, with cooking and storage spaces outside, the houses
exceed the minimum space requirements agreed by international
humanitarian agencies. Walls of wooden sheeting set in concrete
blocks support tin roofs lined with wood to prevent overheating
inside. The houses can be dismantled and the materials are reusable
so that families can use them to build permanent homes in the
future. There are temporary latrines and water points outside
for residents to share.

"We discussed
the various materials with the families early on and have used
what they chose," explains Oxfam Public Health Engineer,
Zulifiquar Ali Hidar. "The space left outside each house
can be used for storage, drying clothes, or maybe as a small business
area. A key success has been the families' involvement. It has
given them ownership and a greater awareness of the importance
of women. I was told by the community that they knew Oxfam didn't
own these houses and that they really owned them. That really
made me proud."

Tangalle resident,
Premananda, sums up the community's feelings: "It's just
one room, but for now we think it's a house," he says. "Not
just a house but a palace, for it helps us to live without being
a burden to anyone."