Habitat for Humanity Tsunami Project Overview

Six months after the devastating tsunami, emergency relief efforts in affected countries are giving way to recovery and reconstruction. Habitat for Humanity’s expertise in community organization and construction is placing the organization in the forefront of building activities.

More than US$50 million has been raised to assist an estimated 25,000 families directly with housing and 10,000 others indirectly.

• Direct Habitat housing services to families include: repairs and renovations of damaged houses; reconstruction on existing foundations;

• new construction; and

• Retrofitting houses to strengthen their resistance to natural disasters.

Additionally, communities and individuals benefit from new skills, equipment and technologies introduced by HFH. Habitat purchases of materials and services are supporting the revival of local economic activity.

Habitat Strategies

Tsunami-Response Technical Centers
Experienced and novice construction personnel and construction supervisors are receiving training on Habitat, partner and community work sites. Others are learning to make concrete blocks, roofing tiles, window and door frames, roof trusses and other building components. Materials are manufactured and stored under controlled conditions either on the construction site or at warehouses and production facilities that serve several building locations.

Partnerships
HFH is working in co-operation with other non-governmental organizations, religious entities, corporations, civic groups and governments to provide the housing component of community development projects. HFHI's involvement may include construction, management, funding and/or family relations.

Volunteers
Volunteers with construction experience have been recruited for “First Builder” teams to supplement in-country construction resources. Since the first team went to Sri Lanka in March, 30 teams have been hosted. More than 40 corporate, donor and First Builder teams are scheduled to work in the four tsunami-affected countries over the next few months.

Trends and Developments

India
HFH and its partners expect to soon receive the first allocations of government land where houses will be built for families that are relocating after the tsunami. First Builder teams are helping to accelerate the pace of repairs and renovations in Kanyakumari, on the southern tip of the state of Tamil Nadu.

Indonesia
From its operations centers in Banda Aceh, Meulaboh and Sigli, HFH is working with national and international partners to provide housing to tsunami-affected families in many coastal communities. With 350 houses under construction or completed, the project team is preparing to scale up production to build that many houses a month.

Sri Lanka
While there is much building to do in the communities where HFH is already working, the tsunami recovery project in Sri Lanka has formed new partnerships that should significantly extend its reach. On the southern coast, recon-struction is set to begin in Matara and Hambantota. On the east in Kalmunai, Tirrukkovil and Arugam Bay.

Thailand
Construction has begun on the first phase of a project to house 224 families in Plu Teow, Phang Nga province. A fabrication facility for manufacturing concrete roof tiles is already in place there. Agreements are in the works to expand the work to the resort community of Phuket and to Phi Phi Island in Krabi.

The navigation links to your left will guide you through more detailed information about Habitat's tsunami response work in the Asia/Pacific area.