5) Description of housing product/service offering: The main product was construction of a concrete structure at a minimum price that can be provided free or by introducing provision of loan and monetary participation by beneficiaries. Although housing structure is now being replicated by villagers at large original recipients were low income and marginalized populations with temporary homesteads or houses destroyed by natural disasters. These people earn on an average less than BDT 1500.00/month (US$25.00). For the housing SARPV gave priority to households having disabled members. In the initial stage 40 houses were constructed by SARPV in Chakaria upazila. In reality this is not an intervention for addressing any housing shortage or gaps in the delivery process. Rather it is outcome of an idea to introduce disaster resistant house against natural calamities like cyclone, tornado which cause severe damages to housing structures, mainly built of locally available indigenous materials like bamboo, timber and industrially manufactured corrugated iron sheets. So, frequent natural disasters and loss of life and goods gave the idea to design a housing structure which will be strong enough to resist cyclones and not affect households’ traditional usability. It would be cost effective with scope for further extension. The design consists of a core house measuring 12 ft X 14 ft supported by four concrete columns and a concrete roof. The floor is made of earth and bounded by a grade beam, which protects earth floor from being washed away. The structure is strong and durable and in case of any natural disaster core house/room is not destroyed. SARPV work mainly for disabled persons and help create opportunities for them to live in society with honour, dignity and self respect. In this regard criteria for providing housing to disabled families naturally put a design challenge for a permanent low-cost shelter. The concrete shelter structure gave them confidence and compelled others to acknowledge its permanency.

6) Description of innovation: I think technology and the low cost are two important features that made people adapt this new housing design. Housing services for rural communities in Bangladesh is still out of reach for most of the population. Traditional housing is mostly of bamboo and other local indigenous materials while permanent structures of brick and RCC roof are solutions for rich. The concrete housing structure provides novelty in design as it is a cost effective permanent structure. Also it gives opportunity to users to have flexibility to extend their house according to their needs and ability. It ensures safety as the concrete built core house is resistant to natural disasters. The rooftop has multipurpose uses and dwellers do not need to search for high land during floods as the roof provides them refuge. The core house permits vertical and horizontal development or extension and this idea has been widely put to use by the people. The core structure consists of four concrete columns and a concrete roof. Walls, doors, windows are added as per affordability with bamboo or brick walls, windows of angle and glass or wood are found to be used. Extensions are mostly of temporary materials i.e., bamboo and thatch. The floor is made of earth compaction and columns are bounded by a grade beam to protect the earth floor from seasonal flooding. The RCC frame for the house costs only BDT 24000.00 to 27000.00 (US$350.00) including the concrete roof slab of 4 inches (100 mm) thickness. In the project area it has become a cost effective model house or a core structure. SARPV built housing were delivered free of cost with direct involvement of the households in labour during construction. The delivery mechanism is unique in the sense that local people have found this a very easy house to construct, at the same time durable in design and affordable. The design and construction has become so popular that people in adjacent villages are improving their housing conditions with this technology.

7) Benefits to clients: SARPV constructed only 40 core houses for the disabled in Chakaria. In a span of 8 years 400 housing using same design and technique were constructed. The initiative benefited the marginal population by giving them direction for a disaster proof permanent housing. Once SARPV built the first lot of houses the people found this an easy and affordable solution to their housing needs and thus it became a popular scheme as it allows extension on all sides, vertically a temporary room may be constructed on the roof. On the ground the concrete structure gives extensions support to add rooms on all sides for living, kitchen and verandah space. Acceptability of the design is the most interesting outcome of this innovation. I work as a development consultant to donors, NGO, government so my mechanism is to try to further implementation of the design. In my work wherever shelter programmes come up I try to persuade construction of permanent housing. It should be noted that in Bangladesh housing stock for rural communities is very poor. They are made of very temporary materials and prone to any natural disaster. Due to the temporary nature even in normal conditions they require replacement every few years. SARPV sponsored housing scheme was provided under a grant of Karitas, a Netherlands based organization it also added permanent low cost shelters to existing rural housing stock. In this process, such schemes aimed at providing shelter for households headed by single and destitute women, old couples and disabled people can improve overall social housing condition. Karitas provided the same amount of grant for 19 organizations for the same purpose. But, SARPV is the only NGO who used my model and appreciate the sustainability of the design. It is observed by SARPV that 70 percent of other interventions initiated in various areas have been damaged due to use of low cost local materials which included mostly bamboo, timber and CI sheets by the other organizations.

8) Key operational partnerships: SARPV approached me to make an economic design within a very small budget (BDT25000.00 in 1997) for a permanent shelter. The project area being in the cyclone prone zone, SARPV has dealt with victims injured by CI (Corrugated Iron) sheets during many natural disasters. They have great aversion to the use of corrugated iron sheet roof and walls as a low cost construction material. So, I designed this very basic core house of brick and concrete which can be extended vertically or horizontally and behave like an anchor to all these ancillary structures. I have tried to establish this model in other areas of coastal Bangladesh but it has not taken grounds elsewhere. The government and the Netherlands as donors in island of Hatiya funded large scale housing for landless people. I provided voluntary support in designing the housing and gave 3 models and the donor supported construction of all. Majority of the people chose the semi-permanent and bigger houses as it was fully funded by the donor. Their chosen schemes use semi-permanent material i.e., bamboo and CI sheet. In the island the concrete structures now exists only as a pilot scheme and used by a single family. I have no partners for construction of any low cost housing right now. I have tried to impress many donors and NGOs to provide support for design and construction of permanent shelter at a minimum cost. Somehow the concept is not getting support and government initiatives in low cost housing is not consistent.

9) Financial model: An ‘easy to replicate’ design which is also low cost is the gain of villagers who live in Chakaria, a natural disaster prone area. They started copying and building the structure as they liked and as they could afford. This is revealed by random construction of such housing in Kharaighona, Chiringa of Chakaria by the villagers themselves at large with their own funds for its durability, extension possibilities which suit rural life and low costing. At the moment I have no programmes but if I get scope to work with any NGO/donor I will again promote this idea. Currently I am working in a livelihood programme in the inland areas for settlement of the landless where they are receiving support for housing. I will try to promote the core house on stilts in this project if they give me a scope.

          • Costs as percentage of income: N/A

          • Financing: The initiative is self financed by rural households of Chakaria now. At the beginning the 40 household owners had to deposit an amount of BDT500.00–5000.00 (US$7.00–71.00), depending on economical conditions, which were refunded as a support for construction of extensions. In future this idea needs further research and implementation support to bring it within reach of masses. Support of donors to fund shelter programmes implemented by NGOs is needed. Housing provision is still not an important agenda for supporting the poor. When it becomes a priority assistance will automatically arrive from all sectors. Also with implementation of various national policies such as national housing policy, poverty reduction policy in future large scale low cost housing programme will be taken up.

10) Effectiveness

          • Project outcomes: Outcome of the project is positive as villagers are now building their houses voluntarily using same design of core houses as they find it easily adaptable and durable than the traditional housing structures. Low cost and disaster resistant design made villagers interested to construct a safer and durable housing at a small investment. After 8 years most families own housing of similar design with extensions of timber, bamboo, brick and CI sheets which was 40 in 1997. SARPV initiatives to discourage use of corrugated iron sheets has ushered this new construction technology. SARPV discouraged housing construction made of CI sheets as they are dangerous elements during cyclones and tornados causing high casualties by causing physical injuries even death from sharp edges of the CI sheets.

          • Number of clients in past year: SARPV initiated programme did not continue after 1997 and benefited only 40 households. The villagers adapted the design on their own choice and it is still continuing. The outcome of pilot project is people’s easy access to a safer low cost housi

          • Percentage of clients that are poor or marginalized: 100

          • Potential demand: Housing demand in flood prone and coastal zones would be high as design of housing does not require any rigid involvement of designers or any service providers. If any prospective household wants to construct a safe housing unit which can provide protection from cyclones, tidal surges, flood, they can use this design. The house also can be constructed on ‘stilts’ i.e., raised from ground specially in flood zones. If it is widely publicized million of homeless in Bangladesh can be supported. In Bangladesh both rural and urban areas have majority of people living in temporary shelter. These housing always needs rebuilding specially after any natural disaster. It can be safely assumed that a scheme for a million low cost housing can be taken up for Bangladesh to benefit 5 million people (assuming 5 persons per household).

11) Scaling up strategy

          • Stage of the initiative: Scaling Up stage.

          • Expansion plan: My current initiative is first to review the success of the Chakaria programme. The people of Chakaria have adopted this model very well. The next initiative is for further improvement of the design and expanding the idea to other areas. The expansion plan is to disseminate the initiative among organizations and boost the housing delivery process mainly through those concerned with shelter schemes and disaster preparedness. I will try to promote this idea in areas where people are receiving housing support from donors or the government. Incentives are important for the first lot of housing by building them with donor fund or subsidy. Once the concept is accepted people will promote the technology themselves.

12) Origin of the initiative: The initiative started through an NGO called SARPV who were carrying out relief work after cyclone and tornado attacks in 1991 and successive years in Chakaria, an upazila (sub-district) under Cox’s Bazar, a coastal district of Bangladesh along the Bay of Bengal. The municipality is inhabited by 31880 persons in 5100 households (Population Census: 2001). The executive director of SARPV totally opposed the traditional housing structure with CI sheets which caused physical injuries to many poor villagers. The need for an option to design and construct a house which would be durable and disaster resistant without affecting traditional usability presented itself. While designing the structure, need to reach a minimum costing, flexible structure in respect of use in rural area and geographical location influenced me to try a concrete shelter.

Contact Information:
SALMA  SHAFI
Ashoka Fellow
RESEARCHER/PLANNER/MANAGING DIRECTOR
SHELTECH CONSULTANTS (PVT.) LTD.
(BUSINESS)
House 59B, Road 27, DRA, Dhaka - 1209, Bangladesh.
Bangladesh
Tel: 88-02-8119451; 88-02-9114478
Fax: 88-02-8119451
Email: scpl.bd@gmail.com