Habitat For Humanity India

Appeal

2010
Support for Leh flood and mudslide response

On the 5th and 6th of August 2010 Leh, Ladakh and the surrounding villages were hit by a huge cloud burst followed by flash flooding. This was a natural event unprecedented in Ladakh in its force and scale. The waters and mudslides left a trail of devastation. Hundreds of people were killed and many more left homeless. More than a year on, Leh has not fully recovered from this calamity.

Partnership response

Soon after the disaster Habitat for Humanity India and the Ladakh Ecological Development Group (LEDeG) joined together to work in partnership to construct 24 houses for some of the most needy families who had been affected by the flooding. Most of the families came from Spituk and Palam villages, near Leh.

LEDeG have been active in the Ladakh region since 1983, focusing on issues of environmental sustainability and serving underprivileged communities. Habitat for Humanity is a global Non-Governmental Organization dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. Together Habitat and LEDeG proposed to build 24 passive solar houses with a vision that they would be safe, comfortable as well as environmentally and culturally suitable.

Beneficiary family background

The beneficiary families were selected on the basis of their vulnerability to extreme weather conditions, the extent of loss and damage to their houses, loss of livelihood and unemployment, having secured land tenure/alternate land allocation by the government, the extent of social exclusion: orphans, women headed families, widows, single parents, the lack of economic capacity to re-build the houses on their own, a willingness to take responsibility for construction of their own home.

House construction

The 24 houses were built at a low cost of approximate INR 300,000 ($6,500) per house. The construction standards were very high and met with all applicable IS-CODES and SPHERE standards. Building started in May 2011 and the handing over ceremony took place on the 2nd October 2011, almost 2 months ahead of schedule. This meant that the recipient families and especially the young children could be safely housed well before the onset of the long and severe Himalayan winter.

Both Habitat for Humanity and LEDeG recognize the huge efforts of the families themselves in building their houses.

The main features of the project

The following were the main features of the project:

Participation of the families in the design and construction of houses.

Use of local materials for low environmental impact and greater safety.

Use of locally available skills to reduce dependence on external sources.

Use of improved local building material such as stabilized compressed earth blocks to ensure maximum safety e.g. from earthquakes.

Traditional house designs preserving local cultural heritage.

Use of south facing trombe wall features which keep houses warm in winter and reduce energy
consumption.

Permanent and strong house structures which allow for future expansion.

Compost toilet facilities for each household and a secure boundary wall around the entire community.

Specific environmental features

A key environmental feature of each house is the South oriented trombe wall. In simple terms this is a massive wall separated from the outdoors by glazing and an air space. Connecting this air space with the inner room are two vents, one at the top and one at the bottom. During the day the sun heats the air and then the solid wall behind. Once the air is heated it rises and enters into the room, giving it additional heat. Also the rising air pulls in cooler air from the room below to then be heated.

Each of the 24 families has been provided with a private compost toilet. These toilets are dry or waterless and simply utilize natural processes to deal with human waste. The main benefits are:

It is a clean, safe, low-tech system.

Waste is dealt with on site and thus does not have to be treated with chemicals or allowed into waterways.

Water is saved (an important consideration in Leh which is arid).

Organic matter can be allowed back into the soil where it improves structure and nutrient value.

Biker’s expedition

One of the most remarkable aspects of this project was that some of the fundraising (and even some of the building) was undertaken by a team of differently abled motor bike riders who rode all the way to Leh from Mumbai. From 31st July to 27th August 2011, the riders traced a route through major cities in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir (also covering Delhi & Chandigarh) on a 4000 mile round trip.

Project completion

The project completion ceremony took place on 2nd October 2011. Joy was expressed through traditional dancing and was plain for all to see on the faces of the house owners as they received their title documents. These were presented by Habitat for Humanity India Interim CEO Mr. Eric Christopher in the company of Chief Guest Shri Nawang Rigzin Jora: Honorable Minister for Tourism & Culture J&K Government and Guest of Honour Sh. Rigzin Spalbar: Honorable Chairman/Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC.

House beneficiary Skarma Tashi, a labourer from Palam said “I’m very happy. Now I am living in a new home and it is a good home. So, thanks to Habitat for Humanity India.” Another beneficiary, Tsering Doray, a labourer from Palam who has a wife and a 2 year old child said “We are really satisfied with our new home. Last year we had a hard time in our temporary bamboo house. Now we have a good home and we will get through the hard winter nicely. Many thanks to Habitat for Humanity India.”