Resettlement of Displaced Coastal Fisher Folk families
The Project is meant for permanent rehabilitation of 50 Tsunami victim families left out from the mainstream Housing Program and who continue in temporary shelters still without any other place to move. QSSS set up an emergency program of incremental housing to face the urgent need of these families. The project could make only a delayed start owing to some uncertainties about the land originally earmarked for the purpose by the government. However, QSSS provided alternative land from its own properties in the nearby area. Since August the implementation has made rapid progress. 32 families moved from their former temporary accommodations in small thatched sheds, and the remaining 18 are homeless widows and other extremely poor families sharing meager accommodation facilities with others. So far each family has made cash contributions up to Rs.10, 000/- towards the cost of materials. Also, the members have taken care of the unskilled labor by themselves like earth excavation and filling foundation, carrying the materials to the spots and on the hands of the masons, etc. Foundation structure is complete for all the 50 houses and the construction of walls is under way. In some cases construction has reached lintel level. At this pace of progress, it can be calculated that the project will be complete in by December 2010. Contact: Fr. Joseph Detto Fernandez qsss@rediffmail.com
