Post Tsunami Owner-Driven Housing Project in Ampara

Solidar Consortium was advised to utilize unspent donor money from the suspended Post Tsunami Reconstruction and Community Development (RECODE) Programme (due to the on-going civil conflict) in Vadamarachchi East, on a similar project elsewhere in a tsunami-affected area. Solidar felt that the district of Ampara provided the most stable platform where the long-term viability of the project can be better assured while the conflict continues .

The eastern districts have a large imbalance of unfulfilled housing, infrastructure and socio-economic development needs as a result of the 2004 tsunami. Many areas are also conflict-affected.

In the housing sector alone, unfulfilled commitments and delays in construction have left thousands of families languishing in transitional shelters for more than 26 months. This has created heightened tension and between families that have been re-housed and those that have not. the case of tsunami housing requirements, details provided by various authorities have been scrutinized, and information has been collected on commitments by other INGOs and UN Habitat. All of this indicates a clear and unfulfilled requirement for further support for owner-driven housing (where owners contribute labour to the building of their house).

As a result of discussions with donors and partners in the housing sector, there is a view that owner-driven housing, as opposed to donor-driven projects, is a more effective mechanism of delivery.

In most instances the government has provided an initial grant of US$2,500 to families in the owner-driven housing scheme, but there is a significant shortfall in the number of families that received top-up assistance from additional donors to complete construction activities. (We have also come across cases where tsunami registered families appear to have missed out on the government grant).

Solidar focuses on owner-driven housing and predominantly on those families that have already received base grants but lack funds to complete their houses and are still often in temporary shelters. When timeframes are considered, these families are a priority as appreciable vetting of families has already taken place prior to the provision of the base grant, and land issues are already addressed in most cases.