Architecture for Humanity; http://www.architectureforhumanity.org/programs/tsunami/Sri Lanka/Pottuvil.php
Status: Completed??
Building Materials:
Cost:
In Ampara, where we are partnering with Relief International, a number of emergency and transitional schools have been completed. However the need is extremely great and many, many schools need upgrading to even be a humane environment to teach in. On my last trip Susi Platt, our country representative and architect, and I went with the Relief International team to see one of the schools under construction. We arrived on site the day they were midway through finishing up the main structure. My first thought was that the buildings were ‘jungle-tastic’ as the tiles we had spec’d out had been replaced by Cajans (traditional woven coconut leaves). This design change was done by community members not only due to material availability but the cajans deaden the sound of the rain during the monsoon season. Most impressive was the fact that the construction crew was made up of the parents of the school children (see images below). This means that funds spent also directly benefitted those who had been displaced, rather than using foreign aid workers.
