RSK shelters continue to be built in east Nepal after heavy rains
DATE: 21st May and 27th May 2023
LOCATIONS: Arjundhara and Banyani Rural municipality (east Nepal)
INSTRUCTORS : Sharad and Bishnu, local volunteers who previously attended an RSK training course in 2022.
PARTICIPANTS: Local community volunteers.
SHELTER BUILT: Standard RSK shelters.
OBJECTIVES :
1. To empower the local community with the ability to prepare and build the standard RSK shelter kit for temporary shelter needs and for emergency shelter preparedness.
2. In these particular cases there were needs for temporary shelters to provide shade and rain cover during and after the monsoon months for workers in the riverbed and tea fields. Also, one vulnerable family that were sleeping 8 people in a single room built a single RSK.
3. This initiative is also part of our logistical preparations and continued improvements in the capacity of our trained RSK shelter teams to respond to emergencies in Nepal.
ADAPTATIONS :
These are for local needs and include building the roof higher and adding a side wall window. Two shelters have been built with a front awning as recommended. The additional shelter for the family was built on a raised platform because of the local risk of flooding. It is good to see the tarpaulin lower edge being secured by being buried in earth along the bottom of the side walls. And also the making a shallow drain around the base of the side walls for rainwater run off.
The use of different types of local materials for lashings is noted.
RESULTS:
The overlap of the poles for the roof frame and assembly of the shelter kit is all correct.
One of the shelters is using fresh cut / green bamboo for the first time since we originally demonstrated its potential use in training in Kathmandu in 2013. Although green bamboo is a weaker material than dry bamboo it appears to work well for the purpose intended for this type of shelter and we shall continue to monitor this over the coming months.
SUMMARY:
The RSK roof frame with its advantages for temporary shelter has been rapidly and efficiently adopted by the local community and adapted for their needs. This is a most encouraging start and we look forward to providing further temporary shelter needs for other local needs,
especially where we can incorporate the RSK health benefits
Shaun Halbert
RSK Shelter London
RIVERBED SITE : Frame assembly dry bamboo. First wall tarpaulin is in position.
RIVERBED SITE : Roof tarpaulin pulled out to make an awning for shade.
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RIVERBED SITE : Note, this shelter is lower like the recommended emergency relief shelter. There is no open space above the side walls. A side window has been added. Well done everyone.
TEA FIELDS SITE: The reciprocal frame of the roof. Note use of available lashings.
TEA FIELDS SITE: Cutting green bamboo.
TEA FIELDS SITE: Laying out the reciprocal frame roof
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TEA FIELDS SITE: The completed roof frame.
TEA FIELDS SITE: Reciprocal frame roof from inside the shelter
TEA FIELDS SITE: Lifting the roof frame onto 4 posts
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TEA FIELDS SITE: Note the heavy lashings attaching the top tarpaulin to the roof frame at the 4 corners.
FAMILY SITE ; starting building the second wall
TEA FIELDS SITE: Completed RSK shelter with side ventilation openings.
FAMILY SITE ; padding the ends of the central frame to protect top tarpaulin
FAMILY SITE ; shelter built on raised earth platform