Skip to main content

Builders Without Borders

Builders Without Borders is an organization that can prove very effective in disaster housing through their technology, resources, training and volunteers.

"We are an international network of ecological builders who form partnerships with communities and organizations around the world to create affordable housing from local materials and to work together for a sustainable future. We believe the solution to homelessness is not merely housing, but a local population trained to provide housing for themselves."

Housing is a human right - yet increasing numbers of people are homeless, due to war and environmental disasters. In Kosovo alone, an estimated 100,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, while recent flooding in Vietnam has left 2 million homeless. After initial disaster relief, longer-term solutions such as transitional housing are required, as well as the restoration or replacement of homes in devastated areas. Permanent housing is also needed for the chronically underhoused, whose situations are often as desperate as those recovering from a war or natural disaster.

Since its founding in December of 1999, Builders Without Borders (BWB) has formed a dynamic team of ecological builders and other volunteers dedicated to manifesting the idea that the solution to homelessness is not merely housing, but a local population trained to provide housing for themselves. They have determined their role to be largely educational -- their goal is to support those working in the field, through providing resources, advice, networking, and training so that hard-won successes can be widely shared and disseminated.

They advocate the use of straw, earth, and other easily obtainable materials for the construction of homes, to help decrease reliance on expensive, and often unavailable, alternatives. They are developing simple, easy-to-understand educational resources that can be used as a reference in training communities in appropriate technologies for siting and building their own shelter. One of our main objectives is to develop and distribute educational resources that promote natural building methods as well as facilitation techniques that are culturally-sensitive, fun and effective. BWB also focuses on training programs, workshops and cooperative community building projects to instruct people in ecological design and building.

Builders Without Borders believes that within the problem lies the solution. Disaster can be an opportunity to create something positive and healing. Their view is that we can best work in partnership with local populations to identify needs and propose solutions, and through our involvement leverage important information and material resources.

For more information visit: www.builderswithoutborders.org

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Architecture for the Poor - Hassan Fathy

Hassan Fathy was a remarkable man: artist, antiquarian and social reformer to the world's poor. He was slightly built and enveloped by an air of virtuousness, projecting the intellectual vigour, tranquillity and inner calm reserved for the elect. These qualities, accompanied by a twinkle in his eye and a willingness to listen, made him a favourite of students, who responded to him with warmth and humour, and vied for his attention. Fathy's architectural and social ideas were based at first upon his colonial education, and only later moulded by a deep knowledge of his country's long history and in particular its architecture, which had often been controlled by mathematics and mystical geometries. Six general principles guided him throughout his career: the primacy of human values in architecture; the importance of a universal approach; the use of appropriate technology; the need for socially oriented, co-operative construction techniques; the essential role of tradition; and...
Post a Comment
Read more

Smart Cities and the Mango People

The Government is making massive efforts to set the ball rolling on the Smart Cities program in India. ULBs are gearing up and creating SPVs and hiring consultants to make their pitch, and access the funds. Much seems to be happening in the background. Self-proclaimed "Smart City Gurus" seem to have sprung out of nowhere, and others are clamoring to get into the scene. International consultants, IT companies and Management wallahs have all jumped onto the bandwagon to make Indian cities "Smart". But if you ask the man on the street about "Smart Cities", he will either give you a blank stare or utter something which is merely an aspect of the concept of Smart Cities. And you will experience the same reaction when conversing with a qualified Architect, Urban Planner or Urban Designer. That, or you might end up in an endless, pointless debate. The point is, in all this brouhaha where does the common-man-on-the-street fit in? Is he a part of this wav...
Post a Comment
Read more

UN-HABITAT Report - Housing Crisis

A new report by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme warns that unless governments around the world take action the world faces a massive urban crisis as housing shortages could lead to mega-slums. According to "recent estimates, more than two billion people would be added to the number of city dwellers in developing countries by 2030. To meet the needs of that additional population, some 35 million new housing units would have to be built every year for the next 25 years. "But unless adequate financial resources are invested in the development of urban shelter and services, including clean water and sanitation, billions of people will be trapped in poverty, deplorable housing conditions, poor health and low productivity, making today's enormous slum challenge even greater." Full article here: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0914-03.htm
Post a Comment
Read more