Another Castle

If I was a newspaper journalist, I'd title this one:

FAMILY GRIEF EVOKES NEIGHBOURHOOD COMPASSION

Last week in Poipet, Cambodia, a family of four received help from their neighbouring villagers to repair their home.

A month ago, a village leader called our NGO asking for assistance on behalf of a family in his village. We offer gifts of US$100 to local families who own their own house & land but whose houses do not provide adequate shelter. The family must be able to arrange labour to purchase the materials and do their own repairs.

Mrs JH, 59, was caring for her sick husband, 64 and two grandchildren, aged 3 and 2 with her daughter, aged 24. Their only regular household income was $2.50 each day from the daughter's sewing work.

When out staff went to visit in February, they found a small house that was falling apart. Built twelve years ago from sticks, bamboo, rubber, tin and straw, it was no longer able to provide protection from the wind and rain. We were willing to help the family but there was nobody who could do the actual repairs. Mrs JH could not think of anyone to contribute labour. When we asked some neighbours on her behalf, they all said, 'too busy'. We decided to wait a few weeks to see if JH could come up with a volunteer or two to help repair the house.

On March 10, we received a phone call to say that JH's husband had died unexpectedly. Relatives came back from working in Thailand. Immediately after the funeral, on Monday, March 12, our staff went to pay respects and to ask if there were any relatives willing to help repair the house. They agreed to do it.

Today we returned to see the house. Heng said that the house looked so different he drove straight past it! The neighbours and extended family had added to the $100 we gave in order to buy wood, rubber, bamboo, cement and tiles for construction. Last week the house was completely rebuilt. Having a concrete and tile floor, rather than the old raised bamboo platform, means that JH's daughter can now sew from home. She can assist more with household chores as well as continue to earn an income.

How did these sticks and tiles come together for JH? A village leader advocated on her behalf. The community pitched in when JH became a widow. And JH was responsible for the project, handing in proper receipts for the $100 gift through our NGO. One of our staff reflected that it's ok to wait for village members to help too, because 'through working together we see sustainable development'.