The past two weeks, our main tasks have been tracking down supplies needed for the house (hangers, towel racks, an iron, a coffee maker, and a mirror, for instance) and office (additional phone lines, computer equipment, paper, a carpenter to make desks, an air conditioner, etc.). We were also working together to come up with a list of questions to ask a "Focus Group" of people who have already received houses (like the ones we'll be building)... to help us in planning and preparation. Examples of topics we discussed are: general satisfaction with the housing they've received, waste management, bathing, water/electricity, health concerns, sources of financial income, how their income is spent, distances families have to travel to school/market/work and how they get there, etc.

They were divided into a men's group and a women's group and the information and response we received was FASCINATING and provided extremely valuable feedback. Many organizations have built 100's of homes - but they are leaking. And there is no water erosion system in place - so the homes flood during monsoon season. And there is no waste disposal - which attracts scavengers - which spread diseases and fight with one another - causing danger for the children who are caught in the middle of angry, diseased dogs. And these houses have been built so far from the sea (for protection from tsunami's) that there are no nearby schools, work, medical facilities, post office, transportation system, etc. So, their homes were destroyed by the tsunami - and now they have had to relocate away from all that is important in sustaining livelihood and all that is familiar. We also learned that many people were living in their new homes because the structures were complete -- but they waited a year for the government to deliver electric and water... which meant women (who don't show their shoulders or their legs in public) were bathing at the public well with no privacy. For a year! The homes are also so small and in such close proximity that when one family member catches a cold, it immediately spreads to the whole family, and then to the house next door, and the house next door, etc. So, while it was somewhat disheartening to receive such negative feedback -- the people were eager to help provide us with information -- and we are eager to implement this information into our construction plan and also use it in the trauma counseling.