5. Livelihood Framework and Shelter

And also, this is a kind of partial upgrade with reclaimed materials they have the developed with the kind of whatever, they have able to procure from the past site or with their feasibilities, they have made some modifications to their shelters. And within a month 53% of the house owners have started to upgrade their shelters and this is very quick, within a month if this kind of change is 53%.

This chunk discusses how some house owners are enhancing their shelters using reclaimed materials. Within just one month, over half of them upgraded their homes significantly. This indicates a rapid response to shelter improvement needs.

Imagine a community after a disaster where families start using materials from old buildings or items they find. If 53 out of 100 families improved their homes in just a month, that's like half of your classmates working together to fix up a school project in record time!

The priorities were first doors, second walls and the third is windows, so the ventilation aspect. And some beneficiaries bought their own timber for walls, doors and windows as we have seen in this complete set is in a timber.

In upgrading their shelters, families prioritized features that would provide basic security and comfort. First, they focused on doors for safety, then walls for protection, and finally windows for ventilation. Some even purchased their own timber to create these essential features.

Think about how you might fix up a bedroom. First, you'd want a sturdy door to lock away your valuables, then you'd want strong walls to block out noise, and lastly, you'd want windows to let in fresh air. It's the same idea for people upgrading their homes!

And this whole process you know, it’s all showing up an incremental process depending on each household what kind of economic feasibility they had, what kind of infill they are responding to their needs and demands.

Each household's ability to upgrade their shelter relied on their economic situation and specific needs. The upgrades were not uniform; rather, they varied based on what each family could afford and what they required for better living conditions.

Consider how students might personalize their desks in a classroom. Some might buy fancy organizers if they have money, while others may use boxes from home. Each choice reflects what they can afford and what they need to stay organized.

So, with this, the government has understood that yes there is a possibility that to scale up this process. So, now what they did was they developed from 18 square meters to 20 square meters and the permanent walls of adobe and timber and they launched the project build about 40,000 low cost houses.

Recognizing the success of these incremental upgrades, the government decided to expand the housing project. They increased the size of housing units from 18 to 20 square meters and began constructing 40,000 low-cost houses, employing more sustainable materials like adobe and timber.

Imagine a successful school program that helps students learn to read. If it works well for a small group, the principal might decide to expand it to include more classrooms and students, ensuring everyone has access to better education.

But when you talk about the theoretical understanding of it, you know as I said you in the beginning transition shelter is not a noun, it is a verb, it is a process.

This statement emphasizes that shelter is not just a physical structure; it represents a dynamic process shaped by the experiences and decisions of individuals living in it. It highlights how people evolve their surroundings based on their needs over time.

Think of building a Lego set. It's not just about the static model; it's about how you change and adapt your design based on what you enjoy or what functions best for your playtime, illustrating the ongoing 'process' of creating.

So, that is where he talks about the use value derived from this approach was more significant than the market value, as what housing does for the user is more important than what it is.

This idea, introduced by John F.C. Turner, stresses that the practical benefits of housing—like security, comfort, and community—far exceed its market value or financial worth. It's about how well the housing serves its inhabitants’ needs.

Imagine owning a car that is not the newest model but perfectly meets your daily needs for transportation. Its 'use value' is higher than its 'market value,' which might be lower if it isn’t trendy. What matters more is how effectively it serves you.

Similarly, buildings are also essentially made of 6 time bound layers. This is space time phenomenon which Ian Bentley also talks about it. One is a site, which generally does not change...

Housing consists of multiple layers, such as the site, structure, skin, and services, each varying in how often they change. For instance, the overall site usually remains constant while elements like furniture may change frequently. Understanding these layers helps in user-driven design.

Think of your wardrobe. The closet itself stays the same (site), but the clothing you choose to wear changes often (different layers). This reflects how homes function over time where some elements remain constant and others evolve.

So, this is very important when we are looking at the transitional shelter and as well as when they are actually looking at the owner-driven process, you need to understand the whole resources and their vulnerability context itself.

An enabling approach is essential for effective housing development. This involves considering resources available to communities, their vulnerabilities, and how to provide support to enhance their housing conditions and livelihoods.

Consider a gardening club: it’s not just about planting flowers. The club needs to provide tools, address environmental challenges, and consider members’ skills. This supports each gardener’s ability to thrive, just as proper resources enable communities to enhance their housing.

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