1.3. Shelter and Livelihood Integration

And the Irish NGO, they have given a kind of target working group and the shelter working group along with the Irish NGO goal with coordination with the UNHCR, they developed a kind of joint shelter strategy. So, they have been some, this particular strategy have addressed some key issues, that has to be included in the process.

The Irish NGO collaborated with the UNHCR to formulate a joint shelter strategy. This coordinated effort aims to tackle critical issues related to providing shelter for vulnerable populations. Such strategies are essential to ensure that the needs of the most at-risk groups are met effectively.

Imagine a school planning a new curriculum. The teachers work together with the school board and parents to ensure all students’ educational needs are met. Just like in this case, collaboration shapes the best approach to meet diverse requirements.

One is the target group selection to ensure access to the most vulnerable, whether it is the women headed families or it is a elderly group or if they have lost their houses.

Choosing the right target group is crucial, focusing specifically on the most vulnerable, such as women-led households, the elderly, and those who have lost their homes. This careful selection process ensures that the resources are directed where they are needed the most.

Think of a charity distributing food. They might prioritize families with small children or the elderly because they need more immediate help. This targeted approach helps ensure that those in greatest need receive support first.

So, the widely varying degree of shelter experience and knowledge of design and construction between assistance agencies, which can lead to inadequate solutions with significant variance between shelter solutions.

Different agencies have varying levels of experience and expertise in constructing shelters. This disparity can result in inconsistent and potentially inadequate solutions, where some shelters might be sufficient while others might fail to meet the necessary standards or needs.

Imagine different builders in a neighborhood constructing the same kind of house. Some might have tried and tested methods while others are inexperienced, leading to houses that look the same but have very different qualities and durability.

So, also there is a disconnect between the transitional shelter and the permanent provision and design of uncertainty because we are not sure how this is going to turn out, so the durable shelter end-point was unknown.

There is a gap between short-term transitional shelters and the final permanent shelters. The uncertainty about how long families will stay in temporary shelters and whether these shelters will sustain them adds complexity to planning.

It's like someone temporarily living in an apartment while their house is being built. They may have a good place to stay, but they don’t know how long it will take to complete their new home, making it hard to plan for the future.

There is also need to integrate livelihood assistance with shelter provision because it is not just for the home we are providing, how they can procure their livelihood later on, how they can do their farming facilities, how they can if there any labour how can they can get the work.

Providing shelter alone is not enough; support must extend to help individuals sustain their livelihoods. This involves considering how they can continue farming or find labor opportunities, ensuring long-term stability.

Think about planting a garden. You not only need to prepare the soil and plant seeds (the shelter) but also need to ensure there’s enough water and sunlight, and that you have the tools to maintain the garden (livelihood support) to see it thrive in the long run.

In the household selection, in assisting target group one, the following prerequisites has been applied where the security in the area of return, because the first and prior most is because already they have been undergoing a lot of shocks because of the political stresses.

When selecting households for assistance, it's vital to ensure that the area is secure. Many families have faced various stresses, and ensuring their safety must be the top priority before they return to their homes.

Think of a person considering moving to a new neighborhood that's known for crime. Until they can ensure it's safe to live there, they will be hesitant, just like families need to confirm safety before returning home.

Household registration that is where they have to register or the beneficiaries and all. Willingness of household to return, so however, they are coming back with voluntarily they are coming back, evidence of land or house ownership which was readily available in district level cadastres.

Beneficiaries must be registered, and their willingness to return is confirmed. Furthermore, evidence of land or house ownership is necessary to ensure that assistance goes to rightful owners.

Similar to a library where borrowers need to sign up and show proof they live in the area to borrow books. So too is the need for beneficiaries to prove their ownership before receiving help.

However, they may not have procured the land; everyone may not have able to afford to make their own move you know, so there is a bit complex situation of the resources, the financial resources may not be sufficient for the whole entire community.

Not everyone may be able to afford to return to or rebuild on their former land, creating a complex situation of scarcity where not all community members can be accommodated.

It’s like a community sports team trying to buy new uniforms. If not everyone can contribute the same amount, some players may end up without a uniform, which creates issues in participation and team spirit.

And then shelter design, because this is where the owner driven practices are already advocated in many disaster and displacement practices.

The design of shelters is changed to include owner-driven practices, allowing families to modify and upgrade their shelters as needed, which is a best practice in disaster recovery.

Consider how some apartment buildings let tenants customize their living spaces—adding shelves or painting. This flexibility helps residents feel more at home and allows better adaptation to their needs.

Ability to upgrade temporary shelters into permanent houses, so one is from a kind of transition shelter, how it could be upgraded to a permanent shelter because that is where we talk about the robust quality of the house.

Shelters should be designed to allow families to progressively upgrade from temporary to permanent as financial resources and stability allow, focusing on more durable construction over time.

Think of a child’s fort made of blankets and chairs. Over time, as resources allow, they might turn that fort into a real playhouse, enhancing its durability and quality with better materials.

Ability to disassemble the shelter and move to a different site, imagine in the other category which we discussed if they want to relocate, they found a land in some places, want to move this house there, so how we can actually dismantle this and how we can re-fix the same thing.

The shelters must also be designed for displacement, meaning families can easily take them apart and reassemble them at a new location if needed.

Similar to a Lego structure, kids can take apart and rebuild in a new configuration wherever they want. This adaptability is crucial for people needing to relocate.

The artisans assisted beneficiaries in setting out the shelters, monitored the quality and provided the technical assistance but most of these kits have been erected in a days’ time you know 2 days, 3 days.

Support from local artisans is vital in helping families set up their shelters correctly and quickly, ensuring quality and usability in a very short timeframe.

It's akin to friends helping someone move into their new apartment. The more hands on deck, the quicker things get done, ensuring that everything is properly arranged from the start.

But in any disasters, we have also understood that the personalization is a natural response to the cultural deficiencies and as well as economic feasibilities and opportunities.

People often customize and personalize shelters to meet their cultural needs or economic capabilities, building a sense of ownership and belonging despite challenging circumstances.

Think of how students decorate their dorm rooms. They may hang posters or place plants to make the space feel like home, reflecting their personality and preferences even in a temporary setting.

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