2.3. Traditional vs Modern Housing

So, the moment when these NGOs when these agencies come into the picture, many at times what they do is they perceive the local knowledge, they perceive that this system, this particular social system has failed to receive the expected conditions of life from the system. So, that is where you know the larger collective stress situations took place that how the system has failed.

When NGOs and agencies respond to communities in need, they often begin by assessing the local knowledge and social systems in place. They tend to identify how these systems have underperformed, leading to unmet expectations for quality of life. This perspective can overlook the ways in which local systems have survived and adapted over time. NGOs jump to conclusions about the failure of the local approach without fully understanding its nuances.

Imagine a school that is struggling academically. An outsider might quickly conclude that the school's curriculum is inadequate without realizing that it has been designed to fit the specific needs of its students and community. Just as the school might have strengths that aren't immediately visible, local housing methods may also hold valuable lessons for resilience.

But then the many of the relief operations, when they come into the rescue or the rehabilitation projects, they try to reject and in favour of the systems familiar to an exercised by the relief culture. So, they either depend on the, they either rely more on what they have already executed and also the relief culture though they try to undermine the local systems, they try to understand, undermine the local traditions.

In providing disaster relief, agencies often apply methods they have used successfully in the past, which can discount local traditions and practices. This approach not only imposes their solutions but might also disrupt existing social structures and practices that had functioned well for the affected communities. Ignoring local traditions in the quest to impose a new system can weaken community bonds.

Consider a local restaurant that has served its community for years with a unique recipe. If a large fast-food chain comes in and imposes its menu without taking into account local tastes, it risks alienating customers who value the original's flavor and tradition, similar to how NGOs may overlook local housing practices.

A victim culture is always being made aware of the failure of the local, traditional and indigenous systems to either anticipate the disaster or be able to cope up when it happens. So, basically the moment you, the institution comes in working to serve you and that is where they see that this whole system has failed, they never see that how this has survived all these years.

When agencies highlight the shortcomings of traditional systems without recognizing their endurance, it creates a culture of victimhood. This narrative can erode trust in local leadership and institutions, making communities more susceptible to external influences. It can lead to a dependence on external agencies rather than fostering resilience and rebuilding on local strengths.

Think of an athlete who, after suffering an injury, is told repeatedly that they are past their prime and unable to succeed anymore. This constant negativity can erode their confidence, causing them to depend on others for support instead of pushing themselves to recover, much like communities may lose faith in their own abilities.

For instance, this is a story of a house as a joint family house and many of these poor houses, the government has given only 5000 rupees as a kind of support to rebuild their house, the roof and the reality is 3 families still live in the same house.

The allocations made by NGOs and government programs may be insufficient. When only a small stipend like 5000 rupees is provided to rebuild homes, it reflects an oversight of the actual needs of families who often share living spaces. This not only highlights the inadequacy of financial support but also how housing solutions need to be tailored to local contexts and family structures.

It's like giving a small budget to a family of ten for a party. With such limited resources, they will either have to reduce the number of guests or compromise on food quality, similar to how families stack up in one home due to inadequate government aid.

So, they try to have this indigenous understanding of climatic, the local climatic conditions and it will also serving their way of life, how the fisherman's life is also celebrated and how functionally it works.

The traditional houses are designed with an understanding of local climate and culture, which enhances functionality in daily life. For instance, structures with thatched roofs that keep homes cool during hot weather are a product of indigenous knowledge. Such considerations are often lost in modern housing solutions that ignore these essential aspects in favor of aesthetically pleasing, but functionally inadequate, designs.

Consider how a traditional African hut is built with mud and straw, efficiently insulating against the heat while being environmentally sustainable. In contrast, a modern concrete house might cost more and not provide the same comfort or sustainability, demonstrating the effectiveness of traditional designs in meeting local needs.

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