The need
In August 2006, flash floods in the desert state, destroyed lives, livelihoods and homes. The poor percolation of water into the gypsum-rich earth meant villages continued to be submerged even a month later.
How we helped
The Barmer Aashray Yojana was a project taken up by SEEDS to reconstruct three hundred houses in the flood-ravaged district of Barmer in the western desert state of Rajasthan.
SEEDS worked with 300 of the most socially marginalized and remote families to rebuild their homes. The selection was done through a rigorous survey process and in consultation with the local administration.
The design was specially created for the socio-cultural and environmental nuances of the area; and finalised by the community.
The houses were built with the same materials and shape that is so widely accepted in the community. However, new features were added to strengthen disaster resilience. The mud was stabilised with 5% cement and compressed for strength. The blocks were made in an inter-locking shape, and strong foundations and structural bands were added.
Apart from the 300 homes, SEEDS also constructed seven wells, five latrines with attached bathrooms and provided solar panels for each of the homes. Further, workshops on good sanitation practices workshops were conducted for the community.
Learn more about this initiative