World Vision Partners with Builders Without Borders

World Vision's Lanka Tsunami Response Team and Builders Without Borders has taught modern construction methods to local contractors in the eastern districts of Batticaloa and Ampara in Sri Lanka.

Builders Without Borders is an international network of experienced tradesmen and tradeswomen who form partnerships with communities and organisations around the world to create affordable housing from local materials, while building local capacity.

Three volunteers from the network in Canada have been working with local contractors on efficient construction methods and safe practice in construction sites.

Rod Imer, Lanka Tsunami Response Team Construction Operations Manager, said in a Reuters report, "The first crew of contractors learnt how to use electrical power tools, and organise their work flow efficiently. They learnt the basic elements of roof construction and door and window installations. The second crew managed a demonstration workshop where they prepared structures for roof construction and built various sample work elements to help build houses, including simple scaffolding for block laying and plastering, sawhorses for carpentry work, and making toolboxes."

The Builders Without Borders volunteers also constructed roof framing that enabled local contractors to build roofs more efficiently.

"Usually, many labourers climb on roofs and pass the hammers and nails among themselves without taking safety measures. Now they have learnt how to safely carry their tools even if they are working on the roof," said Josephine Pillai, World Vision Tsunami Response Stakeholder Representative in Batticaloa. "The most important lessons everyone learnt during this training was how to save time, work more efficiently, and keep the site neat and safe."

With attention geared towards finishing 3,360 houses and 63 schools, the Lanka Tsunami Response Construction Team will continue teaching roof construction techniques to those who were not enrolled in the Builders Without Borders training.

World Vision wishes to continue its cooperation with Builders Without Borders by employing leading hand tradesmen to work on the construction sites of three schools in Batticaloa, despite the challenges of escalating conflict in Sri Lanka where the security situation interrupts the construction work on sites. Building one new school and adding buildings to two others by applying modern construction techniques will provide new facilities for 1,990 students in a district where people know too well the suffering of the tsunami and the ethnic conflict.