Earthquake Assitance:

Shelter, Rehabilitation, and Development

With winter falling hard on the families living in the camps, especially those at higher elevations, Dosti teams continue to help with shelter construction while also preparing for longer term recovery efforts.

Mansehra Villages:
Under the direction of California homebuilder , Greg Zaller, families in the Himalayan region of District Mansehra are working together to build sturdy, one room homes complete with small bath and kitchen. All schools, businesses, homes, medical facilities, and water systems were destroyed in several small and formerly picturesque villages there.

Today, local survivors are being trained in the trades needed to assist in the building effort. Their new and valuable skills help them build their own homes, and prepare them for long term reconstruction efforts in Hilkot - expected to take many months, if not years.

“We work side by side with the family who will receive the house. The walls are made flat on the ground and then roof frame is then lifted into place, secured and covered,” says Greg. “We are able to accomplish all this with only hammers, chisels and metal snips to use as tools. It is great – we are turning the villagers into carpenters!”

More than 60 homes have been built in Hilkot with the assistance of Relief International. Dosti is presently working with Mr. Zallers on 25 homes, with more homes to be built as financial resources allow. Specifications of these shelters are as follows:


     12’ by 12’ foot home complete with a small kitchen and a bath

• Made in six-foot panels of wood milled locally and with salvaged materials
• Have a pitched roof to handle the weight of snow and are insulated with mud
• Transitional shelters can be erected in a matter of days

Greg has been raising money in his home community of Nevada City, California for this effort and is planning to make a second trip to the region in March, 06 to continue helping with the construction. Future homes are dependent upon available funding.

Shelter for vulnerable survivors: Dosti community mobilization teams are identifying households in Mansehra District (Balakot, Juraid And Kawai). who may be have difficulty participating in building projects or may reluctant or unable to ask for assistance. The teams will help identified families receive the assistance they need in building their home, either by volunteers or contractors retained by Dosti, including graduates from newly established training centers.

30 shelters, similar to the ones described are currently in development.

Skills Development: On January 25th, opened it’s first technical training center in Mansehra. Funded by Church World Service, the skill centers are providing basic training in wiring, plumbing, carpentry, masonry, and welding. The center can train up to 60 men at a time for a course of six weeks. At the end of course, each participant will be provided with a tool kit to help communities in the earth quake affected areas. Two more centers are expected to open in Batagram and Balakot by mid February, 06.