RSK shelter assistance for communities in east Nepal
DATE: Saturday 20th May 2023
LOCATION: Arjundhara Municipality Ward No. 1 (East Nepal)
INSTRUCTOR : Samir Nepal and assistant Laxmi Prasad Acharya
PARTICIPANTS: Ward President, community forest representative, youth of Khudunabari organization representative and members of the local general public.
SHELTER BUILT: the Standard RSK shelter
OBJECTIVES :
1. Empower the local community with the ability to prepare and build the standard RSK shelter kit . This RSK shelter is designed to be adaptable to meet any emergency response; from severe storm damage and flash floods to displacement by fires.
2. In this particular case there is a need for a temporary shelter to provide shade and rain cover during and after the monsoon for workers in the community.
3. This is also part of our logistical preparations and continued improvements to the capacity of our trained RSK shelter teams to respond to emergencies in Nepal.
ADAPTATIONS :
The RSK shelters are highly adaptable . Multiple units can later be added to this standard RSK unit if a larger covered space is required.
In this case it was requested by the community that the height of the shelter was increased to be more than than the usual height of the emergency shelter design. This was to provide a larger space for ventilation above the side walls. This space would also allow easier passage of air flow through the shelter. In view of this additional tension bracing was added to the frame( see notes with photos about these modifications).
There is also an option with this shelter to have a 2 metre awning at the front of the shelter that can be pulled out to provide additional shade or folded down to close the shelter door. This option uses the same top tarpaulin but pulled forward, with the 2 side tarpaulins closing the back wall.
RESULTS:
After a brief introduction to the new concept the RSK shelter was built very rapidly using familiar existing skills. The available local bamboo for the 4 support posts was not as large diameter as we recommend but its thicker walls allowed instead for " V" slots to be cut at the top to take the roof frame ridge poles.
SUMMARY:
The majority of the volunteers were building the RSK shelter for the first time and I am impressed by their speed and efficiency of construction. The RSK is a lightweight temporary shelter with a specific purpose and these community volunteers have achieved the first step towards achieving our joint objectives.
I have added my comments to some of these photos to highlight some of their achievements and , where appropriate , their relevance to the wider RSK Shelter Project in Nepal.
Shaun Halbert
RSK Shelter London
The 8 bamboo pole reciprocal frame roof has been assembled on the ground.
Four corner posts being placed in position.
Tarpaulin ready to lift onto roof frame.
Roof tarpaulin in position.
First side tarpaulin in position.
Attaching side tarpaulin
Reciprocal frame roof.
Inside shelter. Note the additional split bamboo tarpaulin support and cord brace between posts.
Inside shelter door.
Shelter near completion. Further lashings will be added to top of corner posts
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There is an option to pull out front of roof tarpaulin 2 metres to provide an awning for additional shade if required.