RSK shelter

The roofs of existing relief shelters are built overhead in their final position. This aerial work is both inefficient and difficult for disaster responders and displaced families to carry out.

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However, the roofs of RSK shelters are built on the ground. This unique feature of RSK shelters results in several considerable advantages in an emergency:

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1. The bamboo lashings are stronger.

Working overhead, while often standing on some form of support, is avoided. People can now pull lashings tight and tie them more easily when they are working on the  ground.

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2. All members of the family can now assist in building their shelter.

This is due to the fact that tying lashings on the ground is much easier than tying overhead. 

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4. Shelters can be built more rapidly and efficiently.

Families no longer have to wait long periods for their shelter to be built, they are now empowered to build their own shelters.

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3. Labour costs are greatly reduced.

This is partly due to the shelters being able to be  built more rapidly but also because no bamboo has to be skillfully split to make the roof

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4.  In large scale disasters roof frames can be mass produced and stacked on the ground.

Each family can then carry their frame to the final site where they will build their shelter.

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Of all the above advantages the impact of

" All members of the family being able to assist in building their shelter" is perhaps the most far reaching.  This empowering of displaced families to build their own shelters was very successful on our recent deployment to assist Jajarkot earthquake victims in Nepal, and something that we plan to develop further.

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