Asian Coalition for Housing Rights

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December Photos PLUS

"As we all know, Tom is one of the backbone of our small ACHR office in Bangkok for multi purpose function particularly all the ACHR publication. I myself cannot remember how many years he has been working with us since he has always been here with ACHR for so long. So his permanent leave will cause a big change and gaps within the ACHR office and we shall miss him here immensely." Somsook

Tom ... “ … you have been so central to our work and so influential. ... your translation of all the complexities and details of ACHR/ACCA into wonderfully accessible and readable form is hugely important for legitimating alternative approaches.” David Satterthwaite IIED UK

“ … Networks are about communicating effectively , linking purposefully and often carrying conviction. And Tom did a superlative job in every respect on behalf of and with others at ACHR. His reporting was amazingly accurate (words, sentences, spirit, context specificity) . It was quite fast (minutes came in time. Newsletter was seldom delayed). And the writing and the products had a quality. ACHR publications have such design and content quality that they compare favourably with similar others in that genre, including the ones produced with many times as many resources and logistical
support....” Kirtee Shah

Apart from the above, many more of Tom's copious collections are in the LIBRARY for Download

Tom says Farewell and Thanks
Extract from E-News Nov-Dec 2014 1 page

A Busy Four Days in Cambodia

Day 1: Signing of MOU between Ministry of Land, ACHR, Community Development Foundation (CDF formerly UPDF) for future collaboration and training of Housing officials in community development processes.

Full day at the CDF’s Training Centre where more than 60 Community leaders from around the country discussed the years activities and planned for the coming year. In attendance were 3 officials from the Housing Dept who were able to familiarised themselves with community based processes.

Day 3 &4 CAN CAM (Community Architects -Cambodia) presented their work to Fr Jorge Anzorena and the following day Fr Jorge was able to visit and discuss strategies in 3 of Phnom Pen’s poorest communities: Beung Chouk Meanchey; Preah Poun Lea and Thmor San

Below: Fr Jorge Anzorena receives an earlty New Year massage from friends in one of Phnom Penh's poorest communities

Photos from December CAN-Indonesia Workshop and sharing with Philippines' and Thai community architects.
Photos by Lintang Rembulan and Yuli Kusworo from Arkom Jogjakarta

Bamboo Construction Source Book

A collective effort from Kiran Vaghela, Mahavir Acharya, Pralesh Jewa, Henish Kakadiya, Dipti Charan and Zumi Shah.

Things came before people
People came before words

Tall, green, and nameless
bamboo walked down the centuries
and crossed continents
in time to stand there, waiting,
naked of language,
when the first people came.
to make the first village

Available hard copy from ACHR and Hunnarshala Foundation

Contents; About Bamboo - Various uses- as material - joinery -Treatment for longer life of shelter - Building systems and components, - Steps of bamboo house construction - Journey from past to present 96 pages ….

Bamboo Cambodia Research

This is the cover of a similar book (above India) but compiled by CAN-CAM Cambodia in Khmer language ….. with help from many of the bamboo builders around the country who came at various times last year to help construct the CDF’s Training Centre (pictured below). This is a still from a video about the process of building the Training Centre we hope to post soon

Cambodia has a strong and long history with bamboo technology.
The bridge pictured below, explains Nylen from CAN-CAM, is built every year during the dry-season and taken down during the wet season when (presumably) the river current is too strong. ( Amazing Cambodia!! )

Community-built pedestrian bridge
at Arroyo Compound, Matina Crossing, Davao City, The Philippines.

Andrea FITRIANTO
Community Architect at CAN
Abstract: Situated on riverbanks, three communities of Matina Crossing Federation (Matina Fed) in Davao City, Mindanao have to rely on bamboo makeshift bridges for their access to the main street. The makeshift bridge is unsafe and flushed away each time the river floods. Nevertheless, the municipality was reluctant to replace the bridge due to the informal status of residents’ land tenure. On November 2009 Matina Fed expressed their wish for a replacement bridge and started a savings group with guidance from the Homeless People’s Federation Philippines Inc. (HPFPI). During a design workshop in January 2010 the challenge was shared with "community architects” from countries in the region. The replacement bridge will also be bamboo, but new technologies will be incorporated. Further, the Matina Crossing Federation took the lead in activities related to the project; on administration, materials procurement, mobilization for labor and food, and on hosting related workshops. In April 2011 two Indonesian bamboo carpenters stayed in the community and led the construction of the bridge. In one month the entire bamboo structure is completed. Another month was needed for roofing and mortar injection. Finally, three-inch thick concrete was poured for the floor. The 23 m span bamboo bridge was completed with cost of PHP 450.000 (around USD 10.000) that is paid by loans. In June 2011 a devastating flash-flood carried debris which battered the bridge. The bridge survived, and even served as a safety platform. The bridge continues to serve the communities for more than two years up to the time this is written.

9 pages photos and text from Andrea

COMMUNITY BUILT BAMBOO FOOTBRIDGE - SHORT (2012)

12/02/2014

Urban Poor Technologies exemplified in the ACCA project : 5 mins. A longer version will be posted soon. Produced by Andrea Fitrianto 2012

- Follow up

Last Month ACHR organised a Ministerial Exchange between Cambodia and Thailand with a focus on Land and Housing for the Poor
(See November extras top left}

This month we see the impacts of such as exchange with MOU's being signed between Ministry in Cambodia with ACHR and CODI and local Cambodian organisation CDF - Cambodian Development Fund ( formerly UPDF).

Why did ACHR support, particulalry the visit to CODI and Bann Mann Kong:

Also .... although these figures need updating ....

The meetings follow up in December will establish learning relationships with benefits to the urban poor in Camodia and Thailand ....More on this .... 2nd story above is the Update ....

CAMBODIA'S HOUSING MINISTER TO BANGKOK Extract from E-News Dec 2014. 1 page

14 Recipients of the fellowships are now working hard with communities around Asia. You can see photos of their projects on their Perween Rahman Fellows 2014 FB page in honour of Perween.and more on the Community Architects page on this site HERE

Participatory Planning with Communities in Jogjakarta

Photos from Arkom Jogja

December the 2014 report on ACHR's city-wide upgrading activity

ACCA PROGRAM UPDATE : FIGURES, REPORTS, PLANS, MEETINGS
1 page summary extract from E-news Dec 2014

DOWNLOAD the FULL Report in 3 part sections from the LIBRARY - REPORTS Section HERE

or go to the ACCA page on this site for an alternative view of the Report

We spend Christmas Eve 2014 with CDF and friends at the Training Centre on the outskirts of Phnom Penh

ACHR Sec wish our friends Peace and Happiness in 2015

Send photos of your activties for December and January .....