In the devastating floods that affected two-thirds of Bangladesh in August 2017 an estimated 101,683 houses were destroyed and 619,834 damaged. 145 people lost their lives. Dinajpur district was one of the hardest hit areas.
Shilpa, her husband and two sons were living in a one room earthen building and took refuge on the roadside under tarpaulin. After six days when the waters receded, they returned to find their house had collapsed. Like many in their village, they built a temporary raised shelter using salvaged materials until they could save enough and access a small loan to rebuild.
In their new bamboo frame house they introduced techniques which they learned through attending our Build for safety training, including cross-bracing and improved jointing.
Shilpa and her family have plans to continue upgrading their home, to make it more comfortable, but they feel confident in the knowledge that their house is strong and secure. Small improvements can make a big impact.
Donate today and support more women like Shilpa.