March 28, 2006

Tayyab Syed from Karavan Leaders made an independent visit to Andrasi village and reported as follows:

This village is situated in Siran valley of NWFP, around 18 kms from Karakoram Highway and approached by a connecting road from Shinkiari village on KKH beyond Mansehra town. The SRSP has concentrated its efforts in the Bhogermang Union Council of Siran valley and they have a small camp office at Andrasi village. We met their staff Mr. Muhammad Khalid at the camp who briefed us about their work in the village and also showed us the shelter homes constructed by SRSP. Overall they have helped construct 45 shelter homes in the two villages of Andrasi & Gran Thalli. Andrasi village is on the road and other village (Gran Thalli) is just across the Siran river, approached by a suspension bridge with 10 minutes walk. Out of the 45 shelter homes 20 have been built by SRSP funds and 25 with the funds provided by your organization, with following distribution:

	SRSP	French Association
Andrasi	10	10
Gran Thalli	10	15

Shelter Home's Specifications (In Feet):

Area: 14 x 12
Height: 8 & 1/2
Brick Base: 2 feet above ground & 1 ft. basement.

Windows: Two (3 x 2 ft.)
Door: One (7 x 3 ft.)

The shelter homes have been constructed with metal sheets & wooden panels. The frame is of wooden beams. On the outer side: Corrugated metal sheets have been used for the slanting roofs, and plain metal sheets for the straight walls. Inner walls are constructed with wooden chip-board panels. They say there is gap of 3 inches between outer & inner walls which has been filled with straw to allow for insulation. They have also provided electric fittings for each shelter, with 2 bulbs and one table light with fittings.

Mr. Khalid told us that they have provided all the construction material and plan to the families and they had constructed the shelter homes on self help basis, yet they were also given Rs. 4,000 against the labor they put in the construction.

We visited the shelter homes in Andrasi village, all 10 of them have the painted writings " SRSP Shelter Homes donated by French Association". They all have been occupied by the families with their belongings well adjusted inside. Yet when we visited Gran Thalli village, we did visit the shelter homes but not many of them had the donation writings displayed as in Andrasi. The houses in Gran Thalli are also being used by the families.

About the distribution of shelter homes, they told us that 8 homes have been given to the widow families. And the other families were chosen on the basis of their poor social standing and higher number of family members.

The villagers told us that they are happy with these shelters that have been great help for them.

I hope the above report is satisfactory.

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