Cob: Date: Wed, 27 Oct 1999 10:45:17 +0800

[Rosemary Lyndall Wemm]

Hello All!

I've just joined the list.  

As an Australian who has lived in Darwin and the Eastern islands of
Indonesia I am very concerned about the current situation in East 
Timor.  Most of them have had their houses, schools, offices and
public buildings ruined.  They have few resources and little, if any,
money.  

It occurs to me that members of this list may be able to offer help in
the area of housing and other structures.  At the very least I would 
like to put together a comprehensive community builders manual which
could be distributed by one of the Aid groups in the area.  At best we
could organise a relief party of experienced builders into the area. In
that case we would need someone to oversee the project and a pool of
volunteers who are able to spend a few weeks or months in the area at
their own expense.  

Here are some ideas and comments.  Please feel free to expand upon, 
add to or challenge them.  Where there are questions please help to
fill in the gaps.

* Resources are few in the area.  Things like linseed oil will have
to be made by the locals. This means supplying flax seed and 
instructions for making the oil.

* Maleria is rife.  Mosquito netting will have to be made.  Weaving is
a known art and looms exist [or existed].  Perhaps netting could be
made from the flax plants.  Does anyone know how?  This could be used
as fly-wire on windows.  

* In this tropical climate glass windows are out and lots of spaces for
air to flow through are in.  My suggestion is that window and breeze-way
rafter space be filled in with thin netting; this works on tent windows
so it should work on houses, too.  Since it will get dirty and wear out
fairly quickly the design needs to allow the netting to easy changed 
and/or washed.  Open windows are fine only if you like getting maleria!
Privacy can be achieved with the addition of curtains.

* Water can be quite a problem in the dry season but it is too wet to 
build in the wet season unless the community has access to large tarps
or plastic sheeing. We have to assume that things of this nature are 
NOT available.  Since water is always a problem we probably need to 
start with damn-building [considerations: seismic activity and 
mosquito larvae] and water tank construction and collection systems.
Since we have no iron roofs to collect water from, this poses a bit of
a problem.  Ideas?

* There is a cement factory close to Kupang in Indonesian West Timor,
but there are problems with getting this stuff from that quarter, and
the price is beyond the average resident.  I have no idea how difficult
it would be to get lime.

* The soil generally has a high clay content.  Sand may be the problem.
It may have to be carted to the mountains from the sea.  [Possible]. 

* There is plenty of rubble around [mainly small limestone rocks] to
use for foundations.

* We need to get information from ex-residents of East Timor about some
of the issues.  I will try to contact some when this project gets under
way.

* I didn't see much bamboo in West Timor and I suspect the same problem
will arise in East Timor.  The land is very dry and barren, not like the
lusher islands to the West.  I'm not sure what the locals do for poles.

* Thatching is a known art in this region. It has the obvious problems
of catching fire from the spirit stoves in general use.  Many people
are burned to death from kitchen-caused house fires every year.  A way
of fire-proofing thatch or a cheap alternative roofing system would be
useful.  Cob domes are probably unsuitable because they do not provide
the air flow which is needed to cope with the humidity in the wet season. 
Also, they may not hold up well under the torrential rains.  When it
rains here, it really RAINS.  Then it stops .... until the same time 
the next day [frequently about 4pm].  

*  Helped people need to feel that they have a way of repaying debts and
showing gratitude. My suggestion is that initial helpers pay their own 
way but leave each area with instructions that a hut be built to house
any visiting dignatory, future aid worker or community helper free of 
rental charge. [Food, however, should be paid for unless the person is
an Honoured Guest.] The village chief can designate anyone a "community 
helper" by assigning them a collection of community-agreed-upon tasks, 
such as helping with communal cooking, child-care, washing, field-work,
community projects, and so on.  Such tasks should reflect the 
capabilities of the person.  When the hut is not occupied by helpers
or guests then it should be rented to tourists at very reasonable 
rates.  
 

- Rosemary  LYNDALL WEMM
Kwinana [just south of Perth], Western Australia.