Hosne Ara (14 yrs) and Faruq Hussein (10 yrs) live with their parents in Wazuddin Fakirer Dangi, a village 3km from the river Podma, Faridpur District. This area is in the Char-lands (Bengali name for ‘islands within rivers’) and is highly susceptible to severe flooding during the monsoon. Their house was provided by Practical Action, and designed to give them more protection from the floods. The house is built on a raised plinth made from sand, clay and cement (meaning it is less likely to be washed away in floods), and made using concrete pillars and treated bamboo poles. Practical Action built the house using readily available and affordable materials, so that other families can copy the design and reap the benefits of the improved structures.

“Only god knows when the next flood will come, but I feel more confident now I have a Pukka house”