“We are giving 7 days of training to the local masons on the construction of pillar based buildings. The training is for 32 contractors and masons about the importance of earthquake safe buildings. We also give them information on disaster risk, quality of the materials to be used, retrofitting as well as what the role of the engineers and the local masons are in a community. They receive theory based information as well as practical hands-on training.
Social mobilization is very important – either in the relief phase or the reconstruction phase. We have seen many cases where the relief money was used for some other purposes and therefore social mobilization is very important. This way, we hope that the amount of NRs. 200,000 for the reconstruction will be used as intended.
The training is really important as the local masons also give trainings around their villages and they also impart this knowledge to those around them. In the case of Thansingh VDC, this is the first time that engineers have come to a village and trained the local masons. This has also helped the people to learn about the faults in the previous building techniques.
I think that these kind of trainings help in establishing a disaster resilient community - not just a house but the whole community. We are making them aware of how to make the whole community earthquake resilient.”