maimu (20)

Liberia, 2004. Maimu 1 IDP Camp.
Familes were given a piece of tarpaulin each (by the UN) and they built their own shelters, using local timber from local forests, and mud (cob) for walls. These were reasonable shelters, but lacked decent cooking facilities, ventilation / chimneys. Around 250,000 people were living in camps like these at that time. None of them had basic electricity or lighting, which lead to hundreds of sexual and gender based violence, especially around toilet areas which were dark at night. Had UN and international NGOs been aware of the technology and the economics, there would have been more uptake.