MicroAid Repairs the Nagakanni Family Home — 2010

Mrs. Nagakanni’s husband, a fisherman, had been abducted by the LTTE and then imprisoned for seven years. He was away when the tsunami struck and destroyed their home. They have a son and four daughters.

Their uncompleted house was designed with expensive, fancy arched openings for the front doors and window—a ridiculous design element given the circumstances and budget. There are no standard sizes here; each opening is a different dimension. Consequently, every frame, window, and door has to be custom made by a mill, then installed by a mason, then finished by another carpenter (in addition to grillwork done by a welder), making this the most expensive part of the house.

Fitting the new window frames

Both families helped by providing their own labor, and meals for the workers. MicroAid provided them with the dignity of a house with some security, privacy, light and ventilation. They now have a home and not a dark depressing cave!

New windows on the side of the house