Temporary Shelter for Earthquake Victims

The devastating earthquake, 7.8 of magnitude, and the successive aftershocks left many Nepalese homeless with huge loss of life and property. Sindhupalchok is one among the seriously affected 14 districts of Nepal.

But for those who resisted the shocks, and refused to die, had a mammoth challenge ahead to survive. Their ultimate ordeal of survival was harsher as the monsoon was approaching that could have had further battered them under the open sky.

Their torment took a different turn when a local NGO of Sinchupalchok, Janahit Gramin Sewa Samittee (JGSS), and UN Habitat, a development partner for sustainable housing solution, decided to reduce their suffering by building temporary houses for them.

The procedure started immediately. On 21st July 2015, after getting approval from District Disaster Recovery Committee (DDRC) of the district both the organizations launched their extensive field operation in two of the villages--Irkhu and Kubinde.

The organizations could however gather limited resources merely enough for constructing 270 temporary houses. Therefore, they had to choose the most affected ones which was another daunting challenge to cope up with. Yet, the local authority together with peoples' representatives abided by the government's standard of selection of vulnerable people needing immediate support. The beneficiaries included single women, child headed household, elderly, family of the deceased, and disadvantaged groups, such as Dalits and ethnic minorities.

In each Village Development Committee (VDC), the selection committee comprising VDC secretary, political party representatives, Ward Citizen Forum, Female Child Health Volunteer (FCHV), Social Mobilizer, and teachers selected beneficiaries who need immediate support. As a result, beneficiaries were selected from each ward of those VDCs on a proportional basis. 

Further, personnel from both the organizations consolidated their field missions. They started by surveying the locations so as to prepare the land for construction. The team went to the selected beneficiaries, inspected the area, and recommended the area for temporary shelter. The victims, in tandem with these technical people, started digging for the foundation, erected frame, as well as did whatever they could on their own. In fact, the earthquake victims applied all those salvage materials, such as wood, broken CGI sheets and jute sacks, and used them wherever they fit into the newly built house.

Next, those people were provided with two bundles of CGI sheets as well as 7 man days of masons and carpenters. The skilled masons helped them to erect the frame and apply CGI. Those victims utilized all their residual resources and worked days and nights, doing all the unskilled work by themselves.  

Every day, as the work progressed, they looked ever brighter, ever happier and ever satisfied as their only shelter was taking its shape. Finally, they could see their own house, though temporary, standing tall and firm in front of them.

Their shattered hope of survival has revived again along with the house they've made from the scattered debris. Now, the people of Kubinde and Irkhu villages of Sindhupalchok district can not only stay safe from rain and winter but also avert the horrible death lurking deep beneath their feet. 

DSLR: Budget Solution to Filmmaking

Besides being portable and convenient DSLR offers many features of a cinema camera, but at affordable price which make it popular among aspiring filmmakers.  

DSLR camera has opened a whole new chapter in film making. Due to its photo and video capability, DSLR is greatly acclaimed by Indie filmmakers, videographers and cinematographers across the globe. Most DSLRs are portable, versatile and efficient tool for aspiring filmmakers and well suited to run and gun situation.  

Shooting video through DSLR has many advantages. Firstly, their large sensors and ability of hosting a variety of lenses give control over depth of field. They can produce videos with shallow depth of field that look more professional. Secondly, they can shoot videos at various frame rates, including academy standard 24fps, can produce cinema like motion blur. Thirdly, a new breed of powerful sensors can shoot in low light conditions. In fact, some cameras, such as Sony a7s Mark II, can virtually see in the dark due to their tremendous ISO sensitivity. Fourthly, the smaller size and weight of these cameras when coupled with appropriate wide angle lenses provide the opportunity to shoot in close-fitting locations. Moreover, most of the DSLRs are far more affordable than the cinema cameras.
  

DSLR cameras have some shortcomings too. Indeed, the lack of heaviness of these cameras yields shaky footages. Next, the CMOS sensor, the common image sensors in DSLRs, can distort images when panned quickly. This alteration of the subjects being filmed is known Rolling Shutter or Jello effect. Further, the sensor often mingles lines of a stripped object, known as Moiré, leaves us with little choice while shooting tight patterns. Additionally, the ability to preserve detail in highlight and shadow areas of an image, known as dynamic range, are limited in most DSLRs.  

Countless gears and techniques are available to make the best use of these DSLRs. For instance, the shaky footage can be cured not only in post production, but also averted by using tripods, stabilizers, sliders and gimbals. More recently, there are electronic 3 axisgimbals available in the market that help to produce smooth cinema like videos out of these DSLRs. Likewise, some third party software, Magic Lantern, can turn some Canon DSLRs into a descent cinema camera. Magic Lantern, when installed on the camera's SD card, adds some features--zebra stripe, time lapse, ISO bracketing, HDR shooting--in DSLR even if they are originally not available that camera.  
  

Depending upon the need and choice, there are several brands, varieties and line of DSLRs to choose from. Some are very affordable while others cost us a fortune. Budding Indie film maker can begin with Canon 550D, with a kit lens is available at less than 50,000 Rupees in Nepalese market. Likewise, Nikon D3200 also falls under similar price range. Both of them can shoot Full HD (1080p) videos, have APS-C sensors in common, are prosumer level cameras. Conversely, for pro-level users, these companies have higher end full frame versions. Nikon D810 hosts a whole bunch of great features needed for skilled hands. On the other hand, Canon's 5D Mark III, still the king of the hill, is widely used by professional cinematographers.

DSLRs are becoming so friendlier to the filmmakers that they've virtually replaced the need of more expensive cinema cameras. Although there are no replacement to the cinema cameras, the DSLRs offer an affordable solution to the creative geniuses who can produce masterpiece. Usually, the indie film makers are low in budget, crew and other gears where DSLRs are perfect to hone on their creative talent in filmmaking. Nevertheless, it's not the shooting device, but a well written story, appropriate camera movements, and skillful post production can harvest visually appealing piece of art. 

However, DSLRs are always good, inexpensive and easier to begin with. 

People's Love for Toilet

Along with life and other properties, people of Sindhupalchok lost their toilets in the devastating Earthquake of April 2015. However, due to their habit of using toilet, they're doing whatever they could to revive their toilet. 

The hygiene and sanitation status in the rural countryside is usually poor. After the massive campaign by UN Habitat through the support of Global Sanitation Fund, and local implementing partners--SEBAC Nepal and Janahit--the district was about to declare Open Defecation Free (ODF) on the last week of April 2015. However, the earthquake that appeared swept almost everything, including toilets. The repeated aftershocks that followed damaged the remaining toilets among other properties. 

Despite the disaster, people are using their toilets by all means. The campaign has imprinted deep impression of sanitation behavior among people. Those villagers who used to go to the nearby forest, or crop field for defecation before, are now using their makeshift toilets. It is indeed a great leap forward. 

After the disaster, people's endeavor to revive their toilet has a great variety. Some people are using available grass, tree branches or leaves for making temporary walls. Likewise, others are even using stone slates to plastic to make their toilet pan usable. 

Moreover, some toilets are even riskier for people. Those toilet include the broken heavy stone wall of the toilet posing potential danger to the lives of those users. 

The massive ODF campaign of UN Habitat together with Janahit has profound effect in building a habit of defecating in toilet among the people of Sindhupalchok. Now, even after the disaster, the urge to use the broken toilet is indicator of peoples' concern for using toilet. 

A local NGO of Sindhupalchok, Janahit is now implementing Toilet Revival Campaign in Irkhu and Kubinde VDCs under UN Habitat's CERF project. 

Proposal on Livelihood on Ghodaghodi Lake, Kailali District, Nepal