According to the victims, labor exchange has helped reduce financial burden to a great extent.
NUWAKOT, Feb 28: As reconstruction has finally picked up pace in Nuwakot after a long halt, locals have started assisting each other in building their houses. Reportedly, nearly 80 percent houses in the district have been rebuilt this way.
These days, Sitamaya Tamang of Bidur Municipality-13, Angthang Bolantar is busy crushing stones and carrying bricks and sand for her neighbors. She has been doing so with the expectation that her neighbors will also co-operate with her during hour of need. This is the reason why she has been utilizing her free time by helping her neighbors.
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Labor crunch and financial strain have compelled the locals to think whether they will be able to build their houses as per the standard set by the government. According to the victims, labor exchange has helped reduce financial burden to a great extent.
"We have busted the myth that construction is the work of men only. We women too are working hand-in-hand with the men," said Sita Tamang, one of the victims, adding, "As we have already received the second tranche of the grant, we are in a rush to build our houses."
Not just Sita but most of the victims of the district are adopting this method to rebuild their houses. In order to construct their houses, many women and men of Salme and Bhalche took masonry and other training. Even the elderly citizens have started engaging themselves in the reconstruction work.
These days, seventy-year-old Jit Bahadur Budhathoki of Belkotgadhi-7 is found making doors and windows for his neighbors. "Watching everyone working so hard for building their houses, I cannot just sit with my hands folded, especially when I have skills," said Budhathoki, adding," If I assist them in building their houses, I won't have to search for workers while building my own house."
This has not just sped up the construction but has also strengthened the relationship between the locals.
Quake victims of Suryagadhi-4, Haldekalika have formed separate groups to assist each other in rebuilding. Locals here have been working round the clock to complete the construction before the deadline set by the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA). According to ward chief Ram Kumar Giri, reconstruction has been going in full swing after Nepal Red Cross Society and the rural municipality offered training to the quake victims regarding construction.
"This has reduced labor force and helped victims save money," said ward chief Giri, adding," Around 80 percent of the houses have been built by exchanging labor."
