Bamboo housings for Vulnerable Communities: Case Studies of Saptari and Morang district in Nepal

​

By Rabin Sharma

Spring 2022

 

​

Summary

​

Social exclusion due to race, religion, caste, creed is global phenomenon which is seen everywhere around the world. Certain set of population becomes vulnerable due to exclusion from the main society which halts them to progress in different areas of life. In Nepal, the distribution of population was formally promulgated based on the ancient Hindu caste system. The caste system has one set of population who are considered Dalits or untouchables due to which have been socially excluded since many centuries. This research work is about treated low cost bamboo housing project for Dalit communities in two districts of Nepal namely Saptari and Morang. The study explores the past living

conditions, experiences, employment opportunities of the vulnerable individuals before and after the housing project. Using the framework the research explores how the low cost treated bamboo housing project has helped the vulnerable communities to integrate into the society. The study also takes into consideration the perspectives of professionals working in the housing project. The major findings are that social exclusion does lead to vulnerability of a community. The housing project has uplifted the communities in both the Saptari and Morang district by helping them build a stable home whilst also empowering them with masonry building training. I also found that if more exploration and formalization of the treated bamboo housing is done by forming proper building codes and promotion of bamboo by the Nepal

government on the national level then there is a huge potential of using the treated bamboo all

over Nepal.

​

​