Ochan chooses ISSB technology to support resettlement housing
Viewing new ISSB machines are l-r: Alfred Angel, OCHAN building contractor; Prof. Moses Musaazi, inventor of ISSB technology; Prof. William Boto, Pres. OCHAN
On July 14, 2010, thanks to the generous support of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Annapolis, MD and to a partnership with Technology for Tomorrow http://www.t4tafrica.com, OCHAN began training 12 youths of Opac village in the casting and laying of Interlocking Soil Stabilized Bricks (ISSB) for low-cost housing. The ISSB machine compresses a mixture of 95% murrum and 5% cement into bricks that hardens enough for use in construction within 24 hr. OCHAN purchased two ISSB brick makers from T4T which also provided skilled personnel for the initial on-site training.
First day at wrk-site: four housing committee members at front left with their chosen trainees near a mound of murrum ready for use.
The twelve youth receiving training are among countless young men and women of Opac who dropped out of school or were rendered illiterate and unskilled during years of war in northern Uganda. House construction is one of several key avenues being developed by OCHAN to address the botomless needs of the idled Opac youth resettling with their parents in their ancestral village following restoration of peace in northern Uganda. For an entire month the youth in training receive their breakfast (porridge) and lunch (beans and cornmeal) at the work site but return to sleep in their own homes. With two ISSB machines, the youth are training to be able to produce up to 1,200 bricks a day. The new core house is projected to consume close to 5,000 ISSB bricks in wall construction. By definition, OCHAN’s core house comes with a two-door pit latrine and a built-in rain water collection system.
Regina (in white scarf) with grandchildren under the eaves of their current home.
Though OCHAN built a core house earlier this year for the clinic’s medical officer, the designated recipient for this first core house made with ISSB technology is Regina Ogwal, a 75-year-old widowed grandmother who is the caregiver for her 5 grandchildren. Regina’s son, the father of the children, passed away 3 years ago; his surviving wife is debilitated by the same fatal infection. OCHAN’s local Housing Committee of four community leaders, chaired by Mr. Mia Omongo, made their final selection not only of the youth but also of the house-recipient who qualified due to the uncertain fate awaiting her young grandchildren should anything detrimental happen to her in future. Seven other finalists, all with profiles of extreme vulnerability of the young under their care and the pressing need for durable housing, will be considered as funding becomes available.
Esther, on the Housing Committee with Alfred and the two trainers from T4T examining the new ISSB machines on the first day
Opac’s need for ISSB training and use is high and only limited by the number of ISSB casting machines and construction materials available to OCHAN at this time. OCHAN is also attracted to the ISSB technology because it addresses our mission of introducing affordable eco-friendly housing in this subSaharan region. Helping to minimize depletion of trees, reeds, and grass normally used in firing conventional clay bricks and in construction of grass-thatched housing will lessen the pressure of a rapidly increasing population on this semi-arid enviroment. Furthermore, ISSB bricks are economical, consuming substantially less cement in construction due to their interlocking nature. OCHAN can’t wait to see Regina’s completed home and to share photos of it with you. Soon.
[...] and increased climate change; it conserves water and addresses sanitation as well. Through use of ISSB technology, described in detail in previous blog posts, no stripped tree limbs anchor the structure or are [...]