A Nepalese NGO, RES Nepal, has recently completed implementing Bamboo Eco-housing Project in Nepal. It was a social housing project that was supported financially by Global Environmental Facility- Small Grant Programme (GEF/SGP) and International Network of Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR). The project was implemented in Kanchanpur district, the Western Terai region of Nepal. The main target group of the project was "Kamaiya" recently liberated bonded labour. The project had four components; bamboo housing, bamboo based enterprises, energy production and resource rehabilitation.

Bamboo houses were pre-fabricated by Himalayan Bamboo (affiliated with INBAR) in Hetauda, acted as a sub-contractor of RES Nepal. INBAR provided an in-house training regarding pre-fabricated bamboo house construction at the premise of Himalayan Bamboo. RES-Nepal has already completed 18 pre-fabricated Bamboo houses for the Kamainyas in project site.

The house consists of 9 panels. Each panel is made with flattened bamboo in wooden frame. Flattened bamboos are woven to the both sides of wooden frame in such way that the inner parts of the bamboo are exposed towards the exterior of the wall. The prefabricated panels are then assembled in the light concrete foundation made with stone and concrete with about 40-cm depth. After the assembly of the panels in the foundations, all the walls are plastered with cement mortar. The roof consists of Zinc tins that were secured with bamboo trusses.

All the bamboos and woods were treated with vacuum pressure method using CCA for wood and 3% Boron solution for bamboo poles and flattened bamboo. The total area of a house is about 30 square meters. One house costs around US$1000. The houses are taken as earthquake proof, low cost and its duration is more than 30 years.

In addition, RES Nepal established a bamboo nursery in the project area with community. They have planted bamboo in community forest, community and private land and riverside, which will be used for the social welfare. Besides this establishment of bamboo demonstration plot in community forest, construction of bamboo toilets and installation of bio-gas plant & improve cooking stoves were carried out. Moreover, capacity of the local people were enhanced by organizing different training on agroforestry, bamboo craftsmanship, Bamboo trust fund mobilization, saving and credit, Bamboo and rattan furniture making, and improved cooking stoves. Likewise, they are producing more than 30 products of bamboo, which are marketed through a resource outlet. These products have demand in local market as well as in near by Indian towns. Furthermore, different awareness raising programs were organized through Local NGOs and CBOs as a part of institutional capacity development. Similarly, a Bamboo Trust Fund has been established, which is mobilizing to establish small scale enterprises. A National level sharing workshop was also organized at Kathmandu to disseminate the achievements and learning of the project. In brief, the project focused on the development of social, ecological and economic aspects.

Source: INBAR (with updates from RES Nepal)