Bantul Bamboo House
NEWSFLASH: We are very pleased that many families are receiving staggered payments towards reconstruction of their homes from the government. So for the time being this project is on hold until we can assess further needs of the many communities in Bantul.
Pak Ahmadiharjo lives in Karet village in a Pleret sub-district, Bantul. On the morning the earthquake struck Mr Ahmadiharjo lost his wife and grandchild. He also broke his leg. Besides dealing with the trauma of the quake and what it had taken from him, Mr Ahmadiharjo was also left homeless. When we first met him he was sleeping on the floor in a rundown tent struggling to get up off his mattress. With exposed metal pins holding his broken bones in place, Mr Ahmadiharjo lacked the independence he once had relying heavily on his son. Given Mr Ahmadiharjo’s tragic circumstances the BKP build him a ‘Bantul bamboo house’ and provided him with a wheelchair to allow greater self-sufficiency.
Mr Ahmadiharjo’s new home was built just before the beginning of Idul Fitri, the Muslim celebration to recognise the end of Ramadhan and a special time to spend with family. He was particularly excited at the prospect of sharing this time with his family especially after the last harrowing four months.