In the wake of the tsunami, thousands of Thai villagers have been left homeless. They are currently being housed in temporary resettlement camps scattered along the South Thailand coast. These temporary shelters provide protection from the elements, but lack some basic amenities, including furniture.
The residents of these resettlement camps are for the most part fisherman or coastal farmers and their families. Deprived of their principal occupations, the residents must deal with the psychosocially debilitating effect of idleness compounded by the trauma of loss.
In order both to provide meaningful occupations for the residents of temporary shelters as well as supplying needed furniture for camps, villages and local schools, Chabad of Thailand proposes to implement a furniture production project in collaboration with Tsunami Volunteers.
The project will establish woodworking workshops in the four largest resettlement camps. These workshops will be equipped with the necessary tools for the production of basic furniture. In the short-term, an adequate supply of free lumber will be available as unused coffins are broken down and re-cycled. Eventually, lumber and other supplies will be purchased as production increases.
Short term technical experts will direct the set up of the workshops and provide basic training to the camp residents on the use of power tools, the management of supplies and other essential skills.
Once established, the workshops will be self-running, employing as many villagers as possible, supervised by volunteers. The aim will be to increase production to the point of providing sufficient furnishings to meet the needs of camp residents, families who return to reconstructed homes and to local schools damaged or destroyed by the tsunami.