For now this is home for this family in Dedaye township.

LOCAL construction companies are setting to work to rebuild homes lost because of Cyclone Nargis. They plan to complete the new houses before the end of July.

The companies are receiving the wood required for the construction at reduced cost from Myanmar Timber Enterprise (MTE). They will build 6044 low-cost houses in Labutta, Bogale, Pyapon, Dedaye, Ngaputaw and Kungyangon townships, said U Ko Ko Htway, Secretary of the Myanmar Construction Entrepreneurs Association’s (MCEA) rehabilitation committee.

Each house will cost K6 million to build and will have a floor area of somewhere between 256 and 400 square feet. The walls and flooring will be of bamboo, and the roof of corrugated iron.

The companies involved are: Htoo Trading, Diamond Mercury, Dagon International, Original, Max Ayeyarshwewar, Shwe Than Lwin, Aryone Oo, FMI, Tet Lan, Taw Win, Eden and Asia World. All have been operating in the cyclone-hit area since mid-May. Although some companies can produce ready-made low-cost houses in their own factories, most lack the necessary labour, said U Ko Ko Htway. The MTE contribution allowed the companies to build the homes at reasonable cost, he said.

MTE is providing the wood at about one-tenth of the market price, that is, for K35,000 to K40,000 per tonne instead of K350,000 to K500,000 per tonne, said one developer who requested anonymity.

Government statistics indicate the need to rebuild about 150,000 houses, especially in Labutta, Bogale and Hainggyi Island townships.