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Installation of brick making machines

For tsunami affected communities in Aceh

Wednesday, 1. November 2006By Edward Langton, Director

Come 31 December 06, five communities in Indonesia Aceh will have their own brick making machines. These communities were badly affected by the December 2004 Asian Tsunami, which wiped out many of their houses and destroyed their livelihood.

The project involved the installation of two brick machines at five different locations – Babussalem Orphanage, Ujong Tanjong School, Sama Tiga Orphanage in Meulaboh, Aceh Barat; Koperasi Transportasi Calang in Aceh Jaya; and KPPL in Nagan Raya. This livelihood programme promotes self-sustainability in the community. Funded by the Tidal Waves Asia Funds managed by Singapore Red Cross, the project cost a total of S$150,701. The recipients of the Brick Machines represent a large spectrum of the community from a local Non Governmental Organisation to orphanages and a village council. Due to the high demand in construction of buildings, the cost of bricks had escalated and this project bridged the gap.

In place is a total package structure incorporating training in basic business principles. BIH has engaged a local management group to supervise the programme and provide training workshops for the community in management, planning, accounting and marketing. There will also be training on the use and maintenance of the machines by BIH staff. Established in 2003, Believe in Hope (BIH) aims to focus on Helping Ordinary People Everywhere regardless of race religion or creed. Since the Asian Tsunami in December 2004, BIH has offered all services to aid disaster relief and embraced the principles for which the company was founded. BIH is committed to providing a service to all communities wherever there is a need.

Factory

Construction of the factory is quick, efficient and very cost effective. Depending on volume of bricks required, the factory can be moved from site to site making it very attractive for potential customers such as contractors or other NGOs allowing substantial savings on transportation of the bricks.

Hollow Block

Two Sizes of Hollow Block produced for the programme ()		Locally produced (poor quality) Red Bricks. 8:1 ratio in high quality Hollow Block ()

1 Hollow Block = 8 Standard Bricks saving time and cost on construction

Hollow block is now the chosen medium for most construction being carried out by NGOs and a large number of private contractors. Current programmes have proven to be very effective saving up to 30% on building cost. By its size alone (40cmx20cmx10cm) it saves on the number of standard locally produced bricks by 8:1 but more importantly it saves on time. The time and effort used to lay normal bricks are reduced by 38% thus reducing timelines for construction and the added saving on labour cost.

Quality control of the brick is crucial to maintain the integrity of the brick, therefore production is strictly controlled and sample bricks are taken at random for testing under the supervision of BIH. Using a formula designed by BIH, bricks are tested at the University of North Sumatra Laboratories and a certificate issued to affirm they meet the Indonesian standards for hollow block.

Applications

Construction of the Babussalam Orphanage using the Brick Machines sponsored by: The Singapore Red Cross Tidal Waves Asia Fund.

The brick machine program can make the difference between projects being viable or
nonviable as in the case of the Babussalam orphanage. The high cost of bricks caused some construction work to be disrupted. By introducing the hollow block programme, it significantly reduced the cost of construction and provided a realistic timeline for completion of the project. This would ensure that the 126 children of the orphanage could have a safe and secure environment to live in soon.

In the long term, it will give the orphanage the opportunity through self funding to reestablish itself within the community despite the events of December 2004 and provide the necessary income to rebuild the reputation once held so high of providing the highest standards of education within Aceh Barat.

Although reconstruction efforts for shelter and other development programmes are well underway and supported by NGOs together with governmental bodies, there is still a great deal more to be done in that area. There is a genuine need to explore the possible ways and means to provide assistance to disaster hit areas through the development of long term social livelihood programmes.

Now that the redevelopment phase is well underway, it is appropriate to implement the rehabilitation phase providing the people with the tools and means to help themselves. This programme is designed to reestablish the recipients within their communities, empowering them in turn to contribute to their respective communities.

In partnership with the Tsunami Reconstruction Facilitation Committee (TRFC), Believe In Hope in committed to Helping Ordinary People Everywhere.