Public servants’ housing boost

By ELLEN TIAMU
A LOCAL group in Morobe is ensuring that public servants in the province live in reasonable semi-permanent housing.
Waria Valley Eco Homes, which operates in the Huon Gulf district, specialises in eco-forestry services, with the focus on low-cost rural housing.
The concept was designed to help the home owner or community address the rising cost of rural housing through the use of local timber and manpower.
Waria Valley Eco Homes was established in 2007 and followed in the footsteps of American non-government organisation, Habitat for Humanity and Village Development Trust, which began the work of building semi-permanent houses for villagers using local timber and manpower skills.
In 2009 the Huon district JDP&BPC entered into an agreement with the service organisation to build houses for teachers and health workers in rural areas of Huon district.
Under the first phase of the contract, 13 houses in 15 communities have been built at a cost of K273,248.
Five of these buildings were erected at Wampar LLG, four at Salamaua LLG and four at Morobe LLG, all public servants housing and the public service buildings such as classrooms.
It said a low-cost three-bedroom house that would normally cost between K40,000-K60,000 would cost K20,000.
Manager Dasti Zamunu said locals had been able to acquire carpentry and plumbing skills from Waria Valley Eco Homes as well.
This week, the group signed a K270,000 contract for phase two of the project with the Huon district for another 12 houses to be built.