Within two weeks, the Restoration of Livelihoods Village Boat Replacement Project had taken shape. This project would restore the proud livelihoods and traditions of fishermen and their families, simply by providing the requisite equipment. As the rubble from the tsunami was gradually cleared, outdoor workshops began to crop up along the coast. This is in perfect harmony with ARC’s mission to “rebuild productive lives of dignity and purpose.”
“They had the tools and they lost them. It’s just a matter of getting those tools back.” Dahl said. In strict keeping with the object of restoration, ARC’s goal from the beginning was to replace any boat that was completely destroyed, but no additional boats beyond that. This ensured that the livelihood of fishing would remain sustainable in the region and that local ecosystems would not be harmed by an increased number of boats on the water.
Traditional Thai fishing boats are called long-tails and are ordinarily made of wood. Because deforestation had become an issue in Thailand, ARC wanted to provide villagers with the option of receiving fiberglass boats instead of wooden boats. In keeping with the participatory model, each village was given the opportunity to decide as a community which option would best serve their needs. Though there was some interest in fiberglass, after rigorous testing, many fishermen were concerned that the boats wouldn’t handle properly in rough seas. Others were concerned that they wouldn’t be able to repair the fiberglass boats in the event of damage.
“It was quickly apparent that they didn’t want these [fiberglass] boats,” said Dahl, “and whether we think that’s right or not, I think we have a duty to give the community what they feel is in their best interests.” |
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“They had the tools and they
lost them. It’s just a matter of
getting those tools back.” |
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Overwhelmingly, the fishermen opted for wood. Not only were they happy with this choice, but the decision also had a secondary benefit of allowing ARC to feed a huge proportion of its funding directly into local economies. The boats were built out of Southeast Asia regionally harvested wood, which was bought from local vendors. The master woodworkers came directly from the villages and from surrounding communities and were paid adequate wages to do the work of construction. Out-of-work fishermen joined with these master craftsmen to form a village mentoring association through which they too could be paid to help with the construction of their own boats. At the same time, they could learn valuable skills, such as how to maintain and repair their boats. Women participated in the effort by assembling the various nets, ropes, sinkers and floats—indispensable items on any fishing boat. Many of the women were already skilled in these tasks. Families helped to caulk their boats and were paid for their labors. In this way, affected villagers had a temporary source of income, learned new skills and thrived in the inherently hopeful and productive atmosphere of reconstruction. |
fragments of boat ribs were turned
into runners for rocking horses.
small scraps from hulls were cut
and planed into slats for shelves
and were assembled into desks. |
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Every effort was made to build high-quality boats at an affordable price. Because of the large scale of the project, ARC was able to secure good prices on high-quality materials. For simplicity's sake, and to address concerns over equity, the design of the new boats was standardized and the selection pared down to two sizes: 11 and 5 meters. Each village built boats for their community on site, and in doing so, was able to minimize shipping costs. When the boats were finished, they were simply slid off the beach and into the water.
As construction moved along, scrap wood from the various boat pieces began to build up on the beaches. While this would ordinarily have been seen as waste to be disposed of, it was instead decided that the pieces should be put to good use. Toward this end, ARC hired furniture craftsmen to cut and shape the pieces, and to assemble them into various toys and school furniture. Fragments of boat ribs were turned into runners for rocking horses. Small scraps from hulls were cut and planed into slats for shelves and were assembled into desks. ARC then donated hundreds of these items to schools and community centers in surrounding villages, some of which had very few desks, chairs or recreational items. |
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When it came time to begin distributing the boats, both ARC and the villagers had agreed that, in order to preserve harmony among the affected communities, a system for deciding who would receive boats first would need to be in place. The result was a five-level hierarchy, which prioritized the needs of the most vulnerable. The first people to receive boats were women who had lost family members, followed by anyone else who lost family. Then came those whose houses had been destroyed, those whose only boat had been destroyed, and finally, any others who had lost a boat to the tsunami. The order of recipients in each of these groups was chosen randomly at open community meetings.
Reflecting on this process, Dahl remarked about the strong sense of cooperation that he observed in the communities. “You would think that there would be a lot of competition, but if you have the right principles … people accept that.” Once villagers were included in the process, the project became their own. They prioritized the needs of the most vulnerable over others’. |
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