Standing in front of her family's new shelter, a tent, in Kalavenkerny, north of Batticaloa town, it doesn't take Rajeshwari long to appraise her meagre belongings. She has a few clothes, a handful of pots and very little else besides. "We just left everything and came here," she says with a weary smile. "I don't know what has happened to my house, safe or destroyed. I've been able to save only a few possessions, like few clothes for the children." But Rajeshwari lost much more than her home to the war —she also lost her husband. Her husband was abducted by an armed group about six months ago and she does not know what happened to him. He was the family's sole breadwinner, so Rajeshwari and her two children are now dependents on her parents. She has received from an international NGO, a white plastic tent, about 5 feet high, which is meant to serve as a home. Her family, her parents and two sisters may live under this tent for weeks, or months. The tent, low hut with a roof of tarpaulin - is unbearably hot during the day and cold during the night. Over 350 displaced families are living in temporary structures in this site. As many as 75,000 people travelled on foot through jungle routes, and on rafts and boats through lagoon and sea, to escape renewed fighting between the government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels. The majority of displaced people initially stayed in schools, and as the school year started, displaced people were moved into tents in several sites (camps). Although the camps are longer-term sites identified by the authorities, they do not provide conducive atmosphere for a long stay. Only a few are lucky enough to find a host family. The camps are congested with tents too close to each other, and there is hardly any privacy for women. Water and sanitation facilities are only basic. There are few common toilets but most of the times it is open air toilets in the bushes they have to use. Their hardships are endless. Rajeshwari admits it's a worrying time, as everyone is nervous about when and how they will be able to go back to their homes. "It's not easy living here now," she says. "We have nothing left and I have to take care of two children." When asked about her future plans, she smiles "Future..," and she begins thinking, "I do not know what the future holds for me, honestly, I can't think that far ahead now." There is definitely a sense of uncertainty and fear among the displaced about returning home. "Life in the camps is not good for me and my children but I do not know what life will be in my village. I doubt it will be any better," she sighs. "We don't know what is out there." While plastic sheeting is provided to give immediate shelter, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is providing additional shelter assistance with the intention to alleviate the suffering of these vulnerable populations. NRC has been addressing the need for shelter through the construction of durable semi-permanent shelters in Savakudy (430) and Kalavenkerny (350) camps. NRC provides beneficiaries with the training, tools, and materials necessary to build their own houses. Construction activities are carried out through mobilised IDP labour, on cash for work basis and NRC technical officers supervise the construction. In order to maintain equality, few villagers from the local host community are hired as skilled labourers. NRC supplies the majority of construction materials, which are purchased locally whenever available. Their joint efforts have ensured that displaced people get daily wages and that 350 families living in tents in the site now have a place to live.

"We have found that semi-permanent shelters provide immediate relief to unsound living situations and offer hope to displaced families to create physical, emotional, and social safety," says Shaun Scales, NRC Project Coordinator for emergency shelter activities.

"This decent semi-permanent solution can be erected using a timber frame. Tin sheets are used as the roofing material, while two layers of "cadjan" - a woven palm branches are used for wall cladding," Shaun explains.

NRC played a lead role in camp site selection and development in collaboration with the government and UNHCR. Small individual fire place is also proposed for cooking within the houses and toilets and bathing places are provided for limited sharing outside the houses with separate toilets for males and females. Another NGO is constructing toilets and bathing places, IDPs themselves will be responsible for their care and maintenance. "All services are provided together to reduce the cost of infrastructure and the best use of land, our main concerns are privacy of family unit and privacy between men and women," says Shaun. Rajeshwari's father too helps in the construction work as an unskilled labourer. It provides him a daily wage of about Rs. 500. And while life in the camps is no luxury, Rajeshwari and her two children are looking forward to their new `house'. "I'm very happy with NRC's help to us," says Rajeshwari, "and the semi-permanent shelter is much better than the tents we are living in now. But if I'm honest, I can't compare it to my old house," says Rajeshwari.