Humanitarian aid organisations often ship in shelters for people affected by crises, explains Sultan Barakat, founding director of the Post-War Reconstruction Unit at the University of York, United Kingdom, in this audio interview with Imogen Mathers. But this overlooks the vast benefits that can be found by tapping into local resources, materials and building industries. Barakat draws on his experience in the Middle East to illustrate how the humanitarian shelter sector can integrate more harmoniously with local economies and aspirations. 

http://www.scidev.net/global/disasters/feature/shelter-after-disaster-facts-figures-spotlight.html

How emergency and post-disaster housing can tap into local resources

SciDev.Net podcasts look at key global development issues and the ways in which science can have a positive impact on equitable and sustainable development and poverty reduction. 