The building has been finished, and the community’s women are delighted to have a place of their own to meet, work, and hold programs. They have conducted training in how to use a traditional loom to weave bags and other objects with distinctive Karen designs. Community members continue to cooperate with the forest guards to protect their estuarine lands. They have also held a marine environmental awareness program with local schoolchildren.

Construction of the building is almost finished.

Construction of the building was held up for a few months due to monsoon rains, delay in getting Revenue Department approval to change the land’s designation from agricultural to commercial, and the unavailability of sufficient timber from the government sawmill. Work began again in January, and substantial progress has been made: The frame is up, work has started on the foundation of the cement staircase, and a tin roof has been installed. Now that the roof is on, work can continue even in the rain. Community members met and discussed their ideas and plans for the building, including using it as a library, a place for elders to teach traditional arts and crafts to youth, a place to display and sell traditional crafts and food, and for livelihood training.

The foundation for the structure is complete, and wood has been ordered, but construction couldn’t be finished before the monsoons began, and should start again in November. It is expected to be finished in January 2016.

India Field Representative Vineeta Hoon visited the project site in March 2015 and met with members of the Andaman Karen Crafts group and carpenters, who showed her the land on which the building will be built and a model of the design. After the construction supervisor, who was a U.S. national, had to leave because of a visa issue, the project was taken over by a Webi Village representative and a senior researcher from the Andaman and Nicobar Environmental Team. They, along with community members, have decided to build a concrete and wooden structure, keeping in mind traditional Karen design. The design plan is complete, and a team of experienced artisans and carpenters has been chosen to execute the plan. Estimates of the cost of all building materials were procured, and initial purchasing has begun. A shed to store the materials has been constructed. Construction began in May, and workers hope to finish all the concrete work before the monsoon rains start.

After a community meeting, a team of local artisan carpenters and builders was formed. They explored design and ecological building techniques, and are now in the process of acquiring all the required registrations and legal formalities and getting estimates for construction materials. Construction will begin after harvest season, in January 2015.