Shelter & Settlement

Safe shelter is often the most urgent and most visible need facing displaced families in Karenni. Many arrive in camps with nothing, and makeshift shelters built from salvaged materials offer little protection from monsoon rains, heat, or cold.

The Shelter & Settlement program works to close this gap by constructing safer, more durable shelter solutions and improving basic camp infrastructure, including pathways, drainage, and communal spaces. Designs are chosen with input from residents, so that shelters reflect how families actually live, not just minimum survival standards.

Beyond individual structures, the program looks at settlements as a whole, addressing overcrowding, privacy, and safety concerns that affect women, children, and other vulnerable groups. The aim is dignity as much as durability: shelter that lets families begin to rebuild a sense of home, even in displacement.