Bangladesh regularly suffers from floods due to its position in the flat delta of three rivers, the  Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna, damaging houses, which need repair and maintenance on a regular basis.  Aiming to improve this situation, the Intermediate Technology Development Group conducted a participatory rural appraisal (PRA) to study the local building techniques and materials available in the Faridpur district to develop feasible and cost effective flood resistant housing options for the poor.  The PRA identified who is doing what, in order to ensure participation and capacity building of all concerned, including women. The housing improvements identified involved appropriate design, materials (e.g. wood, bamboo, jute stick to increase durability), improvements for wind protection, and plinth protection.  Two design workshops were held on appropriate flood-resistant housing options.  Both male and female members from vulnerable households as well as local carpenters and masons attended the workshops.  A five-member team of architects and engineers contracted by the Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) Bangladesh facilitated the workshop discussion. Workshop attendees agreed on several structural change that could make houses less vulnerable to damage by flooding. Afterwards, ITDG-B developed an affordable and durable housing model, in collaboration with local masons, carpenters and with the community partners.  The project provided technical skill development training to the local masons, carpenters, and the selected households for effective maintenance and further dissemination of the comparatively low cost housing technology to the region.  Following the workshop, the group of architects and engineers together with local masons, carpenters and the participating villagers started the construction of the houses.  In the first stage of the housing development ITDG-B has provided a total of 24 houses in four villages for the most economicaly vulnerable households. Link to Source