Debt – India

Climate: Tropical and varied.

Ravi had to sell his house to repay mounting debts after his crop failed during a drought. Left with nothing, he and his wife moved to the edge of the village, where they built a temporary shelter using mud bricks and thatch. They covered the roof with tarpaulin to shield from the rain and collected firewood for cooking. With determination, Ravi worked odd jobs to save enough to eventually rent a small room.

• Time to Build: 3–5 days (using mud bricks and thatch).
• Cost: Very Cheap ($) – Mud and thatch are affordable and locally available.
• Local Materials: Yes – Mud bricks and thatch are traditional materials in rural India.

• If you could choose one tool to build a shelter, what would it be?
  (A knife, hammer, rope, or something else? Why?)
• What is the most important part of a shelter: the roof, walls, or floor? Why?
  (Consider weather, comfort, and safety.)