This project, funded by the Schöck-Familien-Stiftung, in the district of Marakkanam, District of Villipuram, Tamil Nadu, is intended to create earning opportunities for initially 120 disadvantaged village families and to promote environmentally friendly production and the use of resource-efficient bricks. CSEB bricks (compressed stabilized earth block) have many advantages compared to conventional fired bricks, in particular they are more environmentally friendly and have better strength, durability and better data en thermal conductivity.
The conventional brick industry is very labor intensive and tedious and involves collecting soil from dry water bodies, spreading it, soaking it, shaping it and firing it. Most of the time, the brick kiln workers are busy day and night with the exhausting burning of the bricks. Not infrequently, they are exploited by the owners of the brick kilns when they fail to meet their production targets.
The project offers unemployed and day laborers a perspective for their lives and for the well-being of their community. By training and building 10 CSEB brick production facilities, people from socially and economically disadvantaged communities can earn a living.
The 10 small groups produce the bricks together and register as a cooperative. The finished bricks are sold to small and medium-sized construction companies in the area. Once the groups have consolidated and are making a profit, they will save some of the profits to buy more machines and bring in more needy people.
Project sponsor: Karuna Germany e.V.
Project partners: Foundation of His Sacred Majesty (FHSM), Tamil Nadu
Funding year: since 2021
Project No.: 129-21A