For Vutto, rain once meant leaving home. Whenever heavy rain came, water entered through the damaged roof and walls of his family’s old tin-sheet house. With nowhere safe to stay, Vutto, who lives with a disability, his wife and their three daughters often had to seek shelter with neighbors. For a family living on his limited earnings as a rickshaw driver, repairing the house meant making difficult choices between fixing the roof and putting food on the table.

“Before, we could not stay safely inside our old house. Whenever it rained, we had to go to a neighboring house,” Vutto said. “There were even days when we could not eat and had to spend the day without food.”

Through Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh’s Shelter & WASH Assistance to Rohingya Refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Vutto’s family partnered to build a new climate-smart, disability-inclusive home. The accessible design, including a ramp and other safety features, makes it easier for Vutto to move around his home while also giving the entire family greater comfort and security.

The raised floor helps keep rainwater out, while stronger roofing provides better protection during severe weather. An adjacent toilet gives the family greater privacy and convenience, and the veranda gives Vutto’s three daughters space to play. Rainwater harvesting, solar power, improved ventilation and an improved cookstove also support safer and more comfortable daily living.

“Even when it rains, water does not enter our house like before,” Vutto said. “My children can now play in the veranda, and there is enough space for them. Having an attached washroom also allows my wife to maintain her privacy and hygiene properly.”

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After