Yang Shifu was chatting with a friend when a massive earthquake struck on May 12, 2008. The 7.9-magnitude earthquake was one of the deadliest of the twentieth century, killing more than 85,000 people.
When he reached his own home, he found it destroyed.
Yang Shifu is just beginning the process of rebuilding his house and, as he put it, his prayers were answered when Build Change began working in Minle. In January, he attended a training course by Build Change about good construction practices.
“The most helpful parts of the training were about how many tie columns the house should have, and about the proper grade of steel and quality of concrete,” said Yang Shifu. “The training was good. No group has ever come to Minle to give a training before, and we need this kind of training.”
“We trust Build Change. If we have questions, we can ask. And if Build Change tells us the construction is OK, we trust you.” Yang Shifu
Yang Shifu is now working with Build Change to develop a layout for his house. The layout will ensure that Yang Shifu’s rebuilt house will have the features he requires, while also incorporating earthquake-resistant design. “Quality is key,” said Yang Shifu. “There’s no point in having a new house if it’s not safe.”
“I’m very appreciative of Build Change’s help,” Yang Shifu continued, “and it’s not just my opinion, but the whole village. We trust Build Change. If we have questions, we can ask. And if Build Change tells us the construction is OK, we trust you.”