Several years ago, ecologically clean houses for Chernobyl evacuees were built in the village of Stary Lepel in Lepel District. Settlements of this type are found only in the Vitebsk region and in the village of Druzhna on the Myadelshchyna.
Several years ago, ecologically clean houses for Chernobyl evacuees were built in the village of Stary Lepel in Lepel District. Settlements of this type are found only in the Vitebsk region and in the village of Druzhna on the Myadelshchyna.
The construction of the houses was carried out by volunteers from Germany, Belarus, and Italy, local residents – the future homeowners, and German specialists. This year, a centre for labour and socio-domestic rehabilitation of disabled people is being erected in Lepel using local ecological raw materials and building materials.
The idea to build such an institution was supported by representatives of the German charity organisation "Houses instead of Chernobyl" and the international association "EcoBuilder".
In July, the first German and Belarusian volunteers arrived at the construction site, facing the important task of filling the walls with a mixture of clay and wood chips. Alongside the visitors, local builders are working on the site, and employees of the centre and disabled people, for whom this building is being constructed, provide assistance with auxiliary work.
Interestingly, the youngest German volunteer is 24 years old, and the oldest is 74. A total of 12 people came from Germany to the Lepel region; most of them are pensioners, but they enjoy working on the construction site in Belarus, and many have done so before.
For example, foreman Christoph Schil has spent every holiday in Belarus since 1998. He says that such trips are a great opportunity to socialise and see our country and neighbouring Russia.
The German volunteers are staying with host families in Stary Lepel. Belarusian volunteers are also living with them – students from the Minsk State Linguistic University, who not only work on the construction site but also act as translators.
According to Christoph, this technology of constructing walls from a mixture of clay and wood chips has not yet become widespread in Belarus, yet it does not require special knowledge, skills, or training. Moreover, it is inexpensive and environmentally friendly, and clay is an excellent humidity regulator. If necessary, this natural material can absorb excess moisture from the room, or vice versa.
“This is our climate control system,” laughs Kristof.
One of the employees of the Territorial Center for Social Services of the Population of Lepel District said that they are eagerly awaiting the commissioning of the facility. Currently, the center serves over 60 people, 30 of whom attend the center on a regular basis. There is a critical shortage of space for everyone. The new building will feature showers, a dining hall, rooms for rehabilitation activities, and space for creative clubs and hobby groups. The construction is scheduled for completion in 2018.