Acehnese want to go home and rebuild lives

BANDA ACEH: Tired of living off handouts in a crowded camp, Muklis returned to his tsunami-devastated neighbourhood and began scavenging for scrap wood, corrugated iron and nails. Within three weeks, he and his brothers had transformed the items into a four-bedroom house. 

The ramshackle dwelling, which has neither plumbing nor electricity, sits on stilts above a river amid the debris left by the giant waves. The furniture, along with several paintings awaiting hanging, were all salvaged from the ruins. The 27-year-old fisherman plans to sell coffee and cigarettes from a verandah facing the street, hoping to earn enough to feed his family.