Updated September 2007
September 2007
Web site for Fr Jorge Anzorena
We are all familiar with Fr Jorge's SELAVIP newsletter - Journal of Low Income Housing in Asia and the World. Well now , with help from Bimbo Fernandes and his staff, the newsletter is being made available on-line here at
http://www.anzorenaselavip.net/
There's also a CHAT function on the site where you can chat (type) to Fr when he is on-line.
Quote:
"Politicians suffer from delusions of honesty"
...... psychiatrist Theodore Dalrymple
August 2007
Community Architects for Shelter and Environment ( CASE ) Japan have just translated their web-site into English ... not all - but enough for us to get an idea of their wide range of process for urban poor Japan here . Keke from CASE was in BKK this week with family. We discussed the potential for ACHR Japan to host a Regional sharing of experience from Young Professionals in the region ... possibly before the end of the year. More Soon on this.
CASE Thailand ... is at the forefront of the new internet technologies and have been informing the ACHR Sec about Facebook, MySpace, U-Tube and other free Blogs and stuff. So soon we will try to use these free technologies to supplement our web-site. Let us know if you have stuff on these sites and others and we can link. YP David Crosby - now back in the UK - seems to have made good use of these technologies to keep in touch around the world.. David ... please send us links information. And Gary Jack please send us updates on your adventures since returning to US from Cambodia .
Gregor Meerpohl - continues to be the elder GEEK in ACHR. Since leaving MISEREOR (retired) Gregor has mastered SKYPE and Apple computers to perfection and continues to keep in touch. You can SKYPE Gregor daily. His Skype address is
gregormeerpohl
SDI global meeting is in Cape Town this month - August 29-30 . Hopefully they are discussing a Global Urban Poor Fund - includes ACHR - with funds from the Gates Foundation. More soon
ACHR's next newsletter "By People" will focus on urban poor community funds. With news of funds in Asia and around the world. There will be a large sharing from groups within the region ( Asia) supported by ACHR in Bangkok in November 2007.
There is a lot of "gifts that wise men bring" : by Arif Hasan in the Understanding Asian Cities section of this web site here.
Manjusha Rai is busy setting up an Urban Resource Centre ( URC ) in Bhutan - with a little help from ACHR - after an internship in Cambodia with UPDF.
Feel free to Please send us more In-House news and we can post it here
QUOTE
"Politicians must be allowed to panic. They need activity. It is their substitute for achievement."
... Sir Humphey from "Yes Minister" (BBC TV Show)
SEPTEMBER
Gregor Meerpohl retires September 24 2006. You can send your best wishes to Gregor - before MISEREOR takes his computer away .
Update: Gregor can now be reached at <g.meerpohl@t-online.de>
AUGUST
Where's Fr Jorge Anzorena ?
Philippines 18 Aug until 17 Sept
Thailand 24 Sept until end of October
JULY
BLUE GUMS
Our SDI friend
Joel Bolnick and a few friends have started clearing the mountain behind Joel's house of non-native flora and fauna. A long term project.... We have started a Blue Gums "BLOGG" for friends who wish to follow the story or help. Go here to start the journey.
Young Professional Program News
Jack Jin Gary Lee, from Singapore and a student of Sociology at the University of Chicago joined an internship with UPDF in Cambodia. Gary expects to help UPDF with its upgrading projects, and at the same time study how ethnographic research plays a role in solving urban housing issues.
JUNE
May Domingo / Price, Jon and family have returned to the Philippines after many years living in Jordan, and before that Bhutan. May also joins ACHR in working towards a stronger community network of upgrading activities in the Philippines in collaboration with the Homeless People’s Federation of the Philippines in the city of Iloilo Iloilo.
MARCH
Young Professional Program News
In March ACHR welcomed Manjusha Rai from Bhutan for an internship with ACHR. Manjusha had previously volunteered with ACHR on a project in Cambodia a few years ago. This time she has visited projects in Surabaya, Aceh, and studied the city-wide upgrading process in Thailand. Manjusha says the experience gained will help her enormously with her work when she returns to Bhutan.
JANUARY
Some photos of Gregor Meerpohl being honoured before his retirement - taken at the 4th Tsunami Survivors Dialogue in Bande Aceh Jan 3-7. Here

Uncle Gregor - honoured in Aceh
Jan 7 2006
Ken Fernandes recently resigned from COHRE and will resume lecturing in development studies in Australia. Ken will still collaborate with ACHR with hopefully an increased role in Housing Rights and advising on Urban Resource Centers.
Peter Swan is crafting the final minutes of a video documentary for ACHR on the people-centered rehabilitation of tsunami survivors. Due for completion in February.
URC Karachi, OPP and Arif Hasan have been involved in relief efforts and advisory support to the areas affected by the earthquake. ACHR also invited a group of affected community members and supporters from OPP and CHIP to attend the tsunami commemorate event in Aceh (Indonesia) in January 2006. We believe this will further the Survivors’ Dialogue and link horizontal support in the region.
Best wishes to Gregor on his retirement Sept 24 2006

from all your friends in ACHR / SDI
More photos of Gregor Here and Here
ACHR In-House News Archives from before 2006 is here