Behind the Keys: Interview With Paul Welden

At a recent ceremony in Galle, Sri Lanka, more than 170 people received keys to their new, permanent homes. Ironically, it was the architect and manager of the construction effort who was brought to tears.

CRS's senior infrastructure technical advisor, Paul Welden. Photo by Paul Welden/CRS

A Wisconsin native who has worked around the world for CRS, Paul Welden is CRS' senior infrastructure technical advisor. Paul has spent the last two years collaborating with Sri Lankans, CRS staff and partners in an effort to build top-quality homes. The collaboration represents the input of thousands in the communities at a pace that was timely and effective.

After the first of what will be many more ceremonies, Paul shares his thoughts about the community and the people he has come to know so well — and what it feels like to hand over a house that will become a life-changing home.

I had one speech all ready to go — the traditional "Thank you, I'm honored." And then, I walked in and saw the husband, wife and baby … immediately, it changed. Because I work with numbers and procedures and policies and charts and schedules, and I tend to forget. I tell myself every day that it's for people, it's for families, but you forget. You get so wrapped in work and then you walk in and you see them.

The houses did not cost very much but, for many people, it is an improvement in what they had. For many people, especially those we work with, they were very poor; they had very little and then lost everything — and I mean everything.

What will be more interesting will be a year from now. They have got a lot of work to do. They don't have furniture; you can see they don't have a lot of things. They lost that. So, like any family anywhere in the world starting in an empty house — it may be a nice house, but now you've got a lot to do.

This was a nice project in that we knew these people from December 27 [the day after the tsunami]. Most of the families going into these houses we had supplied tents to, we had supplied clothes, food … We built a temporary classroom a couple of months later for them, and then they were moved to a temporary site with temporary housing, but we stayed in contact with them. We discussed the project with them. We brought the architect in to discuss the housing with them. So they've known for a long time where they were going to go, which made it a lot more bearable for them.

A husband and wife of the community receive keys to their new home built with the support of CRS and its Caritas partners. The ceremony brought together leaders of Islam, Buddhism, Hindu and Catholic faiths. Photo by Elizabeth Dwyer/CRS

And that's worked very well and I think you see it in the community, too, and the way people respond and act. They knew two weeks ago "this is going to be my house" — they've known longer than that. And they came out and talked to the contractors and the builders and, of course, us; so, that worked really well.

It's interesting. In Sri Lanka, you give people gifts and it's impolite to show that you're happy about it [receiving a gift]. As a matter of fact, they take them and put them away, they don't open them and they put them aside. Walking in there, these people were so happy. They couldn't be "polite" in that sense and accept the gift without acknowledgement. They were just so happy.

I just noticed today … sitting there and, you know, all these kids playing at the playground. I mean two years ago, who would have thought? And, they're just happily playing away, swinging there.