ADVERSITY, they say, is the mother of invention. This is certainly the case for Agus Suharno, 38, one of the survivors of the massive earthquake that shook Yogyakarta last May. Out of the ruins of his demolished home at Warungboto, Bantul, just outside of Yogyakarta city, emerged the beginnings of what is to become Agus new focus: bamboo carvings.

At first, it seemed the end of the world for Agus and his wife Tini, when the quake struck last May.