2022 Sindh floods: World Bank approves extra $450m financing for housing project

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank approved $450 million in additional financing for the Sindh Flood Emergency Housing Reconstruction Project to support resilient housing reconstruction for people in Sindh affected by the 2022 floods.

The new support will build on the original $500 million project, approved in December 2022, which has supported owner-driven and multi-hazard resilient reconstruction of over 410,000 core housing units. The additional financing is intended to scale up the comprehensive housing reconstruction efforts in Sindh Province, covering at least 360,000 additional eligible beneficiaries. The additional resources will also support the provision of at least 30,000 safely managed water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities.

“Building resilience to natural disasters and climate shocks through strengthening physical infrastructure, particularly for the most vulnerable has been a key element of the World Bank’s support in flood-affected areas of Sindh Province,” said NajyBenhassine, World Bank country director for Pakistan. “This additional financing will also strengthen efforts at providing and improving safely managed water, sanitation, and hygiene services which play a critical role in preventing water-borne diseases which contribute to the high rates of child stunting in the province.”

The new financing will ensure that vulnerable households especially single or widowed women, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and the ultra-poor, are prioritized for reconstruction. The project will encourage their participation in managing housing construction activities through community engagement (establishment of village reconstruction committees) and financial inclusion (provision of bank accounts for female-headed households). Furthermore, a grant of up to PKR 50,000 will be provided to eligible beneficiaries to support housing improvements, ensuring their homes are accessible and tailored to meet the specific disability needs.

“The additional financing aims to extend the benefits of the parent project, particularly benefiting the most economically and climate vulnerable members of the society and prioritizing citizen engagement and feedback,” said Kamran Akbar, Task Team Leader of the project. “It will also train masons with multi-hazard housing reconstruction standards, setting the trend of creating climate-resilient houses, boosting the local economy through use of local materials and labor, and empowering the vulnerable population through provision of safe shelter, financial inclusion and community engagement activities.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024