The ceremony concluded the successful completion of the project “Community-led Flood Rehabilitation and Restoration”, which assists flood Affectees people in Pakistan. Funded by the Government of Japan and implemented with the federal and provincial governments of Pakistan, this project is part of the larger Pakistan Flood Recovery Programme of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), now operationally launched in April 2023. The main thrust of this initiative is support to one million of the country’s most vulnerable people, affected by the tsunami-like disaster in 2022.
The Government of Japan’s support of USD 4.6 million aimed at six out of the most hit districts: Dera Ismail Khan, Naseerabad, Jafarabad, Dadu, Larkana, and Jacobabad. This project’s impact benefited directly 141,000 persons, almost half of them women. By empowering local communities, it revived livelihoods, restored the dignity of people, and improved access to essential services, including markets, healthcare, and clean drinking water.
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Among other interventions, there was a provision of 20,000 agricultural toolkits to resume farming operations, 6,000 health and hygiene kits, 2,000 solar energy systems, and 2,000 water filtration units to improve living conditions. The rest of the project also supported the establishment of micro-enterprises, which play a vital role in the local economic recovery.
H.E. Mr. Akamatsu Shuichi, the Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, observed that there should be an integrated method for sustainable recovery. It becomes imperative for the community to maintain a pathway of sustainable development for the country. Nasira Batool, Joint Secretary, of Pakistan’s Economic Affairs Division, thanked Japan and the UNDP for their assistance, noting that the initiative would help over 141,000 people rebuild their lives as a result.
The project has come to a close, but it continues through communities empowered and local institutions made stronger. “The spirit of flood-affected communities is to be admired,” said UNDP Pakistan Resident Representative Dr. Samuel Rizk. The immediate relief and long-term recovery efforts for flood-affected communities in all parts of Pakistan are a combined action of the Government of Japan, UNDP, and local stakeholders.
The project has been completed but the effects continue through communities empowered and institutions strengthened. “The spirit of flood-affected communities is admirable,” said UNDP Pakistan Resident Representative Dr. Samuel Rizk. An immediate relief as well as a long-term recovery of flood-affected communities all over Pakistan is a collaborative action of the Government of Japan, UNDP, and local stakeholders.