Islamabad, 26 November 2010―UNDP Pakistan has successfully supported numerous reconstruction projects including street pavements, drainage systems and culverts in flood hit areas while many others are in progress. These projects also constitute UNDP’s Cash for Work programme, wherein community members are provided supplies and paid employment to work on reconstruction of infrastructure in their communities and localities.
UNDP Pakistan’s National Goodwill Ambassador, Hadiqa Kiani, and Country Director Toshihiro Tanaka, visited various locations in District Nowshera of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province and met with beneficiaries of UNDP interventions in the flood affected areas. The localities visited included village of Chowki Drab in the Amanpur area of Nowshera and village Khushhaal Garh in Akora Khattak area.
UNDP’s Cash for Work project has been providing employment opportunities and livelihoods to over 2900 beneficiaries from communities here. A total of 19 streets have been paved, 46 culverts rebuilt and 5 drainage ways constructed in these villages.
The National Goodwill Ambassador and Country Director also attended community meetings in the localities and reaffirmed their pledge for continued support. These meetings of both males and females are held regularly to enable communities to identify and prioritize their needs especially those related to the restoration of community infrastructure.
While speaking at a community meeting, Hadiqa said, “People should not forget their brothers and sisters who are shelter-less in the coming winters. Our responsibility towards them extends beyond initial humanitarian support. The upcoming phase of reconstruction of houses and lives is critically important and we all should contribute financially and materially”.
The area of Chowki Drab was submerged under 10 feet of water following flash floods as the Kabul River spilled over its banks in July this year. The catastrophe washed away all community infrastructure, crops and hutments leaving the residents shelter-less and unemployed.
Tufail, a local resident said “the Cash for Work project has been the only means of gainful employment as all farming was disrupted after the floods. I am thankful to the UNDP for helping us rebuild our village and bring semblance of order following the disruption of lives here”.
In the Ahmed Colony locality of Khushhaal Garh, Goodwill Ambassador Hadiqa Kiani and UNDP Country Director Toshihiro Tanaka also inspected the development work of street pavements and spoke of area residents in community meetings, reiterating their promise of continued support to the flood hit communities.
The communities also thanked UNDP and high appreciated the Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas (RAHA) programme which has been providing support to internally displaced persons following evacuation of localities after floods.
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