INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency announced the start of a more than US$14 million community-based construction effort to build 2,300
earthquake-resilient houses to help residents in southeastern Afghanistan region devastated by the deadly 22 June earthquake.Under the plan,
UNHCR is providing materials and supporting building costs for the construction of 2,000 winterized homes in both Giyan and Barmal districts
of Paktika Province and 300 homes in Spera District of Khost Province.&This initiative demonstrates UNHCR&s sustained solidarity and support
to people affected by the disaster — in the coming months 2,300 families will have new, resilient, winterized homes,& said UNHCR
Representative Leonard Zulu during an assessment mission in Barmal, Paktika Province
&UNHCR started distributing emergency shelter two days after the earthquake, and we are now aiming to meet urgent shelter needs to build
back better.&Earthmoving equipment contracted by UNHCR has started site clearance in Barmal and trucks are delivering construction materials
as snows are expected by mid-November.&The Khost and Paktika areas have generously hosted thousands of refugees in recent years, some of
whom were also affected by the earthquake,& Zulu said
&UNHCR&s shelter initiative will ensure homes for the most-affected households.&Over recent weeks, UNHCR teams have met with communities to
present the project, identify the worst-affected families, and organize community groups to implement the community-based scheme.In addition
to building materials, households participating in the project will receive US$700 for labour
Engineers working with UNHCR&s partners will monitor construction so relevant guidance is followed
Each family will be provided with solar panels for lighting and a bukhāri space heater for burning wood during winter months, as well
as materials to construct an outdoor latrine.Bahrain&s Royal Humanitarian Foundation recently signed a US$1 million agreement with UNHCR to
support the housing scheme
Additionally, UNHCR and the United Nations Development Programme have launched a joint programme to improve access to community services
like health centres, schools, and water systems in the three districts.UNHCR has included the three districts in its Priority Areas of
Return and Reintegration (PARRs) project since refugees as well as returned IDPs reside in the areas
The PARR initiative will ensure sustained support to enhance sustainable returns, reintegration and community resilience.In the wake of the
5.9 earthquake that reportedly killed more than 1,000 people and injured many others, UNHCR distributed 3,592 family tents to provide
emergency shelter for more than 25,000 people alongside household supplies and hygiene items for more than 11,200 people, complementing
emergency assistance delivered by partner agencies.Over the past four decades, Afghanistan has been battered by conflicts and natural
disasters that have left millions facing famine and starvation
The latest estimates indicate that some 24 million Afghans, more than half the country&s population, are in need of humanitarian
assistance.There are some 3.4 million conflict-displaced persons in Afghanistan, as well as 1.57 million climate-displaced people, making it
one of the most complex humanitarian crises in the world.The post UNHCR starts construction of quake-resilient houses in Khost and Paktika
first appeared on Ariana News.
