ERF allocates US$3.7 million to support Bara returns
In the period between 15 March and 30 June, more than 32,900 displaced families returned to their homes in the Bara area of Khyber Agency, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). According to a recent inter-cluster assessment, many of these families lack access to basic services and livelihood opportunities. The findings of the assessment indicate that nearly a third of returnees in Bara do not have access to health facilities, child malnutrition rates are at emergency levels, an estimated 90 per cent of physical infrastructure is damaged including many school buildings and houses, and more than half of returnee families have to walk more than 15 minutes to access water. These returning IDPs need assistance to rebuild their houses and livelihoods, while support is required to ensure the provision of health, education and other services.
With support from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), the Pakistan Emergency response Fund (ERF) has allocated US$3.7 million to support families returning to Bara. The funding has been assigned to 20 projects across a variety of clusters.
The largest proportion of the funds has been earmarked for the provision of building materials and basic non-fooditems (NFIs). ERF funds will also be used to provide life-saving health services through 6 Government health facilities and nutrition services through 8 facilities, as well as rehabilitating water and sanitation facilities in 6 Government health facilities and 33 schools. Funding for protection activities will be used to run 2 women friendly spaces and 19 child friendly spaces. Meanwhile, US$350,000 will be used to provide 7,800 children with school supplies and support the establishment of 70 temporary learning centres. Livelihood support will be provided through agriculture packages as well as cash-for-work and other income generation activities.
These projects will mainly be implemented by national NGO (61 per cent of funding allocated) and international NGO (28 per cent). Two nutrition projects will be implemented by UN agencies (11 per cent). The supported projects are expected to start in August 2015.