In November 2017, the Ministry of Commerce (MoFCOM) of the People’s Republic of China and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed five South-South cooperation agreements to provide USD$17 million for post-disaster recovery assistance in five developing countries.

Of these five countries, three are China’s neighbors (Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh), and two are in the Caribbean (Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica).

This serial will take a look of how MoFCOM and UNDP are helping affected to rehabilitate and assist in their post-disaster recovery efforts.

Pakistan

In a unique example of south-south collaboration, the People’s Republic of China and UNDP  signed a USD $4 million agreement to provide early recovery assistance over a four month period in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Balochitan regions of Pakistan. These areas have been severely affected by natural and human-made crises and are in urgent need of support.  

The cooperation has two focus areas:

1. post-disaster recovery from the 2010s flood in Balochistan;
2. assistance to the temporary dislocated populations in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

Year after year, Pakistan suffers from floods caused by heavy monsoon rains. The 2010-2012 floods, one of the worst in history, directly affected approximately 20 million people, resulting in 2,000 deaths. In particular, Balochistan, Northwest Pakistan, has struggled to recover from this catastrophe and many affected families have been unable to rebuild their lives.

Balochistan

In Balochistan, 19,000 school children are directly benefit from the refurbishment of schools damaged during the 2010-2011 floods.

This project is not only rebuilding the school but providing all necessary facilities such as desks and benches for students, tables and chairs for teachers, white boards and school cabinets.  

18,759 children have received stationery, including notebooks, pencils, erasers and sharpeners and can now finally continue their studies.

The Federally Administered Tribal Areas

The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) is a semi-autonomous tribal region in northwestern Pakistan, located along the porous Pakistani and Afghan border areas. Frequent military operations over the past decade have caused the displacement of over 1.6 million people, and widespread destruction of houses, farms, livestock, water supply systems, private and public infrastructure including roads, schools and health centers. 

To help victims to return and rebuild their homes, three types of aid packages have been provided to households in need:

• Supplementary food package: cooking oil, basmati rice, wheat flour, stainless steel spoons and saucepan, ceramic tea cups, and cooking spices;
• Household essential and hygiene package: tooth paste and brushes, bath soap, nail clipper, comb, towel and blanket to help them survive the freezing winter in Pakistan;
• Emergency shelter and reconstruction kits: shovel, hoe, trowel, hammer, and handsaw to rebuild their houses.

These packages are a lifeline for families in need and have enabled the community to rebuild their lives.

Meet Shama

Grade two student from Balochistan who wants to grow up to become a doctor. 

“Our school had no chairs so our only option was to sit outside on the ground during school hours. Each morning my mother washed and ironed my clothes to remove dirt from them but to no avail because the very next morning my clothes had mud all over them again. With new arm chairs we will be much more comfortable and will be able to study better.”

The project is implemented in partnership with government stakeholders including the Disaster Management Authority, FATA Secretariat and Temporarily Displaced People Secretariat in FATA, and in Balochistan the Departments of Education and Planning and Development.