Flood recovery – Housing interventions in Federation Bosnia and Herzegovina

2019-03-26

This project is implemented by Arbeiter Samariter Bund in Bosnia and Herzegovina with main goal to support the sustainable recovery of flood- and landslide-affected communities in the entity of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Program is conducted in the area hit by massive floods and consequent landslides in May 2014. The greatest number of program beneficiaries comes originate from Zenica-Doboj Canton that suffered badly from consequences of natural disasters. According to expert estimates, 40% of total Bosnian land surface was hit by floods and/or landslides totalling to over  € 2 billion of estimated economic impact of the disaster while over 41,000 homes were damaged and 2,000 destroyed by flooding.

Flood recovery program has two implementation paths: to improve living conditions for vulnerable households whose homes were substantially damaged or destroyed in the disaster and to restore and develop economic and livelihood opportunities for low-income vulnerable households assisted with housing recovery.

The overall target group is consisted of families in social need who were not able to repair, reconstruct or newly construct their homes themselves or through provided interventions thus far. Among those, priority is given to social categories with very low income, users of Social Welfare services, elderly population over 65, unemployed, disabled and families with high number of children with low income.

The ASB part of support foresees reconstruction of 80 housing units and construction of 80 new homes. By now, 70 houses are fully reconstructed and remodelled and construction of the first 31 new homes is planned for first quarter of 2019.

The Flood Recovery Project is funded by the European Union, in cooperation with the entity governments of FBiH and RS, and implemented by the United Nations Development Program in B&H, in partnership with the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB), Hilfswerk International Austria (HWA), International Organization for Migration (IOM) along with the partner municipalities and cities with overall budget more than 6,7 million euro . Project represents a continuation of flood recovery activities aimed at providing durable housing solutions, along with increasing livelihoods opportunities of the selected beneficiaries, including provision of agricultural assistance as well as self-employment initiatives.

Project duration is from September 2017 until February 2020.

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