-
Flood recovery – Housing interventions in Republika Srpska
-
Flood Recovery – Housing Interventions Programme represents the next phase in the European Union’s efforts to alleviate the catastrophic effects of the 2014 floods. The intervention, launched in September 2017, provides durable housing solutions, coupled with improved livelihood opportunities, for the most vulnerable families whose homes were damaged or destroyed in floods and landslides. The Programme, valued at 15 million euro, is funded by the European Union in cooperation with the entity governments of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), Republika Srpska (RS) and partner local governments. The Programme is implemented in 44 municipalities in BiH by UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Republika Srpska, and Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB), Hilfswerk International (HWI) the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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. as well as self-employment initiatives and has been split to two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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.
Within the Flood Recovery – Housing Interventions in Republika Srpska (FR-HI RS) International Organization for Migration (IOM) completed reconstruction works on 116 dwellings in four municipalities in Republika Srpska (Banja Luka, Doboj, Modriča and Laktaši), improving the living conditions of vulnerable households whose homes have been substantially damaged during 2014 floods and some of who, as a consequence, were accommodated in sub-standard housing and temporary accommodation facilities (TAFs). As a result, 360 persons were able to return to their houses and live in dignified conditions. Beneficiaries were selected amongst the most vulnerable categories of the population, such as indigent urban and rural families, senior citizens without care, single self-supporting parents with children, Roma minority, women belonging to minority groups, social welfare center dependent population such as families with members with some disability, chronic illnesses, mental condition, domestic violence prone families, unemployed individuals with only primary education, etc. Out of these, 50 per cent are female and 50 per cent male. The Quality Assurance review demonstrated that 96.55% of beneficiaries expressed high level of satisfaction with the quality and scope of the works completed on their housing units.
The Program was conducted in the area hit by massive floods and consequent landslides in May 2014. According to expert estimates, 40% of total Bosnian land surface was hit by floods and/or landslides totaling to over € 2 billion of estimated economic impact of the disaster while over 41,000 homes were damaged and 2,000 destroyed by flooding.
The overall project duration was from September 2017 until February 2020 with non-cost extension granted to UNDP.
For International Organization for Migration (IOM) completed 1 November 2017 – 29 February 2020