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This programme is designed to assist the poor residents of Kandahar, Jalalabad and Mazar-e-Sharif to rebuild their environments. |
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Partner: Governments: Governments of Afghanistan and Japan
Local Authorities: Municipalities of Kandahar, Jalalabad and Mazar-e- Sharif Institution: Central Authority for Water Supply and Sanitation (CAWSS)
International Organization: UN-HABITAT |
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Cost: Phase 2: US$2,603,095 Phase 3: US$2,923,393 (November 2002-August 2004) |
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 Background
This programme is designed to assist the poor residents of Kandahar, Jalalabad and Mazar-e-Sharif to rebuild their environments. The programme is founded on the premise that Afghans, be they returnees, internally displaced people (IDPs), widows, demobilized soldiers or vulnerable persons, have the capacity to assist in their own recovery, provided they have security and active support from authorities. By assisting the poor in rebuilding their lives by addressing their urgent needs of income generation, the restoration and expansion of water supply and sanitation systems, and the construction of shelter, the programme enhances their sense of security while creating healthy living environments. The Ogata Initiative was launched in August 2002 by the Government of Japan to support comprehensive regional development in Afghanistan, and to achieve and speed up the transition from humanitarian assistance to recovery and reconstruction. Building on UN-HABITAT’s work with urban communities in Afghanistan for more than 15 years, this programme encouraged the local municipalities, community shura (council of elders in a community) to take the lead in the design and implementation of the actions. In this way, communities are empowered to define their needs, identify solutions and initiate improvements. The Ogata initiative’s projects help communities with building materials and small labour cash wages, making shelter reconstruction more affordable.
Activities
To ensure transparency and fairness, members from the communities, municipalities, and wakil (a representative of a neighbourhood in urban area) were involved in all phases of the project, from beneficiary selection to the distribution of building materials and final certification. This approach also gave opportunities to shuras and wakil to consult on local problems with municipal governments. Material production such as bricks for shelter construction was undertaken by families and communities with technical support provided by UN-HABITAT.
Results
A total of 6,925 houses were constructed (Kandahar, 3,175; Jalalabad, 2,750; Mazar-e-Sharif, 1,000). In Mazar-e-Sharif the water supply system was rehabilitated and leakage repairs were undertaken on the main trunk (74 points). Other activities included: installation of valves (29); replacement of reticulation pipes (500m); the rebuilding of a generator house; installation of a 100kva generator and 4 submersible pumps. In addition, 346 hand pumps and 16 hand pump wells were constructed or repaired. In Kandahar, a water supply network was constructed in two Districts and 15 hand-pump wells installed. In Jalalabad a water supply network was installed in part of the city and 26 hand-pump wells constructed. A total of 5,499 eco-toilets were constructed (Kandahar, 2,437; Jalalabad, 2,234; Mazar-e-Sharif, 828). 9 km road was gravelled in Jalalabad. In addition to physical improvements, communities have gained technical skills in the construction of small infrastructure and developed stronger bonds of mutual help. Shuras learned how to express their problems to municipal officers, and learned how to rehabilitate project works. The active involvement of municipalities has strengthened their role in the reconstruction process by projecting a positive image of the Governments’ capacity and willingness to engage and work with communities. |
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