Funded by the European Union FLOOD RECOVERY HOUSING INTERVENTIONS PROGRAMME FLOOD RECOVERY HOUSING INTERVENTIONS PROGRAMME © United Nations Development Programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2021 All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. Photos: Sulejman Omerbašić, Denis Ruvić, Aida Šunje The publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the Flood Recovery – Housing Interventions Programme and do not necessarily represent the views of the European Union. www.europa.ba www.ba.undp.org CONTENTS FOREWORD .......................................................................7 BACKGROUND ON FLOOD RECOVERY – HOUSING INTERVENTIONS PROGRAMME .................................10 MUNICIPALITIES AND CITIES IN PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION ........................................................12 OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ...........................................14 SUSTAINABLE RECOVERY THROUGH HOUSING INTERVENTIONS ............................................................16 BENEFICIARIES’ STORIES ...........................................21 SUSTAINABLE RECOVERY THROUGH ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT ............................................................38 BENEFICIARIES’ STORIES ...........................................40 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..................................................52 5 6 FOREWORD 7 8 The European Union is the largest donor of the Flood Recovery Programme with around €84 million allocated so far for flood risk recovery, prevention and management. Ambassador Johann Sattler, The first phase of the Flood Recovery Programme helped Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina and EU 610,000 people. However, since the consequences of the Special Representative in BiH floods continued to be strongly felt long after the water had receded, in 2017, we launched the Flood Recovery – Housing Interventions Programme to reach the most vulnerable citizens that were still in need of assistance. In FOREWORD the last four years, the European Union provided housing for about 3,000 people in 45 municipalities and cities in BiH as part of this programme. In total, 423 new homes The May 2014 floods were the worst natural disaster in the were built and 600 housing units were rehabilitated. 213 recent history of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A quarter of BiH’s households received agricultural assistance and support territory and altogether 46 cities and municipalities were for the establishment of small businesses. affected and the lives of almost a million people severely disrupted. The scope of damage and destruction caused We worked together with local communities and civil by the floods highlighted BiH’s vulnerability to natural and society organizations to find lasting solutions, both for the other disasters. infrastructure and employment problems for the most vulnerable citizens. By investing in the reconstruction of the In the immediate aftermath, there was no time to waste technical infrastructure, such as water supply systems, we in mounting an immediate recovery programme. The also contributed to the improvement of public health for all European Union rose to the challenge and showed that citizens. solidarity requires action. By timely placing our resources, both human and material, at the disposal of affected The solidarity and resilience showed by BiH citizens in communities, we were able to help communities to recover the aftermath of the floods highlighted the vast human from the floods and build resilience to any future shocks potential and strength this country has. You can count and disasters. We demonstrated that BiH can count on our on our support in continued efforts towards a safer and support. brighter future for all BiH citizens. 9 BACKGROUND ON FLOOD RECOVERY – HOUSING INTERVENTIONS PROGRAMME The Flood Recovery – Housing Interventions Programme Against this backdrop, in September 2017, the Flood (2017-2021) is continuation of the European Union’s efforts, Recovery – Housing Interventions Programme was initiated through the EU Floods Recovery Programme launched to support the sustainable recovery of the (2014-2016), that aimed to alleviate the aftermath of the population in flood-affected local communities, through devastating 2014 floods and landslides. two interrelated components: ■ Housing interventions, and With the support to the EU Floods Recovery Programme, ■ Economic empowerment. the quality of life for more than 610,000 people in floods and landslides affected communities has been improved Programme beneficiaries were selected through a public through reconstruction of housing units, public buildings call, and the assistance primarily targeted socially and and local infrastructure facilities. Homes for nearly 15,000 economically vulnerable groups, including the elderly, low- people were renovated, 50,000 pupils and students income households, persons with disabilities, minorities, continued their education without longer disruptions, returnees and internally displaced persons. municipal services and health centres restored service provision to about 300,000 citizens. Thanks to the support The Programme, worth EUR 15 million, is financed by the of small and medium enterprises as well as the agricultural European Union in cooperation with the Government of the sector, as many as 6,000 jobs have been retained or newly Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Government of created. Republika Srpska and local authorities. It was implemented by UNDP in BiH in partnership with the International Despite these impressive deliverables, a sizable number Organization for Migration (IOM), Arbeiter-Samariter- of vulnerable households was still in need of additional Bund (ASB), Hilfswerk International (HWI) and partner assistance in the form of durable solutions for housing and municipalities and cities. economic empowerment. 10 In May 2014, Bosnia and Herzegovina was hit by the most devastating natural disaster in the last 120 years. Heavy rainfall caused a sudden rise in the levels of rivers Bosna, Drina, Una, Sava and Vrbas, which led to unprecedented floods and landslides in the northern, eastern and central part of the country. The disaster affected about one million or nearly 27% of the country’s total population, while 90,000 were forced to flee their homes. The already difficult living conditions of the most vulnerable population, especially returnees and internally displaced persons, were further worsened by this disaster. Urban, industrial and rural areas remained completely flooded, cut-off, without electricity, water and communications for days. Economic damages are estimated at around BAM 4 billion. 11 MUNICIPALITIES AND CITIES IN PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION The Program covers 45 municipalities and cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. • Banja Luka, • Kalesija, • Šamac, • Bijeljina, • Kostajnica, • Šekovići, • Bratunac, • Laktaši, • Šipovo, • Brod, • Lopare, • Teslić, • Cazin, • Maglaj, • Tešanj, • Doboj, • Modriča, • Travnik, • Doboj Istok, • Novi Grad, • Tuzla, • Domaljevac-Šamac, • Odžak, • Ugljevik, • Donji Žabar, • Orašje, • Vareš, • Goražde, • Petrovo, • Vlasenica, • Gračanica, • Prijedor, • Vogošća, • Gradačac, • Prnjavor, • Zavidovići, • Gradiška, • Sapna, • Zenica, • Jezero, • Srbac, • Zvornik, • Kakanj, • Srebrenik, • Žepče. 12 Domaljevac-Šamac Kostajnica Šamac Odžak Gradačac Gradiška Orašje Brod Srbac Gračanica Cazin Modriča Prijedor Donji Žabar Laktaši Prnjavor Doboj Istok Novi Grad Bijeljina Doboj Banja Srebrenik Ugljevik Luka Lopare Tešanj Tuzla Sapna Teslić Maglaj Petrovo Žepče Kalesija Zvornik Jezero Zavidovići Travnik Šekovići Zenica Bratunac Vareš Vlasenica Šipovo Kakanj Vogošća Goražde 13 OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS Close to 3,000 people provided with housing 6 entrepreneurs supported for small businesses start-ups 423 new residential buildings constructed Families generated more 600 housing than EUR 360,000 in units rehabilitated income through economic empowerment Economic Nearly 1,500 women empowerment benefited from packages in the area programme activities of agriculture for 213 families 14 Close to 3,000 people provided with housing 6 entrepreneurs supported for small businesses start-ups 423 new residential buildings constructed Families generated more 600 housing than EUR 360,000 in units rehabilitated income through economic empowerment Economic Nearly 1,500 women empowerment benefited from packages in the area programme activities of agriculture for 213 families 15 SUSTAINABLE RECOVERY THROUGH HOUSING INTERVENTIONS The 2014 floods and landslides in Bosnia and Herzegovina Construction work began in the first half of 2018 and was had far-reaching consequences for the affected local carried out in compliance with the highest construction communities. The already difficult living conditions of standards, under the supervision of specialised companies socially and economically endangered families were and engineers assigned by UNDP, IOM, ASB and HWI, as well further aggravated by this natural disaster, and the majority as partner local governments. Energy efficiency measures were unable to repair the damaged homes or build new were applied to all newly built homes, thus allowing for the ones on their own. As a result, many were forced to live rational use of energy and significant reduction in utility in inadequate and unsafe accommodation for several costs for beneficiary households. years