EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The floods and mudflows which struck 40 districts in Tajikistan in April and May of this year left 26 people dead, displaced well over 3,000, and negatively impacted on thousands more. Over 2,000 houses, hospitals, schools and other buildings were severely damaged or left in an unusable condition. Immediate relief efforts were undertaken by the Government of Tajikistan, assisted by international partners, both through REACT and bilateral donors. However, the affected communities continue to struggle to rebuild their homes and livelihoods and to restore their infrastructure.
The recovery needs are multiple and varied. There are still hundreds of families, now living with relatives or in temporary shelters, who need permanent housing before the cold sets in. Social infrastructure, like schools, water supply systems, health centers and hospitals require rehabilitation, reconstruction or expansion, respecting building standards that will ensure their resistance in the face of natural hazards. An in-depth assessment needs to be conducted, particularly in the disaster-prone district of Khuroson, so as to identify and implement strategies which will reduce risk.
The people directly hit by the emergency, and thousands of others, members of affected communities, require substantial support to recover their pre-disaster living conditions or improve upon them, and sustain the impact of relief activities. The REACT Early Recovery Appeal therefore aims to help people in the worst-affected districts to rebuild disaster-resilient communities by restoring access to basic social services and reconstructing housing and social infrastructure in ways that reduce the communities' vulnerability to future hazards.
Needs were identified, sector response plans formulated and projects developed to implement the strategies in five sectors: shelter and non-food items; health; water, sanitation, and hygiene; education; and coordination and support services. A total of 18 projects are included in the appeal, focusing assistance on the worst hit districts of Khuroson, Pyandj and Qumsangir in Khatlon province and Nurobod, Rudaki and Rasht in the Directly Ruled Districts (DRD).
The recovery needs, and the cost associated with responding to them, surpass the available resources of the local communities and the Government of Tajikistan. Therefore, the REACT Early Recovery Appeal seeks to mobilize US$ 7,739,530 from the international community.
The Appeal was developed in partnership with the Government of Tajikistan, and is based on consolidated evidence collected through agency and joint field assessments, government reports, as well as pre-existing baseline data.