European Union Ambassador Riina Kionka Witnesses Impact of Climate Resilience Projects in Flood-Hit Dadu, Sindh

Islamabad - 1 April, 2024 (Adnan Hameed): A delegation led by the Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan, Dr. Riina Kionka, conducted a one-day field mission to Dadu, Sindh, to assess the impact and scale of support provided by the European Union (EU) to flood-affected communities. Dadu was among the hardest hit districts during the devastating floods of 2022. In response to the unprecedented rainfall and floods, the EU launched a comprehensive relief and recovery initiative aimed at providing immediate assistance and building the resilience of communities through climate-resilient housing, sanitation, livelihood opportunities, and child protection services. The delegation visited EU-funded project sites in four villages across Dadu, where various development projects are being implemented by the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and Save the Children International (SCI) Pakistan. These projects focus on rehabilitating community assets, providing child protection, education, water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) facilities, and shelters for the community. During the visit, the delegation observed the distribution of cash assistance, inspected rainwater harvesting ponds for irrigation, communal washing pads, and protective pathways. They also met women entrepreneurs who have revived their livelihoods since the 2022 floods, and engaged with women-led village development committees to understand their challenges and aspirations. The delegation also visited sites where UNICEF is providing child protection and education services with EU funds. They witnessed children engaging in recreational activities, adolescent girls and women learning vocational skills, and visited a flood-damaged public school that UNICEF has rehabilitated. Furthermore, the delegation toured locations where SCI Pakistan created Child-friendly Spaces, Climate-Resilient Housing, Sanitation facilities, and observed livelihood initiatives focusing on kitchen gardening, sustainable agriculture, and livestock management support. Ambassador Riina Kionka emphasized the EU's commitment to supporting development work in Pakistan and highlighted the ongoing collaboration to build long-term resilience to climate change. Joining the delegation were WFP’s Head of provincial office in Sindh, Ms. Judith Lumu, UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office – Sindh, Prem Bahadur Chand, and Deputy Country Director from SCI Pakistan, Bilal Taj. WFP, UNICEF, and SCI Pakistan are currently implementing these projects with a financial volume of EUR 12 million for the European Union in 13 districts across Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.