Livelihood project initiated in Fata

WANA: A four years project funded by the government of Germany to support reintegration of displaced persons by supporting livelihood, reconstructing essential infrastructure and creating income earning opportunities for dislocated people in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) took off a start from South Waziristan Agency on Sunday by launching eight projects.

The implementation of the project is closely coordinated by the Fata Secretariat and the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP).In the first round, a total of 26 projects have been identified in four agencies of South Waziristan and North Waziristan, Khyber, Kurram and Orakzai. There is a close collaboration between the local agency administration, the social mobilization teams of the SRSP, the communities and all the stakeholders.

The process of identification of projects and building community groups that would implement them is going on  speedily in all the tribal regions. This project will support the return of displaced persons to homes and address their important needs, thus helping in their reintegration into the areas.

The ground-breaking ceremony was held in South Waziristan Agency for initiating eight community-built irrigation schemes. The event was organised in the jirga hall at Political Agent Compound in Wana.

Elders from the area, representatives of line departments, members of the community organisation, local representatives, Senator Muhammad Saleh Shah, Lt-Col Shaukat of the Pak Army and the SRSP representatives participated in the third dialogue. SWA Political Agent Zafarul Islam was the chief guest.

As the return to South Waziristan Agency is in progress, the SRSP has been providing assistance to TDPs in terms of providing registration, deregistration, Water and Sanitation Hygiene facilities in camps, None-Food Items and tents distribution, shelter construction, rehabilitation of schools and Voluntary Return Form, etc since 2011.

Under the SRSP and German evelopment bank KFW project, cheques were distributed among the communities of Male Community Organisation (MCO) Machikhel Daars, MCO Buraq Baba Committee  1, MCO Buraq Baba Committee 2, MCO Thoor Waam Welfare Association, MCO Insaf Khidmat Committee 1, MCO Insaf Khidmat Committee 2, MCO Gonaigh Falahi Committee 1, and MCO Gonaigh Falahi Committee 2. 

Senator Saleh Shah and South Waziristan Political Agent Zafarul Islam extended their thanks and appreciations to the government of Germany while addressing the forum for their support and untiring help to displaced persons of Fata, especially South Waziristan.

Porgramme Manager (Operation)  Aftab Ahmad of the SRSP thanked the political administration, Pak Army, Fata Secretariat and local community for extending their cooperation and appreciated efforts of government of Pakistan for establishing peace and harmony in the fragile area of Federally Administrated Tribal areas of Pakistan which is mandatory for development activities.

Terms of partnership between the implementing organization and the communities were explained and first installment cheques distributed to the community leaders. The monitoring of the projects would be carried out jointly by the agency administration and the SRSP teams.