Country: Pakistan Source: World Bank Kamran Akbar & Yunziyi (Lisa) LangIn 2022, Pakistan faced one of the most devastating climate disasters in its history. Record monsoon rains—with some areas receiving seven times their usual rainfall—flooded a third of the country. Thirty-three million people were affected, nearly 8 million were forced from their homes, and damages reached almost $15 billion. Sindh province was hit the hardest, with over two million homes either fully or partially damaged—more than 60% of the nation’s total housing losses.When disaster strikes, responses often arrive late — delayed by red tape, overwhelmed systems, or a lack of preparedness. But in Sindh, Pakistan, something extraordinary happened. In the aftermath of the country’s worst flooding in living memory, an emergency housing recovery project launched faster than anyone expected.Laying the Groundwork for RecoveryImmediately following the floods, the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) supported the government of Pakistan to conduct a Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA). This comprehensive survey showed just how much had been lost, especially in housing. Sindh alone faced an estimated $4.3 billion in damages.Thanks to this groundwork, the World Bank quickly approved $1.3 billion in emergency funding for Sindh, including the $500 million for the Sindh Flood Emergency Housing Reconstruction Project (SFEHRP). The provincial government also established a fast-track approvals process, a “green channel”, to cut through red tape and get help where it was needed most.SFEHRP set out to do more than rebuild homes. It aimed to rebuild lives by promoting resilient, inclusive communities. With support from GFDRR, the project provided housing grants, built essential water and sanitation systems, offered training in resilient construction practices and strengthened government capacity to manage recovery. GFDRR’s early involvement and technical input helped the project scale up quickly and efficiently.Building on the PDNA findings, the government developed the Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Framework (known as the 4RF) to guide long-term recovery. This roadmap focused on restoring livelihoods, rebuilding critical assets and infrastructure, and strengthening governance and institutional capacity, while making sure the recovery was inclusive, climate-smart, and community-led.Building Back Better: A Community-driven ApproachSFEHRP’s strategy was simple but powerful: put affected families in charge of rebuilding their homes, with support every step of the way. Homeowners received phased cash grants, tied to construction milestones, to help them build stronger, more flood-resistant houses.With technical inputs from GFDRR, the project incorporated innovative tools like geo-enabled information management systems, mobile apps for tracking progress, and a citizen portal for real-time tracking and feedback. Independent community groups also monitored the work to ensure transparency and accountability.By March 2025, the reconstruction had started on more than 410,000 homes, with over 230,000 fully completed. Special efforts were made to support the most vulnerable including women-headed households, persons with disabilities, and the poorest families, in partnerships with local government and NGOs Over 152,000 women received housing grants, representing 37% of beneficiaries. Across 27,000 communities, Village Reconstruction Committees —nearly half of them with female members— were formed, ensuring that rebuilding plans reflected the needs and voice of local people.Scaling Up for Inclusive RecoveryRecognizing early results, the World Bank approved an additional $450 million in December 2024 to expand SFEHRP. Other development partners, including the Asian Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank, also stepped in, bringing total funding to over $1 billion.This additional financing will reconstruct a total of 770,000 homes and deliver 56,000 new water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities, addressing urgent public health risks like child stunting. The project also focuses on building skills, training 20,000 masons and engineers in resilient construction to ensure long-term benefits for the communities. Investments in data systems and feedback tools will also help track progress and ensure transparency and equity.A Blueprint for the FutureSFEHRP shows what is possible when recovery efforts put people first. With strong leadership from local authorities, the support of development partners like the World Bank and GFDRR, and the active involvement of communities, Pakistan has turned disaster into an opportunity for lasting, climate-resilient recovery.GFDRR’s sustained support has helped Sindh not just rebuild, but rebuild better, creating a model for how countries can invest in preparedness, empower communities, and make inclusion the heart of disaster recovery efforts.Pakistan’s experience offers a powerful reminder that even in the face of immense loss, it is possible to lay the foundations for a stronger, more resilient future.