For those who doubt that this can be done, here are some facts to consider: just within the UN-implemented recovery effort, together with governments, NGOs and private sector, we have in the past 4 months together rebuilt:
• 1,000 homes including 150 homes of people living in collective centers enabling return. Another 1,000 are under construction.
• 88 public buildings (schools, kindergartens, healthcare centers, municipal buildings, centers for social welfare, youth culture centers). All schools receiving the required furniture and equipment and 10 playgrounds
• 15 water and sanitation systems
• 21 bridges and 11 roads
• over 3,000 jobs were retained or created and over 12,000 families received support for their agricultural production
• central heating system in Doboj was repaired in time for winter benefiting 40,000 residents and over 100 local businesses and public buildings
• 32 landslides were rehabilitated
• 200,000 m2 of land demined
• 17 Health centers provided with medical equipment and vehicles for mobile health units
A similar amount of work will also be carried out in the next 4-6 months. And that is just us. Many more efforts large and small are underway and even more has been done by the citizens themselves. The point is, we can do it together when we want to. The outpouring of solidarity and mutual assistance during and after the floods is testimony to our collective human spirit. Now that governments and parliaments are being formed after the elections, we should re-double our efforts urgently, as time is short.
To those people who we have not yet had the capacity or resources to reach, I can only say, we are sorry – I wish we were able to. To all people facing difficulties this winter, my team and I would like to send a message of hope and best wishes for the holiday season and to assure you that we are doing our best. May you and your loved ones be healthy and blessed with good fortune in the coming year. Let’s all try to make 2015 not another record year for the difficulties we experience, but a record year of achievement we collectively reach!
by Yuri Afanasiev, UN Resident Coordinator
(Source: UNDP)
