The World Bank has approved US$255 million for a new 12-month reconstruction strategy for Haiti.
The funds would be utilised next year to support the return of 22,500 people to safe housing, improve neighborhoods, finance tuition for 100,000 children, feed 75,000 students and help protect against natural disasters.
The World Bank said the strategy also aims to revitalize the economy, improve conditions for investment, and strengthen the productivity and sustainability of agriculture and rural development.
“The strategy is closely aligned with the government’s priorities and designed to provide substantial support for physical reconstruction and institutional strengthening in order to deliver concrete short-term results, while increasing the country’s capacity to rebuild itself,” said Pamela Cox, World Bank Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Around US$70 million will be used for the Education for All Project that allows 175,000 Haitian children aged 6-12 to access primary education.
A US$60 million Disaster Risk Management and Reconstruction Project will help improve the country’s disaster response capacity and enhance the resiliency of critical transport infrastructure.
An estimated 50,000 producers are down to benefit from US$50 million earmarked to increase the productivity and competitiveness of the agriculture sector, while improving food security and nutrition among the most vulnerable groups. The World Bank said it has already delivered on 89 per cent of the US$479 million it pledged last year to assist Haiti recover from the January 2010 devastating earthquake that killed more than 220,000 people and wounded 300,000.
