KATHMANDU, March 27: Nearly 32,000 flood-affected households in seven districts of the tarai region received recovery packages worth US$ 4 million as part of a post-flood recovery program launched by the United Nations Development Program with the financial support of the Chinese government.
As part of the recovery program, over 31,800 households in Dhanusha, Mahottari, Parsa, Saptari, Sarlahi, Rautahat and Sunsari districts of Province 1 and 2 affected by last year's floods were distributed packages of non-food items, which includes shawls, blankets, cooking utensils, an insecticide-treated bed net, a clean cooking stove, a water filter and hygiene kits. According to the UNDP, more than 186,600 family members benefited from the recovery packages.
The Chinese Embassy and the UNDP jointly organized a function in the capital on Monday to mark the successful completion of the recovery project, which was implemented from mid-January.
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Addressing the function, Chinese ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong said that the financial assistance of US$ 4 million was provided under the framework of the Chinese South-South Cooperation Fund to the UNDP to help the Nepali people in the flood-affected tarai region for recovery from the disaster and that the recovery program has been successful to achieve its goal.
“On January 31 and February 1, I visited flood-affected families of Dhanusha and Mahottari together with UNDP's country director and attended the ongoing distribution of the post-flood recovery packages. I was glad to see the non-food items provided by the Chinese government could bring warmth to the affected families,” she said.
Ambassador Yu also said that China is willing to continue assistance and support to Nepal within its capacity and make contributions for post-disaster reconstruction and social and economic development.
The recovery program is the first cooperation between the Chinese side with the UNDP in Nepal. The UNDP had carried out the recovery packages distribution in close coordination with the National Reconstruction Authority and local bodies.
Right after the flooding, the Chinese side had provided US$ 1 million to the government of Nepal for relief distribution to victims.
UN resident coordinator in Nepal Valerie Julliand said the recovery project is so crucial as it provides victims extra support to recover from the disaster fast and rebuild their livelihoods. “China has much expertise in disaster risk management and Nepal can benefit a lot from the neighbor's experience and make risk management effective,” she said.
