Background and objectives:
The objective of the project is to address the urgent emergency needs for shelter and laying the foundation for an integrated long-term sustainable recovery of the housing sector in each atoll. The project undertook essential repairs and reconstruction of homes and essential on-site services. The capacity of the government has also been strengthened to ensure informed decisions on a range of technologies, designs and partnership solutions. Construction technology for disaster-resistant structures was integrated through community consultation, skills transfer and training programmes in partnership with the government. UN-HABITAT is managing the UNDP-funded Shelter Recovery Project, which has a budget of US$21 million.
Activities:
The main activities on each island included: - Repairing houses for tsunami-damaged homes on the authenticated list, based on the results of an independent damage survey.
- Reconstructing destroyed houses.
- Installing appropriate water conservation and storage facilities.
- Implementing an appropriate sanitation and disposal system in one pilot location.
Results:
The results achieved were: - Housing repair and reconstruction work completed on 28 islands (across seven atolls).
- 2,739 houses completed for repairs and 162 houses reconstructed.
- Over US$21 million disbursed for shelter activities in the Maldives.
- UN-HABITAT together with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development provided input to the national housing policy framework in December 2005.
- National Housing Policy approved in May 2008.
- Work on an appropriate water-borne sanitary disposal system completed on L. Dhanbidhoo.
