The World Bank has approved a $138 million credit to the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) to complete housing reconstruction in areas struck by the earthquake of October 2005, officials said. The additional financing to the Second Poverty Alleviation Fund Project (PPAF), is designed to help finance Stage II and III house reconstruction payments to the 90,000 currently eligible households, as well as to finance community level infrastructure such as link roads and water and sanitation services for earthquake affected communities. The scale of the devastation left entire communities gravely affected and in need of rehabilitation. PPAF mobilised within hours of the earthquake and managed various relief, reconstruction, and rehabilitation initiatives in a coordinated manner, said John Wall, World Bank country director for Pakistan. This additional financing will enable the PPAF to continue its vital work in rebuilding lives and homes in the affected areas. The Bank said the new financing will also allow PPAF to address long term needs of reviving social, physical and economic structures of affected communities through intensive social mobilisation processes and asset building of vulnerable households. The earthquake affected communities will continue to be mobilised into community organisations by partner organisations of the PPAF and will be provided with housing compensation and training in seismic house reconstruction.
