BRIDGE IN BANNU LINKS VILLAGES IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA PROVINCE
After the floods in 2010, the villages of Bharat Khas and Dil Nawaz Bharat in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province were torn apart. To this day, the two villages are separated due to a stream of flowing water created in the aftermath of the floods. The water flowing in from river Tochee has created many hurdles for the people living on either side of it; Bharat Khas has the only basic health unit (BHU) in the vicinity, while Dil Nawaz Bharat boasts of a better primary school for girls.
In 2014, a military operation led to thousands fleeing their homes from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Since then, the villages have seen an influx of displaced people and the sparsely-located facilities for basic services pose even more difficulties than before.
To access the facilities available across the stream, villagers have to brave the flowing waters every day. In partnership with the Governments of Germany, Japan and Switzerland, we are working with the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and local partners to help rebuild stronger communities.
Currently, we are supporting the communities in building a pedestrian suspension bridge, covering a span of 90 ft, to help more than 3,400 individuals in the two villages have better access to basic services available in both the villages.
Usman, who crosses the watercourse every day for his school, has to wait for his clothes and shoes to dry off before he can enter his class. The bridge will help many other children like Usman to easily move between the villages.
Ayat Ullah, a member of the host community, is the president of the community network for the two villages. He explains that this scheme was a priority for the community because of the convenience it will bring to the villagers. “Some families have relatives living on the other side and because of the lack of a proper way to cross the bridge, they do not meet each other for months,” Ayat Ullah said.
Construction for the bridge has already begun and is being monitored by the local community. The community has taken complete ownership of the work and is planning to use its own resources to complete a 1,200 feet street pavement connecting the bridge to facilitate the villagers.
