Community Physical Infrastructures (CPI)

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The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, �The believers in their mutual love, compassion, and sympathy are like one body: when one of its parts suffers from some illness, the rest of the body shares its suffering with sleeplessness and fever.� [Muslim]

Human
Development
Foundation

Human Development Foundation starts a new intervention: Community Physical Infrastructures (CPI)

By Dr. Shahnaz Khan

The term Community Physical Infrastructure is used for the small engineering projects which benefit the community for example irrigation canals, link roads, hand pumps, small retention dams etc.

Human Development Foundation has a unique model of community development. It is based on Dr. Mebub ul Haq’s idea that any development strategy has to put people at the center stage. Education, health and economic power are the three main cornerstones of this strategy but human development is much ore than that. It means enlarging people’s choices. Their ability to participate in all spheres of life including political, cultural, religious etc. To be able to make decisions that are best for their families and their future.

Community Physical Infrastructures are an important step towards self reliance, economic progress and even good health as in case of projects for clean drinking water. HDF built the largest retention dam in Zhob in 2001-2002. This was built with the help of community.

The opportunity to expand this area came when Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund selected HDF to be its field partner. Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) has approved a loan of Rs 39 million to be issued over a period of two years to support HDF micro-credit program, a grant of around Rs. 7 million to built 122 Physical Infrastructure Projects and a grant of Rs. 7 million capacity building and skills training program.

Khushali Bank (KB): This is the largest micro-finance bank of Pakistan. HDF was one of the first five NGOs that were accepted as partners. Currently HDF is working in Rahim Yar Khan which is expected to expand soon. HDF implements KB’s social mobilization, community skilld development and infrastructure programs.

In the year 2003 HDF plans to implement 122 such projects. One important feature of these projects is that community is asked to share the cost of the project, usually about 20%. This gives people an ownership in the project and they are willing to maintain the project in a working condition.

Any one who has visited Pakistan knows that clean drinking water is a luxury there. Even in the cities where you have running water, it is not safe for drinking purposes. In the villages the condition is even worse. Most of the times villagers use stagnant rain water in the ponds which is a very dangerous practice. Lack of clean drinking water is a major source of communicable diseases in the rural areas of Pakistan. In those areas deep hand pumps are the most cost effective way to access clean water. HDF is planning several such projects in 2003. Please read the related articles, Hand Pumps at Village Khora Guli Bagh, and Water Course at Village Ghulam Sarwar Khan, which exemplify the benefits of such projects.

Date/Time Last Modified: 5/10/2003 12:59:19 PM