From Isolation to Connection
- maureenfordham6
- Aug 20
- 4 min read
“When the floods came, water swallowed everything — our homes, our fields, even the road. For months, we were trapped. No medical or welfare support could reach us, and no child could go to school. When this new road from the Sindh government was built, it felt like we could breathe again, it’s like a new life for us.” — Shahzadi, Village Bubak Jaheja, District Jamshoro
When the floodwaters receded in Sindh, the damage was more than broken homes and washed-out fields, it was severed connections. Roads that once carried children to school, mothers to clinics, and farmers to markets had vanished under mud and debris. Without these lifelines, recovery felt like an impossible journey.
The Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project (SFERP), implemented by the Planning and Development Department, Government of Sindh, and financially assisted by the World Bank, answered that challenge with a vision rooted in the Build Back Better principle. The project restored 141 flood-affected roads across 19 districts, covering 825 km and connecting 760 of villages making them stronger, safer, and more inclusive than ever before. These rehabilitated routes now serve nearly 4.9 million people, including 2.4 million women.
Local Wisdom at the Heart of Design
What sets the SFERP road component apart is the integration of local knowledge from the very beginning. Men, women, and marginalized groups were not passive recipients of aid, they were co-designers of the solution.
During community consultations, their feedback shaped critical technical features:
Cross-drainage and culverts to prevent waterlogging in future floods.
Raised embankments and widened shoulders for safer travel.
Dust-stabilized shoulders to protect roadside settlements.
No tree-cutting policy, preserving shade and biodiversity.
Additional link roads connecting smaller hamlets to main routes.
“During flood in 2022, the road was like a river. Now, even during the heavy monsoon in 2025, we can reach the clinic and market in time and children went to school. We gave our suggestions, and SFERP listened and implemented them.” — Mithan, Village Kot Jandal Shah, District Matiari
Resilience Beyond Infrastructure
SFERP’s roads were designed with climate resilience in mind — higher elevations, improved drainage, and durable materials to withstand extreme weather events. But resilience wasn’t only in the engineering.
Social resilience was built into the process:
Over 90% of unskilled labor came from project areas, creating local income opportunities and ensuring that community suggestions were implemented at the ground level, not just recorded in reports.
Hiring local workers also helped reduce risks of SEA, SH, and child abuse, as privacy and safety concerns were minimized.
In most sites (except isolated areas), women staff were engaged, and 5% of unskilled women workers participated in road stoning and meal preparation for contractor staff, turning the project into a source of livelihood.
A gender-responsive grievance redress mechanism (GRM) was established, incorporating multiple complaint submission modes so all community members could reach the PIU directly without fear.
“After the flood, I was jobless and struggling to feed my child. When the SFERP project started, I asked if they could provide work — and they did. It was the first time I earned money without leaving my village.” — Khamiso Khan, Village Faridabad, District Larkana
Intersectionality in Action
By addressing the needs of women-headed households, the elderly, persons with disabilities, low-income farmers, and home-based workers, these roads became more than transit routes, they became equalizers.
For a mother carrying her child to a vaccination center, a farmer transporting perishable vegetables, or a girl going to school, the road is not just a strip of asphalt, it is safety, opportunity, and dignity.
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At first, I questioned why the social team wanted to involve local communities, especially women and marginalized groups, in road design, I thought it was a waste of time. But after consultations, I was amazed at the insights they provided. They knew exactly where floodwater would flow and where culverts were needed. We made changes based on their suggestions, and now I believe community input is essential for building roads that truly work for everyone.” — Ghulam Asghar Kanasro, Project Director, SFERP
Community-Based Risk Reduction
These consultations weren’t just about design — they were about risk mapping. Communities identified flood-prone stretches, dangerous curves, and unsafe pedestrian areas. This knowledge directly shaped where culverts, speed control measures, and linkages were placed.
“When communities own the process, the result is infrastructure that is not only resilient but also respected and maintained.” — Sajjad Hussain Abbasi, Secretary Planning and Development, Government of Sindh
The result is infrastructure that serves as evacuation routes, market access points, and lifelines during emergencies.
The Road Ahead
SFERP’s achievement shows that roads can be built as tools for resilience when technical expertise and local wisdom walk hand-in-hand. The model proves that infrastructure can and should — address social inclusion, climate adaptation, and long-term vulnerability reduction.
“SFERP didn’t just build a road. They gave us a way forward.” — Raheem Mahar, Village Madaji Dhakan, District Shikarpur
Launched in response to the 2022 floods, SFERP set a new benchmark by completing the project well ahead of its December 2027 deadline, a rare achievement for emergency infrastructure projects. By incorporating local wisdom, engaging women in site staff roles, creating income opportunities for men and women, and providing direct channels for grievances, SFERP has created a model that could guide emergency projects around the world.
By Sana Siddique, Social Safeguard & Resettlement Specialist, Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project (SFERP), Planning & Development Department, Government of Sindh, Pakistan
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