WB okays $300m for human capital

The World Bank’s executive board has approved $300 million to widen access to water, sanitation and hygiene services for 1.5 million people in rural Sindh. The funding backs the first phase of the STAR WASH-1 project, which will build climate-resilient facilities, including solar-powered water systems and improved sanitation infrastructure.

The project also plans hygiene education, aims to halve contamination of water at the point of use and seeks to connect 80% of targeted communities with a professional service provider. It is expected to create more than 14,000 jobs and support the formalisation of a rural water and sanitation utility. The full project is valued at $540 million, comprising $150 million from the Asian Development Bank and $90 million equivalent from the Sindh government, alongside World Bank financing. The Express Tribune reported that STAR WASH-1 is the first stage of a four-phase programme planned over 10 years.