LocationsCommunity infrastructure is the foundation of recovery
Repairing what matters
October 22, 2025
After Cyclones Idai and Kenneth caused devastation and suffering in Mozambique in 2019, UNDP and its partners took a pragmatic, local-first approach.
Photo: UNDP Mozambique
We often speak of grand visions like sustainable development and lasting peace, but when crisis strikes, it is the basics that collapse. The water system. The school. The clinic. The roof overhead.
These are the threads that hold communities together. And if recovery is to take root, it must start here, with the tangible. Fix what people depend on every day.
New UNDP research shows that early investment in repairing community infrastructure such as roads, irrigation canals, homes and health centres delivers far greater impact than many of the megaprojects that dominate global headlines.
Rebuilding from the ground up in Dominica
When Hurricane Maria struck Dominica in 2017, it affected everyone on the island. UNDP’s response was both practical and transformative.
More than 5,000 homes were reroofed using hurricane-resistant standards, directly supporting thousands of vulnerable families. With housing restored, children returned to school, clinics reopened and local economies revived.
Dominica's recovery went beyond physical repair. National building codes were upgraded, embedding resilience and climate adaptation into the country’s future.
Photos: UNDP Dominica
The recovery went beyond physical repair. National building codes were upgraded, embedding resilience and climate adaptation into the country’s future. Eight years later, much of that infrastructure is still in use, proof that quality and inclusion make recovery last.
Recovery in Dominica began not in the capital, but in the carpentry workshops and rooftops of village communities.
Rebuilding markets, trust and resilience in Mozambique
After Cyclones Idai and Kenneth caused devastation and suffering in Mozambique in 2019, UNDP and its partners took a pragmatic, local-first approach.
Markets and clinics were rebuilt with solar power and sanitation facilities. Local firms were contracted, creating jobs and trust. Hazardous materials were safely managed.
As a result, 8,800 people had services restored, and the country took a step away from dependence toward resilience.
Real recovery requires both speed and coverage. Investing early, but also sufficiently, is essential to prevent future disasters from undoing progress.
Photo: UNDP Mozambique
In Mozambique markets and clinics were rebuilt with solar power and sanitation facilities. Local firms were contracted, creating jobs and trust.
Photo: UNDP Mozambique
Yet the gaps remain. Half of the damaged infrastructure is still unrepaired years later, and many households have fallen deeper into poverty. The lesson is clear: real recovery requires both speed and coverage. Investing early, but also sufficiently, is essential to prevent future disasters from undoing progress.
Locally-driven, lasting impact in Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, UNDP’s community infrastructure work stands out for its locally-driven model.
Communities have rebuilt homes, irrigation systems and water supply networks using sustainable, locally appropriate methods. More than four million people have benefitted.
Every project began with community meetings to identify needs and priorities. The use of mud-brick construction and solar panels kept housing affordable and resilient.
The results endure. Over 80 percent of the infrastructure built remains functional years later, proving that when people lead the process, recovery lasts.
Starting with what people need most
These are not billion-dollar megaprojects. They are community-led, cost-effective solutions with real impact. Every US$1 invested in resilient infrastructure yields $4 in benefits.
But beyond the economics lies something deeper. In places battered by crisis, seeing a school reopen or a clinic come back to life signals that normalcy is possible again.
As these stories show, repairing what matters is the foundation for recovery and the catalyst for sustainable development. When the next crisis hits, communities everywhere must have what they need to rebuild their lives, not just to cope but to thrive.
Recovery depends on getting the basics right. UNDP’s message is simple. Listen to local communities. Invest early in community infrastructure. Repair what matters most.
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