The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors has approved $300 million in financing to expand access to clean drinking water and improved sanitation across rural parts of Sindh. The funding supports the first phase of the Sindh Transformational Accelerated Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Services Project (STAR WASH-1), designed to benefit roughly 1.5 million people in selected districts.
The project forms part of a larger $540 million co-financed effort intended to modernise basic utility services in the province. By building modern infrastructure and establishing formal service delivery mechanisms, the initiative builds on past provincial efforts, including the broader Sindh water sector improvement project framework, to target persistent public health challenges in vulnerable rural communities.
Tackling child stunting and public health
A primary goal of the initiative is to reduce the high rate of child stunting in the region. Unsafe drinking water and inadequate sanitation contribute to recurring intestinal infections among young children, preventing proper nutrient absorption and impairing physical and mental growth. In rural Sindh, more than 50 percent of children under five years old suffer from stunting.
World Bank Country Director for Pakistan Bolormaa Amgaabazar stated that unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene remain major drivers of Pakistan’s human capital challenges. The new initiative combines physical investments with community awareness campaigns to encourage safer domestic hygiene practices.
Climate-resilient infrastructure and institutional reform
STAR WASH-1 will finance climate-resilient engineering projects, including solar-powered water supply systems, upgraded sanitation facilities, and modern wastewater treatment units. These measures aim to ensure reliable supply while reducing operational costs and carbon emissions.
In addition to physical construction, the programme seeks to create financially sustainable rural utility management. It plans to support the formalisation of the Sindh People’s Housing for Flood Affectees (SPHF)—a government-owned non-profit organization—into a permanent, dedicated utility company responsible for rural water supply, sanitation, and hygiene services.
Aasan alfaaz mein
World Bank ne rural Sindh mein safai aur peenay ke saaf paani ke liye 300 million dollar ka loan manzoor kiya hai. Is mansoobe se taqreeban 15 lakh logon ko faida hoga aur bacchon mein bemarion ko kam karne mein madad milegi. Dehati ilaqon mein solar paani ke pump aur sewage ka behtar nizam banaya jayega.
