Project Overview
During the war, BiH suffered extensive destruction of housing, severe damage to its infrastructure and economic activities in addition to widespread incidence of murder and rape of civilians. Over 40% of the housing stock was damaged or destroyed. The habitable homes left behind by displaced persons and refugees were in most instances occupied by other displaced persons in search of shelter.

When open hostilities ceased with the signing of the Dayton Peace accord in 1995 Islamic Relief also began undertaking long-term reconstruction and income and employment generation programmes.

Project Background
Families are unable to return to their pre-war homes because they were damaged or destroyed during the war. They have frequently been forced to occupy Serb houses, and are now being evicted as their original owners seek to repossess their properties.

Although some families do wish to return to their original homes many others do not. This is particularly the case for female headed households. The latter are reluctant to return to their pre-war homes since they now lie in Serb majority areas.

Project Objectives
To assist in the physical reconstruction and repair of war damaged housing so that vulnerable sectors of the population are able to return to their pre-war homes or build alternative housing in Muslim majority areas.

Project Activities
In instances where the family can provide labour themselves or cover the costs of hiring labour, this project provides reconstruction materials. In cases where the family cannot, commonly because it is a female-headed household or the household head is sick or infirm; this project provides reconstruction materials and also covers the labour cost associated with reconstruction and repair.

In previous years, Islamic Relief has reconstructed several hundred houses as well as five schools.

Beneficiaries
Returnees to Serb majority areas in eastern Bosnia & Herzegovina, orphan families and other vulnerable sectors of the population. Since the relative cost of the project is high and heavily dependent upon donor funding which has not been forthcoming this year, it is envisaged that assistance will be limited this year to around 20 families.