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Improving Living Conditions in Venezuela
                                                                                                           September 17, 2002
With more than half of its 2 million inhabitants living in unplanned squatter settlements, the Venezuelan capital of Caracas is faced with
immense challenge in delivering basic services to its people.

Responding to the government’s request for assistance, the World bank has initiated a $60.7 million Caracas Urban Upgrading Project,
which is among the largest World Bank-financed programs aimed at providing integrated, basic urban services to slum-dwellers. 

This project, which began in 1999, is the first of what is expected to be a long-term government program aimed at improving the living
conditions of slum dwellers not only in Caracas, but in other major Venezuelan cities as well.

About halfway through the projected five-year implementation period, and following a difficult beginning, the project has begun to show
clear and promising results.  So far, the project has improved the living conditions of approximately 250,000 residents living in the large
slum settlements of Petare Norte and La Vega in metropolitan Caracas.


Related Links:
      Venezuela
     Caracas Urban Upgrading Project

 

Updated: September 2002