Building Foundation for Development

Building Foundation for Development (BFD) is a non-governmental and non-profit organization established in 2014. It began its operations in Yemen and expanded its activities to Sudan, where it was formally registered as an international organization in 2022. BFD works to improve the lives of vulnerable communities through integrated humanitarian and development interventions in health, nutrition, WASH, food security, livelihoods, protection, and climate resilience.

BFD has strengthened its engagement in the climate and health agenda, aligning closely with the World Health Organization’s Climate Change and Health Unit. The organization implements community-based resilience projects that integrate climate adaptation into health, nutrition, and water programs, addressing the impacts of floods, droughts, epidemics, and food insecurity.

BFD is a full member of the CHS Alliance, ICVA, Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN), and holds ECOSOC consultative status with the United Nations. It is also an accredited UNEP partner and an active contributor to global networks promoting climate, health, and humanitarian collaboration.

As a formal partner of ATACH, BFD actively contributes to advancing the COP26 Health programme Commitments, promoting locally led, climate-resilient, and health-centered solutions for sustainable development.

Supporting the following commitments

• Commitment 1: Conduct climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessments (V&As) at population level and/or health care facility level.

BFD has conducted community-based climate and health vulnerability assessments in flood- and drought-prone districts in Yemen and Sudan, identifying priority risks such as malnutrition, waterborne diseases, and climate-sensitive outbreaks.

• Commitment 2: Develop a health national adaptation plan (HNAP) informed by the health V&A, which forms part of the National Adaptation Plan.

BFD supports national authorities in integrating health priorities into Yemen and Sudan’s national adaptation planning processes by contributing technical inputs from field assessments and resilience programming.

• Commitment 3: Use the V&A and HNAP to facilitate access to climate change funding for health.

BFD utilizes evidence from vulnerability and adaptation assessments to support government partners and local actors in mobilizing climate-health financing, including proposals to UN agencies and climate funds.

• Commitment 4: Set a target date by which to achieve health systems net zero emissions (ideally by 2050).

BFD is working toward low-carbon and energy-efficient health operations, promoting the use of solar power and waste reduction practices, while aligning with WHO guidance toward net zero health systems by 2050.

• Commitment 5: Deliver a baseline assessment of greenhouse gas emissions of the health system (including supply chains).

BFD is initiating baseline assessments of greenhouse gas emissions across its health and nutrition operations, including facility-level energy use, supply chain transport, and waste management practices.

• Commitment 6: Develop an action plan or roadmap by a set date to develop a sustainable low carbon health system (including supply chains).

BFD is developing an internal roadmap to align its health and WASH operations with low-carbon and environmentally sustainable standards, integrating renewable energy, waste reduction, and climate resilience measures into project design.

Country experience:

Yemen

Since its establishment in 2014, BFD has implemented extensive programs in Yemen addressing climate-related health and nutrition challenges. These include integrated health, nutrition, WASH, and livelihood interventions in areas affected by floods, droughts, epidemics, and food insecurity. The organization conducts climate and health vulnerability assessments, supports local adaptation planning, and promotes climate-resilient primary healthcare systems. The table below shows the sample of BFD work and accomplishments in health sector

Intervention	Number
Health Facilities Covered by Medical Waste Management equipment	185 facilities
Health Facilities with Rehabilitated WASH Systems	+400 facilities
WASH Facilities Constructed	29 new facilities
Incinerators Installed for Medical Waste	24 incinerators
Health Workers Trained on Medical Waste Management	633 workers
Health Facilities Covered by Solar Systems	78 facilities
Solar Power Installed for Health & WASH Facilities	109 kW

 (Commitments 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6)

Sudan

Following its registration as an international organization in 2022, BFD expanded its operations to Sudan, focusing on climate-resilient health and food security programs. The organization supports early recovery, resilience, and nutrition-sensitive interventions in flood-affected and drought-prone communities while collaborating with national authorities and international partners to integrate climate action into humanitarian response. (Commitments 1, 2, and 3)

Links:

Site in English: https://bfdint.org/