In the heart of Dar es Salaam, the Msimbazi River has long been both a lifeline and a threat. Each rainy season, its waters swell, flooding homes, displacing families, and disrupting livelihoods. But today, the city is turning the tide—through a bold, integrated effort that places communities, data, and partnerships at the center of urban resilience.

The Msimbazi Basin Development Project (MBDP) is more than a flood control initiative. It is a transformational investment shaped by years of deep engagement, cutting-edge technology, and a shared vision for a safer, greener city. With support from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, and the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the $260 million project is reimagining how cities like Dar can grow sustainably in the face of climate risk. 

At the heart of this transformation is the community. Long before construction began, residents were invited to co-create the project’s vision. Through the Msimbazi Charrette—a nine-month participatory planning process—over 150 representatives from 59 institutions and thousands of citizens came together to map flood risks, identify priorities, and shape solutions. More than 300 students and locals were trained to use drones, GPS, and mobile apps to collect data, turning everyday citizens into urban planners. 

This community-generated data now guides the project’s design. It informs the layout of a new flood-resilient city park, the placement of green infrastructure like terracing and mangrove buffers, and the alignment of upgraded transport corridors. The park, once a degraded wetland, is being reborn as a vibrant public space that absorbs floodwaters, cools the city, and reconnects people with nature. 

Resettlement—often a difficult but necessary step—has been handled with care. Over 2,200 households from high-risk areas have been relocated to safer ground, with support for restoring livelihoods and maintaining social cohesion. Local institutions are also being strengthened to ensure that the gains made are sustainable and scalable.

GFDRR’s support has been instrumental throughout this journey. Since 2019, GFDRR has provided technical expertise on nature-based flood mitigation, spatial planning, and integrated watershed management. The City Scan for Dar es Salaam identified climate risks and employment vulnerabilities, while the City Resilience Program (CRP) analyzed the economic impacts of urban flooding. GFDRR also supported real estate assessments showing that flood protection could unlock up to $900 million in investment, and advised on the sequencing of resettlement and infrastructure. In FY24, CRP launched technical assistance to help organize investor solicitation for redevelopment areas made viable through flood-resilience investments. 

This support helped shape how flood risk is managed in Dar es Salaam. By providing evidence-based analytics, spatial modeling, and urban planning tools, GFDRR enabled planners to integrate infrastructure development with environmental restoration and social considerations. Its inputs led to the design of a multi-benefit investment plan that balances flood protection with land use optimization and ecosystem rehabilitation. The work also fostered consensus among government agencies, communities, and investors around a common vision for the Msimbazi Basin. This collaborative approach has been further strengthened by the involvement of development partners such as the Netherlands and Spain, whose co-financing and technical contributions have helped scale and sustain the project’s impact.

As a result, the city is advancing toward a more resilient, inclusive, and climate-smart urban redevelopment strategy—anchored in data, informed by risk, and ready to mobilize both public and private capital. The Msimbazi story demonstrates that transformational change is not just about infrastructure—it’s about building alignment, trust, and long-term commitment. With the support of GFDRR and other development partners, Tanzania is showing that resilience is not just a goal—it’s a process, and one that begins with listening to all the stakeholders, learning from past experiences, and leading together.