M
C D D R Mobilizing Communities for Disaster Risk Reduction
DIPECHO
BANGLADESH
Our
Partners
Project
Overview:
The project will address a number
of different types of participants
living in communities at high
risk of earthquake, flood and
cyclone and the accompanying secondary
hazards of fire, river erosion
and tidal surge respectively.
In targeting participants the
project will pay particular attention
to those who suffer greater vulnerability
such as female-headed households,
girls, children, people with disabilities
and those who are otherwise marginalised
or socially excluded.
The project aims to work with
existing community groups and
people’s organisations to
ensure sustainability through
giving responsibility and ownership
of activities to established groups
in the community. Members of ActionAid’s
adult learning and empowerment
program (Reflect), who are mostly
women, will be included among
the participants. Other community
groups whose members are people
with disabilities, landless women
and adolescents will also be included.
There will also be direct benefit
for fifty of the most flood-vulnerable
households in the char areas of
Pabna.
At a government level, there are
established Disaster Management
Committees (DMC) at the District,
Upazila and Union levels. The
project will work with the members
of these committees to develop
their disaster preparedness and
response capacity and link them
to the community groups who will
be working on disaster preparedness
under this project. We will also
mobilise these community groups
to advocate to the government
for their rights and needs relating
to disaster preparedness. Other
institutional beneficiaries are
the management and staff of hospitals
and garment factories who will
build their capacity to respond
to disaster.
Expected
Results:
Result 1: Fisher folk communities
are better prepared to cope with
cyclone, tsunami and tidal waves.
Result 2: Institutions, in particular
hospitals and garment factories,
are better prepared to respond
to the adverse effects of earthquake
and related hazards.
Result 3: The capacity of community
groups is built to mobilise and
advocate for flood and earthquake
preparedness and response.
Result 4: Lessons learned and
best practices are disseminated
among authorities, donors and
partner coordination is enhanced.
Awareness
Raising & Policy Advocacy
Radio
is a powerful medium to disseminate disaster
preparedness messages to a large number of
people. Under the RRVC project three different
popular folksongs have been produced with
Earthquake preparedness messages which are
currently being broadcasted on radio Chittagong
three times a week in the afternoon. Folk
songs with flood preparedness messages will
be broadcasted in Kurigram just before the
flood season starts.
Training/Capacity
Building
Mock
exercises and simulation drills help people
to experience what a disaster situation would
be like. These exercises help people realize
what they should do and what not in case of
an earthquake. Having gone through such an
exercise people are much better prepared in
case a real disaster strikes. Therefore numerous
simulation exercises are being conducted in
hospitals, schools and garment factories.
Funded
by :
ActionAid
Vision
A world without poverty and injustice in which
every person enjoys their right to a life
with dignity.
ActionAid Mission
To work with poor and excluded people to eradicate
poverty and injustice.
Principle objective
Reduce the effects of frequent natural disasters
on the lives of vulnerable communities.
Specific
objective
Increase the awareness and response capacity
of local communities, institutions and authorities
to floods, earthquakes and cyclones
Facts
and Figures
•
Beneficiaries: 11,520
• Duration: 15 months
• Starting date: 1st October 2007 End
date: 31st December 2008
• Location: Chittagong, Dhaka, Pabna
• Title: Mobilizing Communities for
Disaster Risk Reduction
• Budget : 368,777 EUR
• Objective: Increase
the awareness and response capacity of local
communities, institutions and authorities
to flood, earthquake and cyclone
“This website has
been produced by ActionAid Bangladesh with the
financial assistance of the European Community.
The views expressed herein should not be taken,
in any way, to reflect the official opinion of
the European Community.”
