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• DISASTER MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME
The Disaster Management Programme (DMP) was started in 1997 with the goal of reducing vulnerability of communities to emergencies and disasters. It aimed at strengthening their knowledge, organizational and management capacities in order to prevent or reduce effects of disasters and enhance their own recovery and reconstruction in situations of disasters. Only the first of the two Phases planned have been implemented. Phase I consisted of awareness creation workshops. Several workshops were run at both regional and national levels. Work was commenced on developing a DMP training curriculum participatorily by all the RCCS Coordinators and DMP facilitators. The material is yet to be completed although some RCCS have developed their own DMP curricula. Phase II was planned to focus on setting up early warning systems and on integrating DMP into other programmes of the respective RCCS.
This programme will continue in this Plan Period, but will be jointly re-conceptualized. In particular, it is important to not that there is a wide range of disasters, each requiring peculiar management approaches.
There is diversity among the regions regarding the types of frequently recurring disasters; hence, there is a limit to the extent of harmonization desirable at the national level. Within each region, there is also a spectrum of common disasters and hence the need to prioritize as to which deserve concentration of attention. In each region and on each type of disaster issue there are many concerned parties, hence the importance of networking and collaboration. Beyond the first Programme Phase of the general awareness creation workshops, each of these features needs to be carefully considered.
The programme will aim at working with the established disaster committees to develop local and relevant response mechanism. There is need to emphasize on Conflict mitigation/prevention but DOSS will also seek to intervene in conflict situations such as clashes between the Local Government and hawkers, and ethnic clashes where possible in a timely manner and by incorporating ‘do-no-harm' approaches and invoking traditional/cultural conflict resolution systems and mechanisms.
Special consideration will also be made for pastoralist concerns, a group that has been marginalized in the past.
The emphasis will be on facilitating for a for pastoralist groups from different ASAL regions in a bid to stimulate information sharing and mutual learning. Additionally, DOSS and the RCCS will promote the cultivation of drought-resistant/indigenous food crops to reduce the over-reliance on staples like maize. This is in pursuit of food security. Similarly, DOSS will lobby the government to revitalize agricultural extension services.
DOSS also recognizes the importance of environmental conservation in the context of Disaster mitigation.
DOSS will facilitate development of a training curriculum, which will also take cognizance of the complexities already noted.
At the national level, DOSS and RCCS will develop a policy on Disaster Management.
Disaster Mitigation and Preparedness
Previous Programmes
• Capacity building to communities on causes and effects of disasters
• Starting an educative communities on how to establish disaster early warning systems
• Training on disaster information collection and dissemination
• Humanitarian assistance in areas where disasters occur
Current Programmes
• Establishing disaster response team
• Training church leaders on climate change and environmental stewardship
• Provision of Humanitarian assistance when disaster occure
Challenges
• Lack of enough human and financial capacity to effectively prepare and respond to disaster
• Inadequate and inaccurate data on disasters that affect our people
• Lack of established early warning systems |
