Students being trained on disaster risk reduction
Students being trained on disaster risk reduction
Published: 11:35 am Aug 19, 2018
Kavre, August 18 Ritu Tamang,15, from Phalate of Bhumlu Rural Municipality, lived in a makeshift tent, along with her family, for several months after the 2015 earthquakes. Her school was closed for almost three months. “I was so terrified and fear stricken. I did not have any knowledge about disaster risk reduction,” she said. “But after taking training on disaster risk reduction I have learned about the safety measures to be adopted during the time of disaster. I am more prepared mentally for such disasters,” she shared. Disaster risk reduction training helped Ritu learn about pre-disaster and post disaster preparedness. After the devastating earthquakes of 2015, the government and the non-government organisations focused on reconstruction, but now they have started focusing on making children aware of disaster risk reduction. Educating high school students about the calamities has enabled them to handle difficult situation much effectively than before. “I have learnt about safety measures to be adopted during earthquakes and other natural calamities like lightning,” Ritu shared. She is a ninth grader at Sharada Secondary School, Bhumlu. Narayan Sapkota, School Management Committee Chair of Shree Gorakhnath Basic School said that after earthquake they had become more concerned about disaster preparedness. According to Sapkota, they had formed School Disaster Management Committee after the earthquake and conducted various awareness programmes on disaster risk reduction. Making students aware about DRR is very effective way to spread awareness in society as they share their learning with family members,” said Sapkota. Many INGOs, NGOs and government agencies are conducting awareness raising programmes at various schools in Kavre. ADRA Nepal, an NGO, has been conducting awareness activities with local partners at schools in the district. Director of ADRA Nepal Yubaraj Chaudhary said in the wake of the devastating earthquake all the governmental and non-governmental organisations focused on reconstruction of physical infrastructures. “If people are not aware about the safety measures, building alone cannot ensure safety,” said Chaudhary. “Therefore, we have decided to make schools aware about Disaster Risk Management,” Chaudhary added.