"Mainstreaming Community Disaster Risk Management" Course
March 13 - 17, 2006 - Kenya

Background

While working with communities in Asia, Africa and Latin America, IIRR has been concerned with the threats posed by natural hazards to lives, livelihoods, food security, health and nutrition. In the greater horn of Africa, persistent drought brings about heavy loss in human, material and physical resources and damages the environment. It causes the deaths of many people, destroys the economy of large areas and sets back gains made in many years of development efforts. Over 40% of the regions population live in drought-prone arid and semi-arid areas.

IIRR-Africa in collaboration with Cordaid documented good community practices in dealing with drought and also developed a tool kit that can be adopted as a resource material. In Asia, IIRR has integrated disaster risk management into its community work with people affected by volcano and typhoon. In Latin America, IIRR has developed a capacity building program for community members and development workers on how to plan and manage disaster risks. The key challenge is to enable communities to withstand or cope with hazards.

The Course

The course aims at strengthening the capacities of development workers to mainstream disaster risk management in the planning and implementation of community development efforts. More specifically, the course will enable participants to:

• Understand various disaster risk management frameworks;
• Understand the philosophy, concepts and principles of community managed disaster risks;
• Examine different types of disaster risks including drought and responses by communities;
• Understand the process of drought cycle management and the impact of major hazards like HIV/AIDS;
• Understand the community planning process and participatory tools to use;
• Develop action plans to support community disaster risk management efforts.

Facilitation

IIRR is bringing Rustico Biñas (IIRR-Latin America Director), an experienced facilitator with special Disaster Risk Management expertise in Asia and Latin America. In addition, IIRR's Dr. Isaac Bekalo, who led the documentation of Drought Cycle Management Took Kit, will be among other experienced facilitators.

Duration

Five days, 13th to 17th March 2006

Venue

Nairobi (specific location to be determined later)

Fees

Six hundred fifty dollars ($650) including full board accommodation, materials and local transport.

The course is limited to key staff of relevant organizations on first-come first-serve basis.

For more information and booking please contact:

Eunice Juma
P. O. Box 66873-00800
Nairobi , Kenya
Telephone: 254-20-4442610/4440991
Fax: 254-20-4448148
Email: admin@iirr-africa.org and/or training@iirr-africa.org

Click to download course flyer

8 Posted on : February 10, 2006