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Add to Preferred SourcesThe Burundi Red Cross, in its Strategic Plan 2018-2021, focuses on the strengthening of disaster risk reduction community committees. In order to raise awareness to the importance of the aforementioned committees, an interactive radio show.
The topic was “Disaster Preparedness and Prevention for a Resilient Community.” Jean Baptiste Niyungeko, coordinator of Emergency operations at the Burundi Red Cross, said the improvement of the well-being of the community must results in its own vision and capacity.
“It is important for communities to be able to assess their vulnerabilities and capacity in order to properly design the mapping of local vulnerabilities and capacities. A community must also have a disaster and risk reduction plan of action,” said Jean Baptiste. He adds, this exercise saves many lives of communities and builds resilience in case of disasters.
Some communities have already understood the teaching of the Burundi Red Cross in terms of disaster preparedness and prevention. Sylvestre Gacece, head of Emergency Operations in the North of Burundi, says that Kirundo province, one of the provinces with recurring droughts, is one of good students.
“A lot of communities are thinking about reforesting their hills by planting tree nurseries because they already have maps of areas at high-risk,” he added.
The 5 callers in the radio show of Saturday, April 10, all seek to know when these DRR community committees will be more effective in their localities. Hence, Jean Baptiste Niyungeko clarifies and directs them. “To find out more, please contact the volunteers of your Local Red Cross Units who have been trained on disaster preparedness and prevention.” The Burundi Red Cross radio shows are run twice a month. This is the first and last Saturdays.
Original source: Croix-Rouge du Burundi
Published on 13 February 2018