Concern Universal – Bangladesh organized a 5-day residential training on Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR) and Participatory Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) from 26 – 30 October 2010 in Seva Kendra, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Representatives from 7 Non Governmental Organizations(NGO), BANDHAN, Association of Bengal Collaborators for Development (ABCD), Professional Institute for Development & Socio Environmental management (PRISM), Ramakrishna Loka Seva Kendra, SANLAAP,
Socio-legal Aid Research & Training Centre (SLARTC) and Women’s Interlink Foundation (WIF) joined in that workshop. Each day, we started our days with a chorus and a recap presentation of the last day’s issues and wherever we felt fatigue with R=(H x V)/C, Rushi (from WIF) spell bounded us with her enchanting melodies. It was so colourful and vibrant symposium that both the trainees and facilitators enjoyed a lot. It was also became a zone of cultural exchange between India and Bangladesh.
Day I(26th October ,2010):
The session was started at 9.00am. Manbendra Mondal, Dr. Aniruddha Dey, Fr. Shyamal were present in the opening session. Kanika chakroborty from CU-B’desh told us about the Concern universal activities in Bangaldesh and their CMDRR and Climate change adaptation project networks in Bangladesh, Nepal and India. All the participants introduced themselves and wrote 2-3lines about their expectations from the training. Trainees were divided in to three groups – Golap, Rajani Gandha and Palash.
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Inaugural speech by Mr. Manabendra Mondal |
After tea, there were detailed discussion on Disaster Risk reduction(DRR), Evaluation of DRR, Hazards, Vulnerability, Capacity , Risk, Duration, Early warning, forewarning, warning, frequency, period of occurrences, Speed on set disaster, Survivability, CMDRR vs CBDRR etc. After lunch, the subject of discussion was climate change and its effects on us. At the end, we got the interrelation between Disaster and Development.
Day-II (27th October, 2010):
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| Always helping !!! |
We met Mr. Hamid and got ideas of his activities in Bangladesh. He also told us about the administrative structures of his country. We had a series of discussion on community’s role and our and their (community) perceptions and participatory rural appraisal (PRA) and Participatory Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA). We did group works with 8 PRA tools in many charts and posters were made. There were discussions (arguments also !!!) on these charts and posters. After tea, there was session on Hazard assessment and also had group works to assess Hazards.
Day-III (28th October, 2010):
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| Saira Banu didi explaining her chart |
We had some confusion on assessing Hazards but were cleared after discussing with Mr. Hamid and Kanika Madam. We had detailed discussions on vulnerability , Two fold Capacity Measurement- To cope with Hazards and To cope with Vulnerability. Also learnt that in CMDRR perspective capacities are divided like these: -Hazard prevention and mitigation capacities (capacities addressing hazard) Survivability and community readiness capacities (capacities addressing vulnerability). We had group works on vulnerability and capacity assessments (prevention and mitigation). We displayed our works and it became quite interactive.
Day-IV (29th October,2010):
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| Group work going on - Rushi is serious !! |
We spend whole day in learning strategy development for CMDRR and to draw appropriate Action plan. We had lot of group works on it but never felt disgusted. Mr. Tarapada Babu ( from SLARTC) persuaded Fr. Raggi( Heah of Seva Kendra) to arrange a special lunch for us!! Big hands for him !!!
Day-V (30th October,2010):
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Tarapada da you are simply amazing !!! |
Fr. Shyamal, Manabendra Nath Mondal, Dr. Aniruddha Dey, Zahed( from CU-B’desh) joined with us. All the groups presented their report on Participatory Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA). There was a question answer session on it. After that, we had discussion on documentation, case story writing and sharing. After lunch, we had a serious discussion on Participatory Monitoring Evolution and Learning (PMEL) and connecting CMDRR with the Govt. policies. Mr. Mondal and Dr. Dey also joined with Mr. Hamid. The end session was on self sustainability of CMDRR in the community. At the end of the training representatives of all the 7 organizations submitted their next three months plans on introducing CMDRR.
