THEME/DISASTER/DISASTER PHASE
Preparedness/Earthquake-Multi-hazard / Pre-disaster

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION
Nuwakot, Bhaktapur

GOOD PRACTICE DETAIL DESCRIPTION

Schools in Nepal and the region are highly vulnerable to different kinds of disasters. Disaster awareness and preparedness at the schools is very low. There is urgent need of disaster preparedness in vulnerable schools in Nepal. Realizing this need, Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) and NSET with the funding support from American Red Cross (ARC) implemented the program  “Disaster Preparedness for Safer Schools in Nepal (DPSS)” to increase disaster awareness and improve the disaster safety of schools and communities through awareness, training and capacity building activities. The program was implemented in 50 schools from two districts ( Bhaktapur and Nuwakot) of Nepal during the period of Nov 2009 to Oct 2010. DPSS is further envisioned as a regional program to be implemented in few disaster prone countries of Asia on the basis of experiences & lessons learnt during first phase.

The program included development and adaptation of training curricula on school based disaster preparedness, delivery of training courses, preparation and implementation of school earthquake preparedness plans, disaster preparedness drills, community awareness and establishment of links between city/community preparedness plan and school preparedness plan.  Various activities such as 5-day course on School Based Disaster Preparedness Training of Trainers (SBDPTOT), 3-day course on Basic Disaster Management Training (BDMT), 4-day course on Basic First Aid Training (FA), 4-day course on -Light Search and Rescue Training (LSAR) and 3-day course on Disaster Preparedness Planning/Vulnerability & Capacity Assessment Training (DPP/VCA) were conducted. Also, various activities were implemented on Disaster Risk Reduction and Preparedness such as Vulnerability and Risk Assessment, Formation of Student Disaster Safety Clubs, Strengthening of Junior/Youth Red Cross (J/YRC), Preparation and implemention of School Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan, Support for Students’ Summits in districts, School Disaster Preparedness Drill, in 20 Schools, Developing Handbook on School Disaster Preparedness, and etc.

Secondly, with the objective to increase disaster awareness of communities, various Awareness Campaigns were carried on, like the orientation sessions to parents, community people and the leaders on concepts of hazards, disasters, preparedness and mitigation; Disaster Safety Rallies and also production and dissemination of relevant publications.

Third area of activities under this program focused on assisting institutionalization of disaster safety concepts through Involvement of key government and non-government institutions of education sector in the program; Program Advisory Committee at Central Level; District and local level stakeholder meetings; Preparation of draft National Strategy for institutionalization of Disaster Preparedness in Schools as well as Dissemination and Advocacy.

A total of 8,402 people got benefitted through numbers of disaster preparedness and risk reduction activities implemented in the DPSS program. 93 trainings on Disaster Preparedness and Disaster Risk Reduction were conducted and 20 communities and 50 schools of the program district were benefited through risk reduction and preparedness activities. As an outcome of the training activities five different training curricula on disaster preparedness was developed.

Now the program partners are implementing second phase of the program “DPSS2” in both the districts Nuwakot & Bhaktapur and also expanding to Rasuwa district.

OBJECTIVE

• Improve disaster safety of public schools through increased hazard awareness; improved disaster management skills among school children, teachers and parents; and by establishing proper disaster preparedness and response systems

• Increase disaster awareness of communities through disaster awareness and training programs and campaigns using schools as entry point

• Assist to institutionalize disaster safety concepts into regular education system by developing and assisting in implementation of national strategies for wide-spread application of concepts, approaches and methodologies to enhance disaster safety of entire education system throughout the country.

BENEFICIARY POPULATION

The communities, students, teachers and Red Cross volunteers of the program area

LESSON LEARNT

•  Mobilization of JYRC, Red Cross Volunteer seems very effective to aware community

• JYRC, School teacher and Management committee of Schools can take lead role to implement the preparedness activity

•  Involvement of security forces help to make smooth coordination with community

•  Some more intervention required to involve community for preparedness activity

•    Capacity building activities required for local government staff for sustainability of program

•  Involvement of NSET reinforced the smooth implementation procedure and built up the technical capacity of NRCS

 

REPLICATION POTENTIAL

Wide incorporation of local stakeholder, government partners during implementation of the initiation demonstrated the model as a sustainable and replicable one to other schools and community. Further high level of community acceptance of the conducted activities has showed that it has a high replication potential.

Second phase of the program “DPSS2” now being implemented in 3 districts is an example of its continuation and replicability.

PUBLICATION

Curricula for - School Based Disaster Preparedness ToT (SBDToT, 5 Days),

Basic Disaster Management training (BDMT, 3 Days)

Light Search and Rescue Training (LSAR, 4 Days),

Vulnerability Capacity Assessment/ Disaster Preparedness Plan training (VCA/DP, 3 Days),

Program Operation Guidelines for DPSS

IMPLEMENTING AGENCY

Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS), National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET), American Red Cross (ARC)