Message-ID: <m0ryaWe-0005m4C@dzowo.uem.mz> Date: Tue, 11 Apr 1995 05:58:42 -0400 From: Shaun Walsh <mailto:shaun@FHMAP.UEM.MZ> Subject: Disaster preparedness and response in Africa To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L
Greetings from Mozambique.I have worked in Africa for 14 years with various NGO's in various African countries in the areas of relief and development. At present I am focusing on the training of people to prepare themselves to better respond to an emergency. I am always surprised that no matter what the emergency is and which NGO's are responding I see the same basic mistakes being made over and over again. It is as if NGO's do not institutionalise their emergency response capacity and every new emergency is like the first day of school. I hope you appreciate that I am generalizing.
Sharing of information, operational collaboration, joint assessments and (the most complex and sensitive issue) joint fundraising are some of the areas NGO's, local and international, need to work closer together BEFORE an emergency happens.
Why am I posting this on the development list? I believe investment in collaborative disaster preparedness and response is the first step towards development. Every relief worker should see an emergency response as a development opportunity IF they are trained accordingly.
I would like to know if there are any listings, discussion groups, or the need for one, that I can join that encompasses some of the above thoughts?
Replies can be sent direct to my e.mail address and not through this general posting.
Regards Shaun
-- Shaun Walsh