Concept note development workshop held

Islamabad: In a ground breaking initiative, Community Resilience Activity North (CRA-N) organised a transformative three-day Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) Concept Note Development Workshop in Qandeel Madyan Tehsil Bahrain. 

The workshop brought together 60 participants, including community elders, youth and activists, from Chamot Abad, Jheil, and Thelba, located in Tehsil Bahrain marking a pivotal moment in enhancing the resilience of local communities against disasters.

In alignment with CRA-N's flood response project, the workshop explored vital topics including formulation of village Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) plans, providing hands-on training in first aid and firefighting, and developing concept notes for effective risk management. Participants actively engaged in a simulated emergency, participating in 1122 sessions, gaining valuable practical experience to apply essential skills and developing a concept note regarding the risk assessment and management in their respective villages.

A significant feature of the workshop was the active involvement of all attendees in establishing the Village Disaster Management Committee (VDMC) and its sub-committees. Each member contributed to defining specific roles, demonstrating a strong commitment to strengthening the community's disaster preparedness collectively.

Addressing the event, the chief guest of the workshop, Sikandar Khan, Assistant Commissioner Tehsil Bahrain commended the tangible advantages brought to the community by CRA-N, emphasising proactive measures such as developing a water channel for flood-affected areas. This initiative addresses immediate challenges and ensures the continuity of education for students in affected areas.

“CRA-N organises different fruitful training sessions for the communities on risk assessment and management of their area and officers from rescue 1122 mostly attend the planning sessions in which we give trainings about search and rescue, fire rescue and first aid.” said Zahir Mian Emergency Officer from Rescue 1122 in the workshop.

Gohar Yousaf, the CRA-N trainer, expressed, "This workshop has empowered the community to protect themselves. We want communities to understand that disaster plans can be specific to them." He further highlighted the strength that comes from unity, evident in the active involvement of every community member in the workshop.