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AUDMP
Asian Urban Disaster Mitigation News - December 2001 & January 2002
This month's issue includes
the following features:
- Reconstructed school in Kavresthali
reveals the essence of community-based disaster management
- BUDMP's training workshop continues with a great success
- IUDMP to establish Center for Research on Disaster Prevention and Mitigation
- SLUMDMP pursues the goal of institutionalizing urban disaster mitigation
- ADPC to conduct a curriculum critique workshop on earthquake vulnerability reduction for cities (EVRC-1)
- SLUMDMP organizes the 4th Natural Disaster Mitigation (NDM-4) course
Should you wish to receive
the News by e-mail please send a message to the AUDMP Information
and Networking Coordinator at ccapikul@ait.ac.th
Please
click here to go to AUDMP monthly activity highlights
Reconstructed school in Kavresthali reveals the essence of community-based disaster management
Kathmandu, Nepal - At the ceremonial handover of the newly reconstructed earthquake-resistant school building of Kavresthali Lower Secondary School
to the community on January 12, 2002, Krishna Ghimire, a 7 th Grade
schoolboy, speaking on behalf of his classmates, said: "Thank you for making
my school safe. I suggest the next step should be to strengthen our homes..."
The young boy's speech is a brilliant example of awareness and
preparedness at the community level. This, however, did not happen
overnight. The active incorporation of community participation in the school
reconstruction process convinced the people of Kavresthali that it is worth
investing in earthquake-resistant structures.
Evidence of active community participation can be seen throughout. The masons who built the school are from Kavresthali. They were assisted by students, teachers and parents in the community. Funds and acquisitions of material were also generated by the community themselves. The training for masons conducted by the National Society for Earthquake Technology-Nepal (NSET-Nepal) was in itself a family affair, held in the evenings with hands-on demonstrations for all to see.
This school reconstruction in Kavresthali is part of the School Earthquake Safety Program initiated by NSET under AUDMP's Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Risk Management Project. The training
convinced local masons that constructing earthquake-resistant buildings using local materials and simple methods of construction is effective and affordable. One retrofitted or reconstructed school means about 20 masons trained on earthquake resistant technology. This creates a multiplier effect in which masons are able to convince homeowners to construct earthquake resistant houses. If each mason builds ten houses a year, 20 masons could reduce the vulnerability of 200 families.
In Kavresthali, the community library building is now being constructed with earthquake-resistant features.
Catch next month's issue of AUDMP News on how disaster management has diversified the livelihood
options of Kavresthali community.
BUDMP's training workshop continues with a great success
Bangladesh Urban Disaster Mitigation Project (BUDMP)
Tongi and Gaibandha, Bangladesh - In November, a total of 138 and 117 participants from civil communities, in Tongi and Gaibandha respectively, attended a one-day training workshop on the topic of 'Role and Responsibilities of Civil Societies in Urban Disaster Management' organized by CARE-Bangladesh and its partners, Association for Rural Devlopment (ARD) and Gano Unnayan Kendra of Gaibandha (GUK).
Widening its target, the workshop focused on new groups in educational and religious communities, including primary and secondary school teachers, scouts and guides, and religious leaders, in the hope to raise peopleÕs awareness on the role and responsibilities of civil societies in reducing the vulnerability of their city to disasters.
The workshop is designed in the light of vulnerability assessments of respective municipalities as a part of non-structural mitigation measures under phase I BUDMP.
IUDMP to establish Center for Research on Disaster Prevention and Mitigation
Indonesia Urban Disaster Mitigation Project (IUDMP)
Bandung, Indonesia - While Institute of Technology Bandung (ITB) is completing the replication phase under AUDMP, the IUDMP team is working towards setting up a Center for Research on Disaster Prevention and Mitigation at ITB to continue promotion of disaster mitigation in Indonesia.
Recently, Indonesia has started implementation of the decentralization and autonomy process which is a very profound change in the local relation to the central in all spheres of activity, including education.
ITB has undertaken the process and re-structured their institute. A socialization meeting has been planned for February 2, 2002 to discuss the establishment of the Center. ADPC will provide assistance in development of a business plan for the Center.
The successful establishment of the Center will greatly benefit Indonesia in the area of disaster management since IUDMP has built a body of knowledge in the field of disaster mitigation from the demonstration project in Bandung and replication in Bengulu and a few other cities. The Center can share the experiences in disaster mitigation and provide technical assistance to other cities all over the country.
SLUMDMP pursues the goal of institutionalizing urban disaster mitigation
Sri Lanka Urban Multi-Hazard Disaster Mitigation Project (SLUMDMP)
Sri Lanka - In the attempt to institutionalize of urban disaster mitigation in Sri Lanka, SLUMDMP organized a seminar at the Center for Housing Planning and Building (CHPB) on January 28, 2002. It was participated by the staff of the Faculty of Architecture, Moratuwa University, Sri Lanka.
To date, SLUMDMP has successfully organized four courses of the National Course on Natural Disaster Mitigation, which is targeted at practitioners and officials attached to local government institutions, including CHPB and the Sri Lanka Development Administration (SLIDA). The seminar is an effort to institutionalize disaster mitigation in the university system.
Since land use planning is viewed as one of the main streams of natural disaster management, the attempt is to integrate risk-based mitigation tools into the undergraduate and postgraduate curricula of urban planning schools.
ADPC to conduct a curriculum critique workshop on earthquake vulnerability reduction for cities (EVRC-1)
ADPC - Prior to the first regional Earthquake Vulnerability Reduction for Cities (EVRC-1) course scheduled for May 20-31, 2002 in Kathmandu, Nepal, ADPC will conduct a curriculum critique workshop during February 12-14, 2002 in Bangkok, Thailand. Its objective is to enhance the quality of course content to be delivered at EVRC-1.
International experts and scholars working in the area of earthquake engineering, mitigation and training will be invited to participate in the workshop.
For more information about EVRC-1, please contact Dr. Buddhi Weerasinghe at audmp@ait.ac.th
SLUMDMP organizes the 4th Natural Disaster Mitigation (NDM-4) course
Sri Lanka - Following the success of the three previously-organized NDM courses, the Center for Housing Planning and Building (CHPB) conducted the fourth NDM course during January 21-23, 2002 at the main auditorium of CHPB, Sunil Mawatha, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka.
A total of 16 participants from a range of disciplines attended the 6-day course, which was adjusted and re-designed in line with the ADPC's Urban Disaster Mitigation regional course to suit the natural disaster envrionment in Sri Lanka. The course comprised of four modules on urbanization and urban issues in Sri Lanka, hazard and vulnerability assessment, mitigation practices and insitutionalization as well as a field trip to the demonstration area of SLUMDMP-Rathnapura Municipal Council on which group exercies on disaster mitigation were based.
The necessity for inclusion of the subject area of NDM in the academic courses on urban planning was realized and stressed by the participants, from both governmental and academic disciplines.
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