Doing our part in Disaster Preparedness

By Karen Allen, UNICEF Pacific Representative

Girl paddling canoe, Malaita © UNICEF Pacific/2013/Allen

The UN, Governments, and NGOs are all about Disaster Preparedness these days, and rightly so. "Get Ready. Disasters Happen" is the slogan for a UNICEF Pacific disaster preparedness package of assistance to disaster prone areas.

Last week I was in the Solomon Islands talking to people involved with disaster preparedness and response. While impressed with our systems and knowledge for disaster risk mitigation, I was also reminded that we have to recognize the limits and really commit to helping people quickly and effectively when disaster strikes. Jacob, a UNICEF WASH staff, told me,

Back to School Support for Children Affected by Tropical Cyclone Evan

Tents that will act as temporary learning spaces, and School-in-a-Box kits to equip the temporary classrooms, were part of the support provided by UNICEF to the Ministry of Education to help get children back to school. In addition, back packs containing stationery sets are being provided to assist with the educational needs of primary school students affected by Tropical Cyclone Evan.

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UNICEF Pacific Emergency Assesment

Emergency assessment student focus group discussion - social protection, in Tavua, Western side of Fiji that was affected by the March floods.

Torrential rains caused by Tropical Depression TD17F caused widespread flooding on 30 March 2012 in particularly the Western Division of Fiji. The floods killed four people and temporarily displaced 15,000 people, causing damages to infrastructure, schools, homes, businesses and agriculture. With power and electricity disrupted for days, at least 150,000 people were affected. A State of Natural Disaster was declared for parts of the west of Fiji.

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