Child peer educators learning about disaster preparedness

MERCY Malaysia is working with Save the Children UK to fund a Child-led Disaster Risk Reduction Project in Sichuan province, China using funds raised as part of MERCY Malaysia’s China Earthquake Fund. Due to a number of constraints at the time, MERCY Malaysia was unable to go to Sichuan to provide emergency relief. In order to ensure that the funds reach the people of Sichuan, MERCY Malaysia is partnering with Save the Children UK to build community resilience to disasters.

Through child participation, the project aims to reduce the disaster risks facing children, their families and their communities in three Sichuan communities which are still recovering from the May 2008 earthquake.

Save the Children has trained 25 community volunteers in Gao Guan and Qianfo villages as well as 56 school students, aged 13-14 years, as peer educators, in Tashui township.

The community volunteers in both villages are in the process of conducting villager training on disaster preparedness with the rest of the community members in their village.

In Gao Guan village the volunteers are holding meetings in each sub-division of the village to share disaster preparedness information with residents. The tips generally focus on earthquake but also include tips on lightning and drowning.

In Qianfo, due to the dispersed nature of the households, the community volunteers are going house to house to share disaster tips. The volunteers are going from house to house to raise awareness about landslides as the village was badly affect by landslides caused by the May 2008 earthquake.

Child peer educators complete the Risk & Resource map in Tashui Junior High School

The child peer educators have trained students and teachers at Tashui Junior High School in Risk and Resource Mapping. They have completed a baseline map of the school and have continued consultations to identify the risks and problems in the school.

Using the education materials they designed, the child peer educators then conducted an educational campaign on fire prevention and escape in Sanmenxia and Zhoukou pre-fabricated settlements, in Tashui township; 500 community members from each settlement participated.

In Gaoguan village the children conducted an educational campaign on how to protect yourself in case of an earthquake; 207 community members participated. Participants included village leaders and parents.

So far, the project has reached over 2,500 community members and more than 1,000 school students. With a year left in the project it is expected to build disaster resilience in the target communities.

Umar Abdul Azeem
Senior Programme Officer