Disaster risks and hazards
have different impacts on different
population groups. When a disaster strikes,
children are typically among the most
vulnerable population group affected,
especially those attending school. Yet
children are also extremely resourceful, and
have proven many times that they can
stimulate change, and can act as efficient
risk communicator, disseminating and sharing
their knowledge with other children, their
families and the community. Therefore,
learning about disaster risks in school will
enable children to play an important role in
protecting themselves and members of their
community. By adopting a rights based,
child-focused approach within activities, in
particular within community awareness
raising, DREC will play a dual role in
encouraging both the active participation of
children as well as the support of their
parents.
Taking advantage of the fact
that teachers are often seen as key
community leaders and so are considered
appropriate transmitters of community
information and guidance in the rural areas
of Lao, DREC target beneficiaries cover also
the teachers and school staffs. Introducing
disaster risk education modules in the
school curriculum will foster awareness and
better understanding amongst both the
children and teachers about the immediate
environment they live in, and help to reduce
the risks faced by children and their
community.
Project Duration
1 year (July 2007 to June 2008)
Target Area
Sayaboury District in Sayaboury province,
Lao PDR
Project Partners
The Sayaboury District Education Department
Relevant provincial and
national level education staff inlcuding the
provincial teacher training department and
the National Research Institute for
Education and Science (the department within
the MoE responsible for curriculum
development).
-
The Lao Women Union (LWU)
-
The National Disaster
Management Office (NDMO)
-
The Lao Youth Union (LYU)
-
The Lao Red Cross
Project Goal
Reduce vulnerability and poverty in Lao PDR,
particularly amongst children, women and
marginalised groups.
Project Purpose
To reduce the vulnerability of children,
their families and teachers in Sayaboury to
hazards and risks through increasing the
knowledge and understanding of children
about disaster risk reduction in order to
protect, empower and support them to have a
voice in their community.
Target Groups and
Beneficiaries
Teachers from the target schools
Secondary School children
from the selected schools in Sayaboury
Expected Outcomes
(i) A
cadre of teachers from upper primary and
lower secondary grades who have received
training and are capable of delivering high
quality disaster risk education modules,
materials and teaching aids for upper
primary and lower secondary grades, which
are focused on local level hazards and risk
reduction strategies. Indirectly, all 69
teachers (including 35 female) will benefit
from training (in terms of new skills and
approaches integrated into the entire school
system)
(ii) Children from all
upper primary and lower secondary grades of
the 4 target schools, (and indirectly the
total school population of 1485 students
(including 626 female), directly benefiting
from disaster risk education and related
extra-curricula activities i.e. school
activity club programs. Similarly, out of
school children from the 4 target villages
who participate in the DRM clubs will
benefit directly from increased awareness of
and involvement in DRR activities.
Indirectly, all out of school children will
benefit from increased community awareness
and resilience to hazards and disasters.
(iii) A set of disaster
risk reduction modules to be taught in
primary and lower secondary schools,
compatible with local and national
requirements, developed in conjunction the
central and local departments of DoE, and
which have the potential to be replicated
into other locations in future.
(iv) A program of
extra-curricular activities related to
disaster risk reduction within each target
school which will include the formation of
after-school DRM clubs intended to raise
awareness within the target communities
through enhancing the role of children as
‘agents of change’.
Project Activities
OBJECTIVE
1:
To promote awareness of
disaster risk reduction amongst teachers,
parents and school children.
Output 1.1:
Inclusive
Disaster Risk Management (DRM) modules and
learning materials developed for upper
primary and lower secondary levels using
participatory approaches.
Activity 1.1.1:
Review of existing materials and
identification of localised issues:
Activity 1.1.2:
Development of appropriate and inclusive
DRM modules and learning materials
including incorporation of localised
inputs using participatory lesson plan
development techniques
Output
1.2:
In-service teachers of selected schools
oriented in use of developed modules and
materials
Activity 1.2.1:
Organise orientation training course
Output 1.3:
Pilot modules and learning materials tested
for effectiveness and inclusiveness
Activity 1.3.1: Test modules and
learning materials through key teachers
in selected schools.
Output
1.4:
Activity 1.4.1 Organise one
district level Review Workshop
OBJECTIVE 2:
To support
children and youth to take a leading role in
their community for school safety, educating
parents on Disaster Risk Management (DRM)
and advocacy for vulnerability reduction
Output 2.1
Children’s DRM clubs established in four
target locations, including members not
participating in school
Activity 2.1 Children’s DRM club
programs (i.e. after-school) supported
Output 2.2
Members encouraged and supported to take
leadership role in educating parents and
community on DRM
Activity 2.2 Support Community
Advocacy Initiatives
OBJECTIVE
3:
Ensure
effective and efficient project management
Output 3.1:
Project
planning and management systems established
Output 3.2:
Project M&E
plan, including data management and
reporting systems, established and
operational
