Training of Trainers on Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Management

From May 30th to June 3rd 2016, the Disabled People’s Organization of Quang Tri province conducted a Training of Trainers (ToT) course on disability inclusive community-based disaster risk management (DiCBDRM) for 15 participants in Dong Ha, Quang Tri province. The participants were persons working in the fields of disaster risk reduction (DRR) and disability, such as the Disaster Management Center (DMC), the DDR Technical Assisting Groups in Quang Tri and Quang Ngai provinces, the Department of Social Protection of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), Quang Tri Disabled People’s Organization (DPO) and Quang Ngai Blind Association. The training was co-implemented by the Quang Tri DPO, DMC and Malteser International, in collaboration with other governmental departments.

During the 5-day training, participants shared their knowledge on basic concepts of DiCBDRM, such as vulnerabilities, disaster risks and levels, disability, gender and equality. They also practiced intensively using the various tools for disability inclusive community-based disaster risk assessments. These tools are part of the technical government manuals, however many of the DDR technical assisting group members were lacking confidence in using them. Possible obstacles in applying the assessment tools and practical solutions were openly discussed. The training gave also the possibility for those working on disability issues to share with the DRR stakeholders the challenges and needs of people with disabilities in their local communities in the event of disasters.

Participants were positive that the content and methodology of the course would be relevant to their future work. “I do now have a very good understanding of how to organize a training session using a participatory approach, and how to instruct participants to use community-based disaster risk assessment tools. The training content was very specific. After every session, there was a discussion on the possible obstacles that we might encounter on future training for provincial and district officers, as well as their solutions. We found this activity very useful”, said Mr. Ta Manh Hung, a representative of the Office of Emergency Relief, the Department of Social Protection.

The ToT on DiCBDRM is the first among many capacity building activities for DRR and disability stakeholders of the project “Widening the participation of people with disabilities in community based disaster risk management in Vietnam”, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and Malteser International throughout the next two years.