Saturday 23 March 2013

Week 8: Exercise

1. Do you know of any community-level DRR programmes in your cities? If so, do they follow a model which is more similar to that of Guardianas de la Ladera, in Colombia, or the NUDECs in Brazil? What do you think that the strengths and weakness are of such an approach?

I have not heard much about DRR programmes in Ho Chi Minh city in reality. Although searching for information of any community-level DRR programmes in the city, I found the city plan on community-based DRR (2012) and the report from People's Committee on implementation of DRR in Ho Chi Minh city for the period of 2007-2012. The approach mentioned in the plan is somehow more similar to that of the NUDECs in Brazil, with focus on training for core groups in the communities. According to this report, community-based DRR has been implemented in HCMC through trainings for local people at highly vulnerable sites, broadcasting on radio about DRR, distributing printouts on natural disaster preparedness, and risk mapping. However, it seems that the level of participation/involvement/interaction of communities in Ho Chi Minh city is not as high as in the NUDECs example from Brazil. Those trainings in Ho Chi Minh city are still kind of top-down approach.

While acknowledging that it takes time and motivated efforts, I like the NUDECs approach. As Daphne said, it goes beyond community-based DRR, toward community development, building community resilience, community empowerment, enhancing social capital and social connectedness which are very important and precious resources.

2. Do you think that either of the Latin American examples might successfully be adapted for implementation in your local reality? If so, why? And how might you go implementing such a programme?

Yes, I think the NUDECs example might successfully be adapted for implementation in Ho Chi Minh city. There has been already a model project at one community in district 4, ward 8 of Ho Chi Minh city with this community-based approach but for climate change adaptation in general, not just focus on DRR. I would like to share here the handbook for community action, which is also one results from this model project, showing how climate change adaptation can be done through community-based approach, through organizing community workshops involving, consulting local people.

I attached also here another document on Good Practice of Community-Based DRR in Nepal.

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