By Anna-Emilia Hietanen | Project Leader
Hi!
You can't prevent natural disasters. But can you be prepared for them? Sure you can. You might not be able to avoid all the damages, but if people are more prepared and know what to do in a case of natural disaster, its consequences can be at least less disastrous.
In Mexico, the hurricane season takes place between June and November every year. During these months, the coastal regions, including the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero are most vulnerable to suffer from natural disasters. In addition to storms and hurricanes, the coast of Guerrero and Oaxaca is also vulnerable to earthquakes. This is why it is important to not only attend the consequences of disasters, but also train the communities to be more prepared to the catastrophes.
As Yolanda from Cuajiniquilapa commented to us: “We think it is important that people learn to prevent things when there is a catastrophe… What they can do to prevent diseases, for example. People have already lost so much, learning to manage all these emotions would also be important.”
To answer to these needs, Yo quiero Yo puedo (IMIFAP) has developed educational materials on what to do in case of natural disasters. The materials are brief and easy to read, with simple and concrete instructions in themes like: first aid; personal hygiene and hygiene in the house; taking care of the babies in a case of a disaster; how to store prepare food and water in order to avoid diseases; team work and management of emotions. There are materials for both adults and children, as it is important that children learn the basic instructions too. This way, they can participate in the activities to help their families and communities, be less vulnerable in case of losing family members and learn to be responsible citizens when they grow up.
The educational materials are important, but in our opinion, they can be more effective if they are used as part of a training process. The communities we work with, have expressed their interest in participating in workshops on these themes. This is why Yo quiero Yo puedo (IMIFAP) has also developed a 10-hour course for the communities. We will start implementing with three courses, two in Guerrero and one in Oaxaca during September. I’ll keep you posted!
Thank you for continuing to help the marginalized communities of Guerrero and Oaxaca!
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