Iringa region - The International Organization for Migration (IOM) – the United Nations Migration Agency – in collaboration with the Disaster Management Department (DMD) of the Prime Minister’s Office has conducted a five days mentorship programme on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Iringa region.

The mentorship programme aimed at enhancing community participation in socially-inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction in the United Republic of Tanzania.

IOM and DMD brought together disaster volunteers from Dodoma, Iringa, Songwe and Tabora regions and officers from the Disaster Management Department from Dodoma, Tanzania Red Cross Society (TRCS) and Dar es Salaam Multi-Agency Emergency Response Team (DarMAERT) who participated as facilitators during the mentorship programme.

The volunteers learnt how to conduct basic first aid and evacuation, ensuring security and coordination during emergencies, importance of gender and vulnerable groups inclusion in disaster risk reduction, among other things. Various techniques were used by facilitators to impact volunteers with the required knowledge through presentations, practical trainings and simulation exercises.

The Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr.  Kaspar K. Mmuya commented that the government of the United Republic of Tanzania has shifted its paradigm from disaster response to prevention and preparedness.

Mmuya encouraged the volunteers to use the knowledge and skills acquired to educate their communities in order to strengthen resilience to disasters.

The five days mentorship programme had the following results:

Improved understanding of disaster volunteers on existing disaster management policy, institution and legal framework in the United Republic of Tanzania

Improved practical skills of disaster volunteers on life saving and evacuation during emergencies and disasters

Disaster volunteers appreciated the knowledge they have acquired from the mentorship and promised to share knowledge and skills on disaster risk reduction to the community through awareness raising activities in Dodoma, Iringa, Songwe and Tabora to reduce disaster risks and strengthen resilience of community to disasters.

Moreover, the volunteers promised to advocate among their Local Government to activate disaster management committees and resource-mobilize for disaster risk reduction as per existing legal frameworks on disaster risk management in the United Republic of Tanzania.

The activity was conducted with the support of IOM’s Development Fund.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Reuben Mbugi at rmbugi@iom.int or tel.: +255 718 983 910