FOCUS Pakistan, WFP join hands to build capacity in Disaster Risk Management, School Safety
Islamabad, October 13: (PR) United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and Focus Humanitarian Assistance (FOCUS) Pakistan, an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of Community Based Disaster Risk Management and School Safety programmes in six hazard prone districts across Pakistan. The education sessions conducted through community platforms and schools is estimated to benefit 29,000 people.
“It is a great opportunity to spread the key message of safer schools across Pakistan. Transfer of knowledge, building on learnings from our ongoing School Safety Programme and effective coordination and consultation with government authorities and school communities remains pivotal to achieve the desired results,” said Nusrat Nasab, Executive Officer, FOCUS Pakistan, during a briefing session on the joint programme.
In recent years, natural disasters have impacted Pakistan significantly. According to a UNISDR (The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction) report, Pakistan was among the top 10 countries with most number of disasters between 2005 and 2014 with thousands of lives lost and the total damage estimated at $25 billion.
In a meeting held in Islamabad, WFP and FOCUS signed two agreements to work in Balochistan (Naseerabad and Jaffarabad districts), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Chitral and Shangla districts) and Sindh (Tharparkar and Sangarh districts) for a year starting September 2016. The partnership between WFP and FOCUS Pakistan aims to educate communities about Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and build capacity of Government, Department of Education and School Management Committees in School Safety.
In addition to educating the community, FOCUS Pakistan will also conduct training in disaster preparedness and response planning for trainers, teachers and facilitators in Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The sessions will be aided by information, education and communication (IEC) material provided by WFP along with school safety, first-aid and search and rescue kits in hazard-prone districts.
FOCUS is the agency of the Aga Khan Development Network for crisis response and disaster management. It has been working in Pakistan for more than two decades utilizing its knowledge and expertise to provide humanitarian relief and help vulnerable communities build resilience to natural and man-made disasters.
Most disturbing article, as it seems that FOCUS has washed its hands of solving the horrendous problems GB will be facing. Massive deforestation and de-vegetation which is continuing, destruction of the rangelands through ever increasing ruminants….how many millions feed on the fresh sapling which sprout forth every spring? Massive cracks which have been recorded by GSP. So the NGOs which have not been able to make any headway are now leaving it in the hands of the Government?
Am surprised to find that my comments have been removed. Any reason?