Nellore: Youths get training in disaster management

Nellore: One of the initiatives of Save the Children, a non-governmental organisation, is to train and empower adolescents to make effective use of their services in rescue and relief operations.

They are being trained in child protection, disaster management and advocacy to reduce child mortality during calamities in the coastal areas. School-based disaster management resource centres and mandal-based ones have been established in Indukurpeta, Chillakur, Kota and Vakadu in Nellore district. The programme is in progress in as many as 40 coastal villages in Nellore district.

As per a study, AP is ill-equipped to handle any major natural disaster, thus jeopardising the lives of children, one of the most vulnerable groups when disaster strikes.

According to Save the Children project coordinator E.R. Chandan Kumar and state programme manger Alka Singh, disasters and conflicts strongly affect children, not just in the crisis period directly after a disaster, but for long periods afterwards. Yet, children are often not included in preparedness and response. Further, the elderly, pregnant women and disabled are more vulnerable in any calamity.

"We have therefore decided to work with adolescent groups and youth and train them in disaster risk reduction to ensure protection to the community in the event of a cyclone and also to rescue and provide relief to the affected villages," the two spokespersons said.

In Andhra Pradesh, the project is being carried out in two districts, Nellore and East Godavari. "In Nellore, 40 villages have been selected to build resilience in children and empower them to cope with natural hazards," Mr Chandan Kumar said. He added that Save the Children initiated a response from 940 families in seven villages of Nellore district during the recent floods.