(Friday Issue, 1 July 2016)
A
sensitization workshop on disaster risk reduction has just been concluded by a
community organisation known as Kairu Suu Federation, in collaboration with
ChildFund The Gambia and the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA).
Held
at Jambanjelly in Kombo South District, the training course involved board
members, staff, field workers and senior management team of Kaira Suu
Federation, which is also working with five community associations in Sanyang,
Tujereng, Jambanjelly, Sifoe, and Tanji.
Although
the training activity mainly covered officials of Kairu Suu Federation, its
essence borders on the whole nation because issues of disaster risk reduction
are issues of concern to all and sundry in our society.
Every
now and then we witness, hear and read reports about one disaster or the other
ranging from inferno to flood and other human catastrophes.
This
causes serious setback for direct victims of disaster and their relatives, as
well as members of the society. It as well affects public and private coffers
as salvaging measures are taken by both government and private institutions to
help out victims of disasters.
However,
it is worth noting that prevention is better than cure in trying to curb
disasters in society, as rightly stated by the regional manager of ChildFund
The Gambia, one of the supporting institutions of the training course.
“A
butut spent in preventing disaster is better than a dalasi spent in relief,” he
stated.
He
remarked that their approach at ChildFund is putting more emphasis on how they
could prevent disaster, saying rather than spending on relief to help disaster
victims, ChildFund places more emphasis on prevention, mitigation and
adaptation.
While
giving relief after disaster strike is actually essential, it is more essential
to help in preventing the occurring of disasters. So spending on training and
aspects that are geared towards preventing disasters is quite in place and
deserves more support to help in curbing the high rate of disaster occurrences
we are experiencing in the country.
“
Prevention is better than Cure”.
Anonymous
