October 13 — International Day of Disaster Reduction: Peace Winds provides communities disaster resistant training and construction for a better tomorrow
The 2017 disaster season was one of the worst in history. Many world-class scientists claimed that 2018 would be the same or worse. This prediction has sadly come true.
The 2018 disaster season has brought powerful typhoons and hurricanes, massive storms with flooding and landslides, a deadly summer heatwave that scorched the northern hemisphere, accompanied by wildfires and droughts. The year is not finished, yet already in 2018 thousands have died and hundreds of thousands have been displaced, many with little or no resources or support to recover from the devastation.
Many of the world’s poorest countries are the most disaster prone. More deaths occur in these countries because they do not have the infrastructure and preparedness measures that save lives during and following disaster. These countries spend a larger portion of their GDP on disaster response and recovery than other countries. These response and recovery costs reduce any investment in disaster mitigation the countries and citizens wish to make.
Reducing the impact of disaster is one of the most important elements of effective disaster response. Peace Winds partners with NGOs and governments in disaster prone countries to support programs to help build resilience against disasters and empower communities through disaster response and reduction education. Peace Winds currently has an active program in Haiti to train masons and carpenters in disaster resistant construction techniques. The trained graduates are building community centers in the Saint Jean du Sud area, which suffered major damages from Hurricane Matthew and a recent earthquake on October 6. Peace Winds is developing a program in the Philippines to provide disaster resistant construction following Typhoon Mangkhut, which ripped through the country in mid-September.
By encouraging and providing mitigation and preparation solutions, communities and countries can reduce human and economic loss, giving their citizens hope for a brighter future.
READ MORE about Peace Winds’ preparedness initiatives and programs.
DONATE HERE to support Peace Winds’ disaster preparedness programs.