Since its registration in 1952, INF has responded to many disasters over the decades. We recognise that disasters disproportionately affect the poor, marginalised and vulnerable populations we work with.
In December 2015 INF created the Disaster Response and Resilience Department [DRRD], which aims to minimise the impact of natural disasters by enhancing community disaster resilience, preparing INF for disasters and, in the future, coordinating relief response to disasters.
The DRRD is based in Pokhara and consists of six members, including the DRRD manager, Thomas. The focus of DRRD work can be divided into three sections:
• Disaster Preparedness – training INF staff about disaster responses; partnering with Government and other organisations; establishing equipment stocks; establishing structures that can respond.
• Disaster Management – responsible for coordinating disaster responses and networking with partners.
• Disaster Resilience – focussing on strengthening INF’s disaster resilience, then extending to clients and stakeholders in our working areas [including training in building techniques].
Houses destroyed in a fire in Feb, 2016, Dang
The team has already had a positive impact through supporting communities in Gorkha, affected by the earthquake which were further threatened by the cold [providing clothes, blankets, manpower, transport and funds]and providing support and relief packages to households affected by the fires in Dang District [Feb] and Kapilvastu District [Mar].
Though DRRD is a new team, INF has had extensive experience of responding to disasters throughout its six-decade history. Nepal is vulnerable to natural disasters like floods, landslides [with an average of 300 people dying each year] as well as earthquakes.
It is the hope of the DRRD team to not only provide relief and support in the aftermath of a disaster but also to be able to better prepare people and communities for future disasters – especially for the poor and marginalised.
Along with DRRD, in Gorkha District, the most heavily impacted area, INF is partnering with the local communities through the GRACE [Gorkha Rehabilitation And Community Empowerment] project to rebuild and restore communities to become resilient, inclusive and “disability friendly” using our long established Community Based Rehabilitation [CBR] model.
If you would like to support our disaster response and resilience activities please visit here.