Help Adolescents in Colombia Respond to Emergencies and disasters
THIS PROJECT WILL HELP: 40 adolescents from 13 centres in Cartagena,
ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: December, 2017
National media reported the landslide as minor. The international news didn’t report it at all. But for seventeen-year-old David* and his family, it was devastating. He watched in despair as his family’s home washed away. His little sister was nearly swept away with it. Long after the ground settled, David’s family was still in turmoil. Medical bills for his sister’s injuries, the cost of building a new home, and replacing lost possessions was more than the family could afford. David felt helpless and lived in fear of what the next disaster would bring.
A lot of families in Cartagena live in areas where hurricanes, floods, landslides and earthquakes can destroy lives and livelihoods in an instant. In the poorest communities, homes are not constructed to withstand these threats. Poor infrastructure and inadequate disaster response training increase the risk of injury and make recovery more difficult.
For families like David’s, the threat of losing everything in a natural disaster—or even riots, fires or explosions, is a very real concern. In 2010, churches associated with Compassion Colombia developed a plan to respond to disasters. So far, the plan lacks adequate training, tools, or trained personnel to be effective. At the same time, young people between the ages of 15 and 19 in Compassion centres are eager to help their communities and learn valuable life and leadership skills.
You can help 13 churches in Cartagena, Colombia, equip 40 youth to deal with emergencies such as earthquakes, floods, fires and riots. Participants will be trained by external experts on emergency planning, first aid and evacuation procedures. They’ll practise emergency drills and help establish a prevention culture to reduce disaster risks for the 4,821 children in the Compassion child development centres. These 40 youth will then pass on their knowledge to the church leaders, parents and children in their communities. This gift will also supply churches with emergency response supplies.
Give the gift of survival by helping young people prepare for emergenciesand disasters.