After every disaster, people want to help each other and there are a lot of people who wants to volunteer in the humanitarian crisis with their skill, expertise and passion.

This was the reason that Tiruvalla Social Service Society, Bodhana, the official social work wing of Tiruvalla diocese has organized a one-day Disaster preparedness training programme for volunteers as part of preparedness for 2020 southwest monsoon in association with District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Pathanamthitta.

Bodhana invited the volunteers registered in Caritas India & Sannadham portal who are willing to serve the DSSS, at different places for this purpose. Following the COVID-19 regulations, training was organized for the 25 volunteers in the Disaster Clinics wards. DDMA coordinator Mr Mohith R Sekhar was the chief resource person who led the sessions related to the Disasters and preparedness to reduce the risk of disasters in the community. He oriented the volunteers on disaster and hazard, disaster management cycle, DM act, many technical terms and also explains about the basic information of the district. An interactive session was scheduled after the input to resolve queries and doubts of the participants.

Volunteerism, one of the key strategic pillars of Caritas India and the Navajeevan project of Caritas India promotes building a resilient community in Kerala has provided more space for the volunteers to be actively involved in various DRR events in the community. There are six taluks in Pathanamthitta district and Bodhana works for the disaster risk reduction in Tiruvalla Taluk. Peringara panchayat is the most vulnerable area in the taluk, where almost all disaster confronts. Bodhana highlights disaster risk reduction in nine wards of the panchayat, where there is most needy. Bodhana hand in hand with Caritas India and all our vibrant volunteers work for the reduction of disasters and betterment of the society. These volunteers registered again in the Social Service Volunteers list and add them to the WhatsApp group, in which the DDMA co-ordinator gives the official notifications and early warnings daily.

“The training gave him the inspiration to leap into any situation without any hesitation”, shared by Felix William, one of the participants of the training. Executive Director, Fr. Samuel Vilayil, inspired the volunteers to have a bird’s eye view in all disaster situations. Bodhana expects the result of the training programme on the time of natural calamities through systematic approaches that will help to reduce the risk of disasters with the collaboration of the organization for the sustainable development of vulnerable communities.

As a follow-up daily notification will be provided by the DDMA co-ordinator to all volunteers. 100 new volunteers will be enrolled at different zones to support in the humanitarian crisis and they will be provided early warning updated through WhatsApp messages. To strengthen the volunteers on Disaster preparedness, online trainings will be conducted regularly.