Strong core helps build a strong foundation and a strong foundation is the key to delivering effective impacts and uplifting local communities. With the aim of system strengthening and all-round development starting from the core of the organisation, Caritas India supported by CRS has been working with 4-partners in Odisha and WB on EMPOWER Asia II. This is aimed at more timely and effective response during disasters including enhancing self-reliance through systematizing SOPs in place, relevant and updated policies, and preparing action plans for immediate emergency response. This would also help in raising funds with increasing mandates from the government and donors by the day.

A 3-day extensive training of trainers was conducted from 3rd to 5th of July 2023 attended by the core project staff of EMPOWER Asia II, Partner Directors (Fr. Saumen Mallick, PUS, Fr. Roy, BSSS), Core staff from the project, finance, and administration to ensure the whole operations team aka. the Emergency response team at the organizational level are adept to all standard requirements during a response. The training was initiated by a welcome address by Fr. Roy, Director BSSS, followed by Inaugural address by Caritas India Assistant Executive Director, Fr. (Dr.) Jolly Puthenpura, context setting by Head of Programmes, Ms. Babita Pinto and Vote of thanks by Mr. Armstrong Alexander.

Mr. Anjan Bag, Thematic lead, Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Risk Reduction initiated the technical sessions at a lighter note welcoming the expectations from sessions from the audience, followed by a very interactive session on SPHERE standards and Protection mainstreaming and safe programming. Emergency management tools and techniques were elaborately covered by Mr. Armstrong Alexander. Ms. Kalika Mohapatra well described the Fund Transfer mechanism during emergencies along with Complaint & Feedback handling mechanism.

The final day was concluded with a session on the basics and methods of preparing a working SOP along with a feedback and reworking session by Ms. Monisha Majumdar followed by a presentation by Fr. Roy on the train tragedy emergency response by BSSS. The final discussion concluded with inputs from all 4 partners with suggestions on the next phase essentials and action plan. The suggestive action points will now be incorporated into the proposal for the next phase. Some of these include having more policies and capacity-building training for the staff at the organizational level to enhance the quality of work.

And so, It’s Not What we do but How we do it continues to be our focus.