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Coopi urges inclusive disaster risk reduction

Cooperazione Internazionale (Coopi), an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) from Italy, has emphasised the need to empower civil protection committees to enhance their capacity to effectively manage disasters.

Coopi will be implementing an Early Recovery Assistance to Flood   Affected and Disaster   Risk   Management Empowerment of Vulnerable Communities Project in Mangochi district.

Disaster victims picking up the pieces in Mangochi district
Disaster victims picking up the pieces in Mangochi district

Speaking on Tuesday on the sidelines of a three–day training for Mangochi District Civil Protection Committee, Coopi project manager and assistant head of mission Silvia Reitano, said requisite skills in disaster risk were necessary for civil protection committees because once embraced, early recovery interventions and survival of vulnerable people during natural calamities would be comprehensive.

She said: “The primary objective of the project was to help communities in the selected areas to mitigate effects of weather induced disasters through resilience enhancement and to support the vulnerable to recover.”

At least 17 700 people from Mangochi and Salima stand to benefit from the project, according to Reitano.

In her remarks, Mangochi assistant disaster risk reduction officer, Carol Chabwera, commended Coopi for strengthening the capacity of the district’s civil protection committee, saying the council’s vulnerability to disasters, especially floods, required vigilance.

Mangochi was among the districts which were severely hit by floods early this year. n

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