The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is doing vital work helping to prepare communities in the Solomon Islands for disasters.

ADRA recently led disaster preparedness training in Malaita Province, in partnership with the Church Agencies Network–Disaster Operations (CAN DO). The workshops aimed to train local Community Disaster Risks Committees on ways to effectively lead disaster response in their communities through risk reduction activities and evacuation center management. The theme of the training was building resilience for people with disabilities.

The first training was held in Foau from June 3 to 7, 2024, and was organized for both the Surabuta and Foau committees, in East Malaita. The second training was held from June 10 to 14 at Talakali village in Langalanga Lagoon for the Talakali committee. Surabuta and Foau each had 14 participants attend the training, while the Talakali village workshop had 16 attendees.

The training was facilitated by Duran Taupongi, the coordinator of ADRA’s Disaster and Risk Reduction project, with the support of CAN DO volunteers. Taupongi said the workshop was vital for participants to receive information about disasters. “This training is very important because it covers different aspects that are often experienced in a disaster situation,” he said.

The committees received training in child protection, gender, safe guiding, evacuation center management, psychosocial first aid, rapid need assessment, and relief distribution.

“By sharing and learning on these components, it can help a community to be resilient and have basic knowledge on what to do before, during and after a disaster situation,” Taupongi added.

The training is part of an ongoing project supported by the French Government through Anglican Overseas Aid and facilitated by ADRA Solomon Islands through its involvement in CAN DO.

CAN DO is a consortium of faith-based agencies and is a subgroup of the Church Agency Network (CAN), of which ADRA is a member. CAN DO was formed in 2015 to better coordinate and strengthen global humanitarian, disaster risk reduction and management, and resilience building work.

The original article was published on the South Pacific Division news site, Adventist Record.