Moroke Sekoboto
World Vision International Lesotho has embarked on a mission to prepare communities for climate-related disasters.
The targeted communities are mostly in hard-to-reach areas of Maseru, Mokhotlong, Leribe, and Thaba-Tseka
According to the humanitarian organisation’s National Director, James Chifwelu, the initiative focuses on strengthening and consolidating national and community capacities for effective disaster preparedness and response.
Mr Chifwelu made these remarks in Maseru on Tuesday during the launch of their new European Commission Humanitarian Aid disaster risk reduction project.
Mr Chifwelu further said the project represented a continuation and potential consolidation of past European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) dedicated to enhancing, supporting, and promoting disaster risk management in Lesotho.
“Let’s briefly revisit the history of these previous projects: the journey began in 2018 and was extended in both 2020 and 2021, constituting the first three phases of the ECHO project. Across these phases, we reached over 41 265 individuals and 12 265 children,” Mr
Chifwelu said.
“We empowered Village Disaster Management Teams (VDMTs), provided emergency lifesaving packages, and most recently, distributed €1 million (M20.2 million) to over 3600 of the most food-insecure households. The project targeted the rural areas of Mokhotlong, Thaba-Tseka and Leribe.
“In December 2022, we applied for and were successful in securing the fourth phase of this project. This achievement solidifies our longstanding cooperation and harmonious relations with the European Union. Today, we proudly introduce CSDRR (Consolidating and Strengthening Disaster Risk Reduction), a two-year project designed to be implemented in the hard-to-reach areas of Maseru, Mokhotlong, Leribe, and Thaba-Tseka.”
He added the project was erected on five key pillars which are strengthening a functional
Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) and Early Action (EA) to reduce the impacts of shocks and disasters; strengthening logistics preparedness capacities of local institutions through strategic emergency stockpiling and management training; enhancing coordination among local and national institutions for disaster preparedness, including mainstreaming disaster preparedness policies and guidelines across all sectors; enhancing the Education in Emergencies (EiE) policy environment; and disaster preparedness and response capacities of schools and with a crisis modifier, aiming to assist households in responding to rapid-onset shocks and emergencies.
“In the next two years, our collective aspiration is to achieve these results through collaborative efforts and joint activities. We aim to support all disaster risk-management institutions and activities in the regions we serve,” he added.
The World Vision’s Our Promise 2020-2030 strategy seeks to enhance collaboration with the government and relevant stakeholders to ensure Lesotho reaches and fulfils its targets outlined in the National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy and Action Plan 2020-2030, he said.
“In this context, our project also contributes to achieving Sustainable Development Goals,
which call for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, particularly in preparedness and risk reduction. Reducing disaster risks and preparing for potential disasters is a responsibility we all share. Let us unite to protect our children from the harsh realities of climate change”.
In addition, World Vision’s Humanitarian Emergency Affairs Manager, Mamello Tsekoa, said the EU fund enabled them to recognize the pressing need for disaster-preparedness and resilience-building efforts in Lesotho, particularly in rural areas that are highly vulnerable to climate change-related challenges.
“World Vision’s approach is holistic, aiming to empower communities with the knowledge
and resources needed to reduce their vulnerability to disasters and shocks. By strengthening local capacity and advocating for improved disaster-preparedness at various levels, we seek to contribute to a reduction in the number of people affected by disasters in rural councils of Mokhotlong, Thaba- Tseka and Leribe districts.
“Our objectives are strengthening coordination and consolidating the disaster preparedness of community, district and national capacities for effective disaster preparedness, crisis response and resilience against shocks and disasters in Lesotho,” Ms Tsekoa said.
