IRC trains RAFI on disaster, emergency response mgt.

By CELINE AMPARO, RAFI Comm. Intern
September 12, 2014

CEBU CITY – Aside from donating to the relief and rehabilitation efforts of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), worldwide humanitarian organization International Rescue Committee (IRC) has also started training RAFI in terms of emergency and disaster response management.

The capacity building training focuses on emergency competencies, economic recovery programs, and team and stress management skills. Participants of the training program include those directly involved in the Super Typhoon Yolanda relief efforts.

Last February, IRC also gave RAFI training on assessment and introductory module on emergency and disaster response and resilience.

IRC, an organization formed at the behest of scientist Albert Einstein, and RAFI held their organizational development consultation last July 25 as part of the program on capacity building and development of emergency and disaster response procedures.

Evelyn Nacario-Castro, Executive Director of the RAFI Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center, said IRC is very supportive of what RAFI wants to do.

“We see our partnership with RAFI as a way to know how disaster response works in the Philippines, in the same way we hope we can bring somebody around to be brave about emergencies,” IRC Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Christine Amy said.

IRC also partnered with the RAFI-Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund (DACF) in the building of 20 disaster-resilient day care centers in the towns of Daanbantayan, Bantayan, Madridejos, and Santa Fe, Cebu.

Of the 20 day care centers, 12 have been rehabilitated in Barangays Tinubdan, Dalingding, Pajo, and Bitoon in Daanbantayan; Barangays Oboob, Baigad, and Okoy in Bantayan; Barangays Poblacion, Kangyawan, and Kaongkod in Madridejos; and Barangays Poblacion and Maricaban in Santa Fe.

The remaining eight are newly-constructed day care centers in Barangays Bateria, Malbago, Lanao, and Tapilon in Daanbantayan; Barangays Kampingganon and Sillon in Bantayan; and Barangays Balidbid and Okoy in Santa Fe.

“The components of this day care center (program) are the ‘Healing Classrooms’ where skilled day care workers would work to identify trauma in children who experienced difficult traumatic experiences due to a disaster and help them develop their well-being,” IRC Emergency Field Director Suzanna Tkalec said.

The Healing Classrooms program is an original IRC concept designed to train day care workers and teachers in using special techniques that would aid them in engaging traumatized children from devastated areas, and create a secure and nurturing learning environment for them.

IRC started the program in 2004, working with more than 5,000 teachers and 400,000 students each year in countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan. IRC said families in these devastated lands lost loved ones, homes, and jobs, and the children often lacked the coping skills they need to move forward with their lives.

"Since we want a holistic recovery for the Yolanda survivors, we do not only train the day care workers to help children cope, but we also teach them (day care workers) to heal themselves because they were also devastated by the typhoon," DACF Program Officer Jan Montilla said.

Together with IRC, DACF trained 22 day care workers from 20 sitios and barangays in the four towns.

IRC Consultant Trainer Patricia Giffoni and DACF facilitated a training series for the day care workers. The first training in July focused on methodologies and techniques that can be used in teaching children inside the “healing classrooms,” such as establishing routines on daily activities, and cold calling during recitals or discussions.

The next training in August focused on the assessment of children, wherein the day care workers were trained how to craft participatory activities, such as games and group works, appropriate for a child's age and stage of development.