EENET asia Newsletters : Fifth issue 4th Quarter 2007 / 1st Quarter 2008

School-Based Child-Led Disaster Risk Reduction in Thailand

Chitraporn Vanaspong

In mid-2006, Save the Children Sweden and UK initiated a school based “Child-Led Disaster Risk Reduction [CLDRR] in Thailand Project” in 40 schools. This Project is a further step to strategically transform an emergency response approach into long term development so that tsunami affected communities can be self-sustained and better disaster prepared in the long term.

Piloted in four Tsunami affected provinces, the project is based on the belief that: children and youth are not to be seen as victims in disaster, but as active players in their communities , especially if they are appropriately trained and supported by adults.

“Child-Led Disaster Risk Reduction Project” aims at actively involving children in disaster risk reduction [DRR] plans and activities developed by schools and communities. This is done by:

[1] building children’s DRR knowledge and practice community risk assessment through “risk and resource community mapping”;

[2] building the capacity of children for DRR actions within their communities through educational campaigns; and

[3] sensitizing adults [schools and communities] on the importance of involving children in DRR and other issues that affect their lives.

The Project’s methods are centred on children as they seek to maximize children’s strengths through child-friendly activities such as artwork (drawing, painting, drama and puppet shows).

Impacts & Results
The Project has enlisted adult community members’ support for Child-Led-DRR and is poised to win the support of local governments and other stakeholders. A video was produced on lessons learned from the first phase (pilot phase), which can serve as an advocacy tool to awaken stakeholders to the fact that Child-Led DRR is feasible in Thailand, and that the Project can be a model in the region.

Also, it emerged from the pilot phase of the Project that children, with the right kind of support and guidance, are able to play a leading disaster risk reduction role in their communities, and that all children - boys and girls - can do so.

The Project already trained 800 school children to take a lead in DRR activities. Other children and teachers in 40 schools as well as community members in the provinces of Ranong, Pangnga, Phuket and Krabi have received information and instructions on how to cope better with disasters. The teachers have been exposed to new and alternative approaches to child-centred learning, new issues (disaster risk reduction) and possibilities for including DRR into the school curricula has been explored.

Last but not least, the targeted communities have learned from the children and are making use of the children’s outputs such as risk and resource maps and educational campaigns. The above impacts and results are reflected in the following comments by some of the youths and children involved:

• “I never thought I would be able to conduct DRR activities in schools”
  [Nung, an 18 year-old youth trainer];
• “I’m interested in this because if we ignore it, we will be at high risk especially when we are still young”
  [Ing, a 13- year-old girl from Pangnga Province];
• “We can disseminate the knowledge we’ve got to elders or those who haven’t known about tsunamis. It’s good for them because if it happens again, they can help others”
  [Nuta, a nine-year-old girl from Ranong Province].
• “Children really have a heart to help. Adults may want to do it themselves; they may think we can’t do it; but actually if we are given a chance and some guidance, we children can do everything”
  [Sai, a 15-year-old girl from Phuket Province];

Lesson[s] Learned and Steps Forward
The implementation of this project has demonstrated concrete evidence that:

• Children can and are willing to participate if
• They are informed about why and how and are empowered by the process;
• It is fun/attractive and not too difficult;
• Issues are relevant to them; and
• They get sufficient support from adults.

Support from adults, especially teachers, community members and project staff, is a key success factor. Children’s participatory projects must involve both children and adults. For adults to be able to facilitate children’s participation they also must be equipped with the right attitudes and skills on how to involve them.

Following up the pilot period, Save the Children is seeking cooperation from Thailand’s Ministry of Education to integrate the Child-Led-DRR module into the national and local school curriculum. Teachers can also become trainer or facilitator so that they can play an active role in their own schools. Therefore a teachers’ training manual and training sessions are also planned, as well as integrating the Child-Led-DRR approach into school safety plans and school security systems.

Child-Led DRR could be expanded into other parts of Thailand and in other countries. Save the Children feels that this this would be relevant to many places, especially in the current context of global climate change .

For additional information, please contact: Chitraporn Vanaspong, Senior Regional Programme Officer for Save the Children Sweden - Southeast Asia and The Pacific Regional Office - email: chitrapornv@seap.savethechildren.se; post address: 14th fl Maneeya Centre South Tower; 518/5 Ploenchit Road; Patuwan; Bangkok 10330; Thailand

EENET asia Newsletters : Fifth issue 4th Quarter 2007 / 1st Quarter 2008