Primary school teachers in Mangochi have been trained on Disaster Risk Management (DRM) so that they should impart the DRM knowledge to learners in their respective schools through Environmental and DRM school clubs.
The training was provided under USAID funded Titukulane Project which is being implemented by Emmanuel international in Mangochi and Save the Children in Zomba with the Care Malawi as grant holder through the Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA).
The project is also meant to increase institutional and local capacities to reduce risks and increased Resilience among poor households while to the National Resilience Strategy.
The RFSA has a special focus on women and the youth, according to Care Malawi Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction Manager Burnnet Khulumbo.
To this effect, District Youth Officer for Mangochi, Kumbukani Manda commended Titukulane Project and its implementers for engaging in-school youths on issues of DRM
He said out of school youths in the district are already involved in DRM activities as most of the youth clubs raise and plant seedlings in their localities.
He therefore expressed hope that the in school and out of school youths will make a generation that will be very knowledgeable on DRM and will be instrumental in disaster preparedness, response and will be able to play active role in mitigating the effects of disasters.
Through Titukulane Project, Emmanuel international has already distributed wheel barrows watering cans, shovels, rakes and polythene tubes to 25 schools in Mangochi for seedlings raising while Save the Children also provided the same to 20 schools in Zomba.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer for Mangochi, Francis Kadzokoya, said engaging learners through environment and DRM Clubs will complement district, area and village civil protection committees on issues of DRM and other environmental related activities.
Chief Education Officer for Mangochi District Council, Rabson Kawalala, observed that most of the schools are not surrounded by trees as wind breaker as such the school structures are vulnerable to destruction by strong winds and other land degradation scenarios.
He also hailed Titukulane Project for building capacities of teachers in DRM and expressed hope that the trained club patrons and matrons will impart appropriate knowledge to learners
Most schools in both Mangochi and Zomba have already prepared nurseries for seedlings.
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