Children in class in Ketumbeine community in north-eastern Tanzania (c) World Vision

By Samuel Okiror

DODOMA, 7 June 2018 - In September 2016, an earthquake of magnitude 5.9 struck Nsunga in Kagera region, northwestern Tanzania, killing at least 19 people and injuring 253 others. A group of 15 boys from Ihungo Secondary School in Bukoba district were among the dead. Over 800 buildings were destroyed.

But under an initiative by the government, in partnership with the UN, children in Tanzania are set to play an important role in disaster risk reduction by contributing to the enhanced awareness and preparedness of their communities.

Recognizing the importance of including children in disaster risk reduction, authorities in the capital city Dodoma are equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge which they can then share with family members to positively impact entire communities.

“In Tanzania, considerable progress has been made to address the Sendai Framework including building resilience and skills for school children through Education in Emergency (EiE) simulations and drills on preparedness and response during common emergencies,” said Charles Msangi, Disaster Management Coordinator from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Children and youth are recognized as critical stakeholders and agents of change in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which points to a need to ensure that their capacity and talent is nurtured and modalities and space for their input are made available.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government, with support from the United Nations Children Fund, UNICEF, are carrying out capacity building for school children to build resilience through disaster response simulation drills, integrating EiE issues into school clubs and mapping the level of schools’ preparedness and response to emergencies and disasters.