Neno District Council Hails Localisation Pilot Project

Kuphanga: Provide resilient building materials to deal with disasters Kuphanga: Provide resilient building materials to deal with disasters - pic by Steve Kalungwe

The people of Neno who have been the immediate beneficiaries of the Save the Children-Italy funded Localisation Pilot Project have said "Thank You" to the project as it phases out this month.

Speaking to Zodiak on Sunday, Enesi Kachigamba and her counterpart Bester Harry said the project performed miracles especially during the devastating period of Tropical Cyclone Freddy when they had their belongings completely damaged.

Kachingamba says that "I lost everything during that night and we had nowhere to seek help as our council was busy mobilising resources from the Department of Disaster Management Affairs but Beyond our Hearts Foundation through Save the Children-Italy came to our rescue," she said.

She added that the organisation in partnership with the district council donated maize flour, salt, sugar, temporary building materials among others which relieved her family.

The storm which also did not spare the physically challenged saw the family of Mr and Mrs Chiwaya receiving relief items meant to help their two physically challenged children.

Mrs. Chiwaya thanked BOHF through Save the Children-Italy saying that they were devasted by the storm and had their house affected with food and nonfood items damaged.

The foundation made available two wheelchairs to be used by the children for education purposes and bags of maize and clothes.

In his remarks, Neno district commissioner Hudson Kuphanga said the Localization Pilot Project which aimed at strengthening the institutional capacity of local authorities and civil societies to disaster preparedness and humanitarian response has proven to a good project.

The said that "this is evidenced by the project results. There has been an improved and strengthened capacity to both local nongovernmental organisations like BOHF and the council in Neno district."

In terms of coordination, the project has also helped to improve involvement of Local Authorities and Civil Society organisations in coordination and management of disasters, says the Neno DC.

He said that LACS are able to respond to natural disasters within a reasonable time while applying the core humanitarian standards, humanitarian principles, sphere standards with minimal supervision from Save the Children -Italy.

Beyond Our Hearts Foundation Project Coordinator and Officer Pempho Nkhata and Mavis Sambakunsi said they have achieved their goal of reaching out to people in times of disasters.

They collaboratively said that "we have managed to train Area Civil Protection Committees, District Civil Protection Committees and Village Civil Protection Committees on how best to respond to disasters and warn people of any eminent disaster."

Meanwhile, the district council relief and rehabilitation office Brighton Mphinga says the project has lessened the burdens that the council face during disasters.

He however echoed the voices of the district commissioner who asked for a full introduction of the project with an emphasis on provision of resilient building materials after noticing that the houses that do collapse are those built with non-resilient materials.

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