The project which is for two years and is being implemented alongside the Neno district council, started in August this year with an aim of empowering local structures with Knowledge on how to timely response to natural disasters and adapt.

Speaking to Zodiak, the project's coordinator Pemphero Nkhata said that most humanitarian response in the country are being conducted by international organizations who have the capacity to respond rapidly and at a large scale but there is a need to locally source some to directly support the affected people.

She noted that the trend has resulted in limited participation of local structures in humanitarian implementation which had a huge bearing.

"The civil protection committees are also essential in preventing, mitigating and responding to crisis hence our coming here to have a talk with them as we have been empowered with resources from Save the Children-Italy," she said.

According to her, Tiyende Pamodzi aims to enhance the capacity of these local structures for effective, efficient and inclusive implementation of disaster risk management and climate adaptation initiatives.

Some of the capacity building will center on data collection, disaster assessments, local early warning/early action, how to prepare for natural disasters using weather forecast, response management/disaster risk management, said Nkhata.

The exercise to achieve maximum results, is being executed in all the five Traditional Authorities of Neno which include Chekucheku, Mlauli, Symon, Dambe and sub T/A Chikalema which are all not spared from natural disasters.

The targeted group of the exercise, according to Beyond Our Hearts Foundation Communication Officer Pempho Singo, are community stakeholders like Area Civil Protection Committee and Village Civil Protection Committee, Area Development Committee, disability committees among others to reach a larger audience.

Singo said that "the exercise mainly is focusing on alerting aforementioned structures on bouncing back of the project and reminding them their roles in as far as disaster management is concerned".

The committees have also been asked to show their commitment through collection of data and conducting assessments when disaster strikes, being transparent when responding to various disasters by writing reports, work with implementing partners and sharing of success stories with other stakeholders.

BOHF has since assured the communities that it will provide technical assistance so that at the end, the community is able to make own decision with their resources and manage disasters.

Chekucheku ACPC chair, Sidney Menyani, thanked BOHF for including various committees in the project since problems that come with disasters affect people in community directly.

In addition, Enoch Mpindeni, ACPC chair for Dambe said his area is geared to adhere to all set disaster preventive methods.

He said that "we are very grateful that the project has been extended for two years to be implemented in the district, and the committee is ready to work together with Neno council and BOHF and all other stakeholders involved in the project so that we can gain all the necessary skills for disaster risk management".