EU injects funds for community-based disaster management
The European Commission for Humanitarian Aid and Health Poverty Action (HPA) have provided Laos with funds to improve the Community Based Disaster Management project.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and HPA yesterday co-signed a Memorandum of Understanding and pledged 504,052 euros for the project, which is to be carried out in Attapeu province.
The signing ceremony took place in Vientiane, with the documents signed by the ministry's Social Welfare Department Director General, Mr Prasit Dethphommathet, and HPA Country Director Mr Wang Bangyuan.
Of the total, 85 percent of the money will come from the European Commission for Humanitarian Aid, with HPA contributing the other 15 percent.
The 18-month long project will be rolled out in 36 villages in Sanxay, Phouvong and Sanamxay districts. An estimated 14,468 local people including 3,030 children aged under five, and 6,756 women are all set to benefit from the venture
The objective of the project is to strengthen flood mitigation and disaster risk response, aimed at lessening the impact of future flooding.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr Prasith said floods, drought, landslides and disease epidemics have had devastating effects on many nations across the globe. Although Laos has suffered significantly fewer natural disasters than its neighbours over the past century, it is felt more needs to be done to protect the country in the coming years, as the impact of climate change becomes more apparent.
Laos suffered devastating losses after flooding caused by typhoons Ketsana in 2009 and Haima and Nock-Ten in 2011. A total of 42 people were killed and over 400,000 others were affected.
Flood damage to basic infrastructure resulted in losses of over 1,700 billion kip. The government has provided 400 billion kip to rehabilitate affected areas.
Laos was also hit by flooding in 2008, when over 100,000 people were affected.
Mr Bangyuan said HPA has worked in Attapeu province since 1994 and has, over the years, experienced the effects of natural disasters, including the loss of human life.
In addition to the flooding, there was an outbreak of cholera in the province in July 2010, and last year saw an outbreak of malaria.
Mr Bangyuan said the HPA works together with the provincial authorities to provide assistance to people affected by these disasters to lessen the devastation they leave in their wake, and to help people make preparations for such events in the future.
They also flag up issues that could cause potential damage.
Last year, HPA helped 20 villages to improve their rice banks for rice storage, making the communities less vulnerable to flooding and rats.
Based on these experiences, HPA attaches great importance to helping along the disaster risk reduction efforts of the government, within local communities.
