Name Ramadas Priyatharsan (Chairman, Shakthi Disaster Risk Reduction Group)
Address Murugam Temple Street, Karaitivu – II
Activity Assisting people to reduce the Disaster Risk
In our group there are 15 male and 15 female totaling 30 members within the age group of 18 to 30. This group has five member 6 sub groups. The impact of the activities of these groups help us to reduce the risk of the disaster.
Because there was no group to guide or advice or even give warning on Disaster to the 3300 families with 9800 people of our village, the people were faced severe disaster in the past. For e.g. in 2004 due to the Tsunami disaster, there were 929 casualties and more than 1000 houses were damaged. In this circumstances to prepare the people to face such disasters SWOAD Organization guide the people to form a Disaster Risk Reduction Group.
Initially in 2008 September with the support of SWOAD, we gathered together to form a group. Since we were eager to know about disaster, we were given training and advices by the SWOAD DRR committee on how to face a disaster, what is the precaution to taken before disaster, how to act during a disaster and what is the activities to be carried out after a disaster . We had the discussion meeting on every last Friday of the moth and gained more knowledge on disaster.
The names of the six sub groups are Precaution group, Searching and redeeming Group, Information division group, Organizational communication group, Management group and First Aid group.
The SWOAD staff of the DRR committee, has provided us the advices on how to develop the activities of the Shakthi Group and the impact to be achieved by the activities and also conducted group discussion and build the capacity of the group.
Initially we have made the village map and marked the places which are easily affected by disaster. Also how many people in each village could easily affected by disaster was taken through the Grama Sevaka Officers and documented them. For e.g. Total population, children, women, lactating mothers, pregnanent mothers, elders and especial care needed people. With these information we visited the most affected villages and gathered the people to a common place and by announcing in churches, temples loudspeakers we have informed the purposes and the activities of our group to the people.
During 2009 January, the abnormal weather condition occurred and the people were fear of a cyclone, we contacted the Divisional Officers and obtained the exact position of the cyclone and informed the people and took them to a safer places.
In this situation, considering the talent of our group, the village leaders, Government & Non Governmental Organization have formed a network including our Group. This group meets every three months and discuss the situation of the village and precaution is to be taken.
We are thankful to SWOAD DRR committee for helping us to have a such committee to serve the people of the village and we feel that in the future we will get the name of a best DRR group and hope to serve the people of the village better than before.