About Outreach~~Programs~~Department Staff~~Contact Us~~Home

THE EMERGENCY / DISASTER RESPONSE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME
The first workshop was launched in June 1998. The programme for each session was designed by Africa University in consultation with initially UMCOR and ACT Coordinating Office. It’s salient features include scope, causes and management of disaster response plans, the role of both local, regional and international organizations in disaster prevention and preparedness, converting disaster into development, the need for cultural and gender sensitivity, advocacy, financial resource management, evaluation and writing of project proposal and appeals.

Objectives
The Emergency/Disaster Response Management programme has the following objectives:

• In the area of emergency disaster, the university will provide training and equip churches and church related agencies throughout Africa with adequate skills for effective assessment and management of emergency response programmes.
• To establish and develop a long-term sustainable outreach training programme. Through outreach programmes, the university will take results of research, skills and expertise to where the people are.
• Outreach programme blends theory and practice in responding in areas which impact upon people on the African continent.
• To provide a forum for exchange of knowledge and skills, related to emergency and disaster so that they in turn will be able and capable of empowering others.
• Finally, the programme aims at empowering both leaders and people at grassroots level in various sectors of society inorder that they in turn are able and capable of empowering in the workshop.

Curriculum
The Emergency Disaster curriculum for the six week seminar was designed by Africa University , United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), and Action by Churches Together (ACT), member church/agencies and the ACT coordinating office. Curriculum material will be provided in English and French.

The three key categories for capacity building are:
¨ Provision of training, resource utilization
¨ Building networks and;
¨ Commitment to action

Salient features of the curriculum include but not limited to instruction in meaning, scope and management of emergency disasters, causes and international organizations in disaster preparedness, development of effective communication, need for cultural sensitivity and gender issues, women and children in difficult circumstances, disaster mitigation, peace, conflict resolution and mediation, financial and overall resource management and evaluation. More modules are available and will be expanded and refined during the training sessions.

Participants
ACT member churches, government and non-governmental organizations and agencies throughout Africa nominate participants for workshops. The participants who are selected from disaster and emergency work are usually actively involved in other related humanitarian fields. To date about 250 participants have been trained (93 females and 155 males). People from 28 African countries, including Indonesia, have participated in the workshop.

Resource Persons
Resource persons come from within and outside the continent of Africa. All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), (ACT, UN agencies and Africa University) mainly provide resource persons. The resource people have a wide experience in emergency disaster response, mitigation, peace and governance. Case studies are used as a starting point in stimulating and encouraging practical emergency response activities within the training sessions.

Training of Trainers
Built within the programme is a Training – of Trainers (TOT) component. This is intended to provide training for selected participants to enable them to design and rum similar seminars in their respective countries or sub-regions under the overall guidance of the Outreach Office of Africa University. The number of participants on the TOT component is expected to grow steadily over time.