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Ready in Times of Need

Ready in Times of Need

Date: 2020-03-06

Author of "Pilgrim's Progress", John Bunyan, wrote, "You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you."

Civic authorities' resources and manpower are severely constrained when it comes to disaster relief or response. Independent groups are galvanising themselves to step into the breach when disasters strike. Members of recently formed 'KZN Response' are equipping themselves through training, strategic partnerships, stockpiling basic survival items and bringing their areas of expertise to the table to meet needs which arise when calamities strike.

One of the partners in 'KZN Response' is The Domino Foundation's Disaster Relief Unit under the leadership of Cathy Whittle. "We'd been 'initiated' on an ad hoc basis when Cyclone Idai devastated the Beira region last year and on numerous occasions closer to home with local communities hit by flooding or shack fires", Cathy said. She realised that something more permanent needed to be established so that her team was ready for contingencies.

She and Domino CEO, Shaun Tait, enrolled in a rigorous three month Disaster Risk Management course through the Institute of Business Management where they learned about risk assessment and business management. The catastrophic 2005 Florida Category 5 Hurricane Katrina, which caused 1200 deaths, was a case study they made to understand the vital areas of risk, readiness, response and recovery.

The Disaster Relief Unit is one of four partners in KZN Response. The others are 'Zoe Life', a Wentworth-based group of professionals who work with vulnerable families and communities affected by disease and poverty, CityHope Disaster Relief which responds with relief aid and disaster recovery to disaster situations, and the Red Cross in KZN, which supports people affected by natural disaster and conflict.

Zoe Life's Lex Stewart commented, "This is basically a Christian response team which is ready, after the Red Cross, as first responders, have assessed the situation and gathered information on the ground, to come in with what we have been called to do. The basic fabric for this informal group is based on trust and integrous relationshipsit's simply outstanding!""

The Red Cross's representative in 'KZN Response', Patrick Ngcobo, spoke of the training his organisation does with local communities in the basics of health and safety, first aid and disaster principles, so that those communities are prepared for basic dealing with calamitous situations. However, as the Red Cross has no funding for shelter or food or resources for trauma counselling, this is where 'KZN Response' comes in. Cath Smith of CityHope added, "We have come alongside first responders after earlier disasters like the Hanover tornados last year and the victims of xenophobic unrest in Richards Bay".

Cathy, who is compiling a handbook on best practice to equip a greater number of people to give hands-on support to those in need after a disaster, said, "Our Disaster Relief Unit has committed in 2020 to support 150 families whose lives some disaster has disrupted. We've stockpiled emergency relief hampers but the Foundation's Donor Relations team is approaching potential donors for rice/oil/beans and tarpaulins. As disasters often hit distant and hard-to-reach communities, we're also looking for vouchers, tyres and fuel for transport vehicles". She would be delighted to hear from businesses and individuals who are interested in being part of this vital enterprise (feeding@domino.org.za/031 563 9605).

Referring to James 2:16, Lex said, "We cannot stand by and say to these vulnerable people, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but do nothing about their physical needs. We belief that the formation of 'KZN Response' is faith in action".