Disaster Preparedness Starts from School

Ratna (52), a teacher from Ende, East Nusa Tenggara has experienced being in a disaster situation. She had felt the earthquake in Flores in 1992. Unfortunately, even though it is located in a disaster-prone area, no one has ever taught or discussed the threat of disaster to the community of the area.

Ratna never knew what to do with the disasters, until Wahana Visi Indonesia Area Program Ende came and invited her to discuss the importance of preparedness in reducing disaster risk starting at school. Together with the other teachers, Ratna learned something new that she had never heard of before.

“As a teacher, in general, we only pay attention to the conditions in which we carry out activities. Like me, a grade 1 teacher, I did not pay much attention to the overall condition of the school. However, through this Disaster Safe Education Unit workshop, facilitated by WVI, all of the teachers have come to understand that our comfort in the school location is not safe for us," she said.

Since attending the training, Ratna has begun to understand which things are considered wrong or right. For example, in building a ladder at school. Ratna just understood that the steps on the stairs at school should be made comfortable for users.

“As villagers, we think that we are strong enough to step on a ladder with a distance of almost 50 cm from the steps of the next step. Sometimes, the ability of our students can escape from our attention. We think they are used to such conditions because we live in the village,” she said.

In addition to receiving training, Ratna, the teachers, and the school committee were also allowed to hear opinions from students regarding any matters that could potentially make the school vulnerable to disasters such as during a typhoon.

To follow up on what has been obtained, Ratna, the teachers, and the school committee are committed to improving infrastructure in schools.

“Small actions that we will take, such as lowering stair steps, repairing damaged school doors, and conducting simulations related to the preparedness that we have produced. As teachers, we do not expect a disaster when the children are at school, but if it does happen we have learned a little about self-rescue. Thank you WVI for helping and accompanying the school," concluded Ratna.

Written by: Jemmy Debora, CD Coordinator Area Program Ende & Putri Barus, Communications Officer Wahana Visi Indonesia

Translated by: Aqueta Alexandra Kroons, Intern Wahana Visi Indonesia.