Community members work together for disaster risk reduction

UNICEF Philippines

11 Oct 201503:54

Summary

TLDREco Boy Oh Boy, a U.P. geography student, shares his experience in a UNICEF child-centered project, where communities collaboratively created 3D hazard maps using a participatory approach. Involving children and villagers in identifying hazards and resources, they geo-tagged structures and plotted them on maps, enhancing disaster preparedness. The project exemplifies UNICEF's commitment to child-centered disaster risk reduction, highlighting children's vital role in community resilience.

Takeaways

🌍 The project involved geography students from U.P. working with communities on a child-centered UNICEF project.
👦 The initiative aimed to develop three-dimensional hazard maps using a participatory approach known as speed EDM.
🏘️ The community, including children, was engaged to create a geographically accurate, scaled model of their barangay, identifying key structures and hazard-prone areas.
🌪️ The project took place in several villages in Camarena Surigao Province, an area prone to typhoons and natural hazards.
👧 Children played a crucial role in establishing baseline data, identifying hazard-prone areas, and suggesting evacuation centers.
🏚️ They also helped in identifying vulnerabilities such as houses made of light materials and the presence of persons with disabilities.
📍 Young people assisted with geo-tagging using tablet computers and GPS to plot exact locations on the map.
🎨 The creation of the 3D map was a community event, with all members, young and old, participating in tracing, cutting, and plotting.
📊 The final product was presented by the children to classmates, teachers, and community members, including local government officials.
📝 The map was easy to understand due to the use of local symbols and legends based on the community's knowledge.
🛡️ The map helps community members understand risks and plan appropriate disaster preparedness and response measures.
💡 The activity demonstrated the importance of children's meaningful participation in reducing risks in their communities, aligning with UNICEF's child-centered approach to disaster risk reduction.

Q & A

What is the name of the project described in the script?
-The project is a child-centered initiative by UNICEF involving the creation of three-dimensional hazard maps through a participatory approach, which is referred to as 'speed EDM' or 'P3DM' (Participatory 3-Dimensional Modeling).
Who is 'Eco Boy Oh Boy' in the context of the script?
-Eco Boy Oh Boy is the speaker in the script, who is a geography student from U.P (presumably University of the Philippines) and has worked with communities on the UNICEF project.
What was the main goal of involving communities in the project?
-The main goal was to help communities develop geographically accurate, three-dimensional scaled models of their barangay (village), identifying the location of houses, schools, and other structures, as well as areas affected by hazards like floods or storm surges.
What role did children play in the project?
-Children were involved in every stage of the activity, from establishing baseline data and pointing out hazard-prone areas to identifying capacities for response and adaptation, and helping in geo-tagging houses, facilities, and structures using GPS units.
How did the community members contribute to the creation of the P3DM model?
-Community members, including children and the elderly, worked together to trace contour and elevation lines, cut styrofoam boards, cover them with paper mache, and use materials like pushpins and yarn to plot structures and hazard-prone areas on the model.
Which province was the P3DM conducted in, and why is it significant?
-The P3DM was conducted in Camarines Norte, a province that lies along a typhoon belt, making it significant due to its vulnerability to natural hazards and the importance of community activity in hazard preparedness.
What tools did the children use to geo-tag the locations in their communities?
-The children used tablet computers and global positioning system (GPS) units to plot the exact locations of houses, facilities, and structures on the map.
How did the final P3DM model help the community?
-The final P3DM model allowed community members to better understand the location and risks present, enabling them to plan appropriate preparedness and mitigation measures.
What was the process like for the community when creating the P3DM model?
-The process involved the entire community, young and old, working hand in hand for over three days to complete the map, creating an atmosphere akin to a mini town fiesta in the village hall.
How did the children present the final P3DM model to others?
-The children presented and explained the final P3DM model to their classmates, teachers, adult community members, and local government officials, using symbols and legends based on local knowledge and understanding.
What does the script suggest about the importance of children's participation in disaster risk reduction?
-The script suggests that children can play a vital role in reducing risks in their communities when given opportunities and the right methods and tools that allow for meaningful participation, embodying UNICEF's child-centered approach to disaster risk reduction.

Outlines

00:00

📍 Mapping Hazards: Engaging the Community

Eco Boy Oh Boy, a geography student from the University of the Philippines (U.P.), discusses his involvement in a child-centered project with UNICEF aimed at helping communities develop three-dimensional hazard maps. This project, conducted as part of their Coors Field work, employed a participatory approach, or P3DM, to involve various community members, including children, in mapping their barangay village. Through this process, the community identified the locations of houses, schools, and other structures, as well as areas prone to hazards like floods and storm surges. This initiative was carried out in Camarines Norte, a province along the typhoon belt of the Philippines, which is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. Children played a vital role in this process, helping to establish baseline data, geo-tagging, and pointing out hazard-prone areas and vulnerabilities, such as homes made of light materials and households with persons with disabilities. The project culminated in the creation of a geographically accurate, three-dimensional scale model of the village, which was both a fun and educational experience for the children involved. This initiative not only provided an engaging learning opportunity but also helped to enhance the community’s preparedness and response capabilities against potential natural disasters.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡UNICEF

UNICEF stands for the United Nations Children's Fund, a United Nations agency that provides humanitarian and developmental assistance to children in developing countries. In the video, UNICEF is central to the child-centered project that involves working with communities to develop hazard maps, emphasizing the importance of children's participation in disaster risk reduction.

💡Geography students

Geography students are individuals studying the physical features, atmosphere, and human phenomena of the Earth. In the context of the video, they are part of the UNICEF project, helping communities create three-dimensional hazard maps, which is a practical application of their academic knowledge in a real-world scenario.

💡Participatory approach

A participatory approach is a method where all stakeholders, especially those affected by the issue at hand, are involved in the decision-making process. In the video, this approach is used to develop hazard maps, ensuring that community members, including children, are actively engaged in identifying risks and solutions.

💡3D hazard maps

3D hazard maps are geographical representations that include elevation and other topographical features to identify potential hazards in an area. The script describes how these maps were created through a participatory process, highlighting the importance of accurate and detailed geographical information for disaster preparedness.

💡Community mobilization

Community mobilization refers to the process of engaging and activating members of a community to work together towards a common goal. In the video, it is a key strategy used to develop the hazard maps, involving various sectors including children, to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the community's risks.

💡Hazard prone areas

Hazard prone areas are locations that are more susceptible to natural disasters such as floods, landslides, or storm surges. The video script mentions that children helped identify these areas in their villages, which is crucial for planning evacuation routes and disaster response measures.

💡Geo-tagging

Geo-tagging is the process of assigning geographical coordinates to various features, such as houses and schools, to plot them on a map. In the video, young people used tablet computers and GPS units for geo-tagging, which is essential for creating accurate and useful hazard maps.

💡Evacuation centers

Evacuation centers are designated safe areas where people can go during a disaster to avoid harm. The script describes how children identified structures that could serve as evacuation centers, showing their active role in community planning for disaster preparedness.

💡Vulnerabilities

Vulnerabilities in the context of disaster risk reduction refer to weaknesses in the community that could be exploited by a hazard, such as houses made of light materials or households with persons with disabilities. The video emphasizes the importance of identifying and addressing these vulnerabilities to enhance community resilience.

💡P3DM

P3DM likely stands for 'Participatory 3-Dimensional Mapping,' a method used in the video to create detailed and accurate maps of communities. This acronym is central to the video's narrative, illustrating the hands-on process of community engagement in disaster risk reduction.

💡Child-centered disaster risk reduction

Child-centered disaster risk reduction is an approach that prioritizes the involvement and needs of children in disaster preparedness and response strategies. The video demonstrates this concept through the active participation of children in creating hazard maps, which reflects UNICEF's commitment to putting children at the heart of such initiatives.

Highlights

Eco Boy, a U.P geography student, worked with communities on a child-centered project for UNICEF.

The project involved developing 3D hazard maps through a participatory approach called speed EDM.

Different community members, including children, were mobilized to create geographically accurate, scaled models of their barangay.

The 3D models identified the location of houses, schools, and other structures, as well as areas affected by hazards like floods and storm surge.

The project was conducted in several villages in Camarines Norte province, which lies along a typhoon belt.

Children were involved in every stage of the activity, helping establish baseline data and identify hazard-prone areas.

Children also identified capacities available in their village to respond or adapt to hazards, such as evacuation centers.

Young people helped geo-tag all houses, facilities, and structures in their communities using tablet computers and GPS units.

The community came together for over three days to complete the map, with children tracing contour lines and plotting structures.

The process was described as a 'mini town fiesta' in the village hall, with all members participating.

Children used different materials to plot houses, schools, and hazard-prone areas on the map.

The elderly also joined in, ensuring all households were accounted for and included on the map.

Children presented and explained the final 3D maps to classmates, teachers, and adult community members, including local government officials.

The maps were easy to explain and understand due to the use of local knowledge and symbols.

The maps help community members better understand location and risks, allowing them to plan appropriate preparedness and mitigation measures.

The activity demonstrated that children can play a vital role in reducing risks in their communities when given opportunities and the right methods.

The project embodies UNICEF's efforts in child-centered disaster risk reduction by putting children at the heart of the process.