Written By Jessica Belt
We are pleased to introduce our first major project on Disaster Reduction Response (DRR), aimed at strengthening the resilience, preparedness, and risk reduction capacity of vulnerable communities living in informal urban settlements in Homs and Aleppo. This project is made possible thanks to the support of UN-Habitat and the Embassy of Japan in Syria. And special thanks to the Syrian Civil Defence (White Helmets) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) for their guidance and support through this process.
The intervention focuses on two informal settlement neighborhoods:
- Al-Bayada, Homs (population 16,000)
- Al-Fardos, Aleppo (population 25,000)
Key hazards affecting Homs and Aleppo include water scarcity, wildfires, floods, earthquakes, landslides and extreme heat. The impact of conflict and consequently years of neglect have also left behind added dangers, such as unsafe buildings, unexploded ordinance, potholes, stagnant water in the streets, exposed electrical wires and open electrical boxes, and the mixing of potable water with unsafe drinking water.
The project is built on four key pillars:
1. Form and Train DRR Volunteer Teams
These volunteer teams will serve as both first responders and the core facilitators of the Community-Led Disaster Risk Management (CLDRM) process, including Hazard, Vulnerability, and Risk Assessment (HVRA), planning, and awareness. We’ve selected volunteers to reflect the unique demographic profiles of each neighborhood, which include youth, women, elderly people, Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and minorities.
Structured trainings will cover CLDRM, psychosocial first aid, inclusive evacuation planning, school safety, and emergency communication, enabling diverse teams to lead coordinated responses and support their community in being better prepared for disasters.
2. Conduct Participatory Hazard Vulnerability and Risk Assessments (HVRA), and Develop Community-Based DRR and Evacuation Plans
The next phase of the process is to implement a participatory HVRA process, in each neighborhood involving diverse groups. Based on the findings, co-create tailored, context-specific disaster risk reduction and evacuation plans that map out key hazards, safe routes, response roles, and contingency measures. We will continue to coordinate closely with relevant local authorities, including Civil Defence.
3. Deliver Inclusive DRR Awareness Campaigns
Informal settlement residents often lack access to reliable information or early warning systems. We will produce and implement awareness campaigns, by sharing knowledge with local communities. Our goal is to empower households to act appropriately during emergencies.
Within these campaigns we aim to reach at least 25,000 people through printed materials, awareness sessions, and online and social media platforms.
4. Establish a Digital Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Platform Moderated by the Community
The final step is to launch and operationalize a localized, Facebook-based digital platform that functions as both an awareness tool and a two-way feedback and monitoring mechanism. Volunteers will be trained to manage content, document activities, report risks, and gather community input.
Through the formation and training of volunteer teams, participatory hazard and risk assessments, community-based evacuation and preparedness planning, and inclusive awareness campaigns, this project supports the Al-Bayada and Al-Fardos communities to better prepare for and reduce the impact of future disasters, and serves as a blueprint for other communities in Syria.