About Disaster Response

Disasters can quickly and unpredictably strike anywhere in the world, at any time of the night or day. This can include floods, earthquakes, fire, drought, tornados, cyclones, volcanic eruptions and wars to name only a few. Due to the unpredictability of these events, it can affect people from all walks of life, leaving them homeless, with great losses, uncomfortable, traumatised and overcome by grief … no-one is safe and no-one can hide.

The people of Africa are constantly tormented by disaster. Unfortunately these people are in most cases not equipped to cope with the effects of disasters. Studies have shown that even though many people may lose their lives as a direct result of a disaster in Africa , many more will die and suffer in the weeks or months afterwards, due to the long-term effects that these events have on their lives.

Africa consists mostly out of developing countries. Many African people live in small communities, located in remote and even hard to reach places. The people, including the governments of these countries lack the planning and infrastructure to be able to affectively cope with disastrous events such as mentioned above. There are no real emergency services, proper hospitals or even community shelters in most of the areas in which disasters occur. These facts indicate only one thing … when disaster strikes, these people are on their own.

Disaster Response is a regional network of trained volunteer teams who respond compassionately when disaster strikes. Our network works on a permanent basis planning, preparing and training for disaster situations, and partnering with other disaster agencies to meet broader recovery and relief needs whenever possible, to enable disaster victims to resume a normal life more quickly.

We respond to the recovery needs of affected families assisting in providing for the immediate needs of disaster survivors which include:

• Distribution of Food
• Medical assistance and Medicines
• Clothing
• Seeds and Tools
• Household Kits
• Purifying Water Wells
• Rebuilding damaged or destroyed houses of affected victims

We have a delivery system that can provide prompt short- and long-term assistance to victims of disaster that goes a long way in restoring a sense of normality in their lives. This can also be the difference between life and death.

Our objectives are:

• To meet the physical and emotional needs of victims of disaster.

• To serve the needs of all people affected by disaster regardless of race, creed or economic status, largely concentrating on assistance for the poor, elderly and handicapped for long-term relief and reconstruction.

• To train and educate leaders in the communities on the prevention of disaster and the appropriate action to take in event of disaster situations.