Floods in Dire Dawa – creating opportunity out of disaster
Through it's partnership work with local communities JeCCDO aims to create opportunity and a better future. However there are times when we have no choice but to respond to natural disasters. Sadly August 2006 in Dire Dawa was such a time. The floods destroyed much of the town including over 200 hundred people's lives and livelihoods.
In Kebele (region) 12 where JeCCDO works, sixty homes, 2 businesses and a youth centre were damaged or destroyed. The agricultural plots of 39 households were completely devastated. Almost 1,000 fruit trees and the nine hectares of cereals planted by the project community were washed away.
Our partner organisation in Ethiopia JeCCDO responded to this calamity immediately. Using the strong community links it has developed JeCCDO mobilised the community to repair the flood damage and to build defences against future flood threat.
A BBC producer who was in Dire Dawa to film JeCCDO projects for BBC Comic Relief witnessed the flood relief "it was amazing to see how JeCCDO mobilized the community, I have visited many charities in Africa but I have never seen local people involved so closely in the work they do '
Since the flood JeCCDO have taken a lead in flood prevention. The change in rainfall has made it more likely for flash floods to happen in the future and Dire Dawa, situated in a valley, is prone to extreme flooding. JeCCDO have reforested an entire hill, planting saplings and bushes allowing flood- water to be absorbed rather than run off onto the town below. It has also built retainer walls at different heights along the complete length of the hill to slow down water spill off and help absorption. Local people have been brought together through the experience of rebuilding their communities and protecting against future threats
To view photographs of the work follow the link below
(once on the site double click on the photograph and click slideshow and then double click on 'hide captions')
http://picasaweb.google.com/smcfethiopia |
