Towards Technological Hazard Risk Reduction in Ahmedabad

The kites shown above were part of an innovative project wherein schools acted as an effective medium to reach out to the community regarding disaster preparedness and response. The pilot project “Testing Communication strategies for Industrial Disaster Risk Reduction” built upon schools and children as an effective way to create awareness and build up capacities of the community to be prepared for a disaster. Choice of key multipliers and their capacity building, development of educational material which would be long term assets in the school, and involvement of various stakeholders, were consciously kept in mind to make the effort cost effective and sustainable. The project focused on industrial disasters but the strategy and technique is easily adaptable for any natural or human-made disaster.