IMPACT
International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2024 – photo stories
To celebrate the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2024, our members have shared inspiring stories featuring their youth-led or focused work that builds community resilience in the face of disaster.
Youth-led community resilience
From awareness to action, young people lead the way in pushing for climate and disaster resilience.
These stunning photographs and inspiring stories are a small selection of the impact that our 1,850 members are making everyday.
CEWS – Pakistan
Torrential rains, 5.1x higher than the 30-year average, affected 360,000 people in the Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provinces, Pakistan in 2022. The Chiragh Educational Welfare Society (CEWS) responded with emergency support and empowered flood-affected families to begin rebuilding their lives.
Read their storyCSC-Asbl – Democratic Republic of Congo
The Community Support Center/CSC-Asbl in the DRC runs programmes that provide crucial mental health support and practical life skills to communities affected by conflict and natural disasters. By empowering young people with entrepreneurial skills they are helping their community heal take an active role in creating a more equitable and resilient future.
Read their storyAlight – Pakistan
In 2017, deadly landslides and flash floods struck Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, severely affecting parts of Skardu district. Many families lost their homes, and children were left without schools. In a region where Alight had been supporting education for out-of-school children, the situation became even more challenging.
Read their storyEndorois Indigenous Women Empowerment Network – Kenya
The Lake Bogoria landscape in Kenya is being transformed by young people. By using the knowledge gained from Endorois Indigenous Women Empowerment Network (EIWEN) projects they are restoring biodiversity, revitalising water sources, and reducing their vulnerability to climate-induced hazards.
Read their storyIntegrated Centre For Disaster Management – India
Young people from Naganenthel village, in the Ramanathapuram District of India, are reducing their vulnerability to climate-induced hazards, with the support of the Integrated Centre for Disaster Management, by planting 100,000 mangrove tree saplings. Mangroves act as natural barriers against storms surges, erosion and reduce the energy of waves in this tsunami prone region.
Read their storyGOAL – Honduras
Young people play a critical role in building community resilience to hazards in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The 21 boys and girls who make up the San Pedro Sula Youth Brigade, have been trained, with the support of GOAL, in disaster risk management and the use of early warning and action systems.
Read their storySoka Gakkai International – Japan
Soka Gakkai youth have been deeply committed to disaster risk reduction and reconstruction efforts since 2011’s Great East Earthquake in Japan. Since 2014, Soka Gakkai youth music groups have volunteered to hold Bonds of Hope concerts. Their aim is to contribute to the ‘recovery of the heart’ for those affected by the disaster and to encourage participation in DRR efforts within local communities.
Read their storyYouthNet Global – Bangladesh
The recent floods in Feni, Bangladesh were devastating. Young volunteers took the lead, with support from YouthNet Global, in providing disaster relief to communities. The youth-led DRR project aimed not only at immediate relief but also at building long-term resilience in these vulnerable communities. Through capacity-building workshops, the young volunteers were trained in flood preparedness, emergency response, and community mobilisation.
Read their storyYouth Network for Disaster Risk Reduction in Colombia
The Youth Network for Disaster Risk Reduction in Colombia (RJRRD_COL) was borne out of the growing need to include young people in disaster mitigation. Their new ideas, innovative insights and solutions are addressing current and future disaster risks in Colombia.
Read their storyNetwork for Education Children and Youth – Sri Lanka
Network for Education Children and Youth’s (NECY) project, Greenridge, engages young people in tree-planting and litter collection. Both activities support the community in creating a sustainable and thriving ecosystem – an ecosystem better prepared to withstand disasters.
Read their storyHOPE Worldwide – Pakistan
HOPE Worldwide-Pakistan runs youth-led community events, such as the IDDRR celebration event at which this photo was taken. It aimed to raise awareness about the critical role youth play in disaster risk reduction. Through initiatives like this, young individuals are educated on how to safeguard their communities, becoming advocates for change and sustainability.
Read their storyGOAL – Colombia
Communities in Bucaramanga, Colombia, who live in high-risk and vulnerable areas of the city, receive DRR training from GOAL Colombia, in partnership with the Bucaramanga Fire Department. First aid training is a vital skill for young people to learn to build community resilience.
Read their storyGeoHazards Society – India
GeoHazards Society, with the support of Mariwala Health Initiative, is enhancing disaster preparedness and safety measures at Sredha School, Thiruvananthapuram, India, to address the specific needs of children with disabilities. These proactive efforts reduce potential hazards and foster a safer and more inclusive environment for students and staff.
Read their storyRural Aid Pakistan
Food scarcity is a driver of risk. And it’s exacerbated by climate change. Rural Aid Pakistan’s solar powered drip irrigation project in the Narowal district of Pakistan, is building the resilience of young farmers by training them in climate smart agriculture practices, water management, community-based food security and DRR techniques.
Read their storyYakkum Emergency Unit – Indonesia
The Prima Gadung Youth Group is driving the community-led innovation, focusing on inclusive disaster response solutions for at-risk populations. Through activities like Java Bamboo Earth Sewing, they empower youth and engage communities in sustainable practices to enhance resilience against future disasters.
Read their storyThe Sphere Network – Bolivia
In Villa Montes, Bolivia, a youth-led initiative is strengthening local capacities to reduce disaster risks. Young leaders are actively engaged in creating risk maps, forming emergency brigades, and developing contingency plans. This initiative highlights the critical role of youth in fostering community resilience against climate-related hazards, ensuring a safer future.
Read their story