Community level DRR Advocacy
Afghanistan
Case Study: Disaster averted thanks to a teacher’s advocacy training
Tearfund organised a two day training programme in Mahmood Tarzi High School on Hygiene,
Disaster and Advocacy. All teachers who were nominated for the training programme by the
school office attended the workshop and discussed the importance of the programme. One
teacher expressed disagreement as he felt he was compelled to take part in workshop. He
attended in spite of his initial reaction.
A few days later, the Tearfund trainer went to the school to arrange the programme for the
students, and met the initially reluctant teacher. After exchanging greetings, the teacher
expressed his thanks to Tearfund and said, “When the principal told me that I had to
participate in the training I thought that those kinds of workshops always take place but they
have no importance or use in my daily life. It would be silly to attend such a workshop. Later I
thought that it wasn’t a big issue, as there might be some provision for lunch and travel
money.” He attended with the wrong motives, though he found the advocacy topic an
interesting one.
Continuing his story, he said that he visited his village in Daykundi province with all the
members of his family. For two days, the rain had fallen steadily. A cousin got information that
the floods caused by the storm had destroyed houses and wheat fields in a nearby village and
if the storm continued it would damage the houses of this village as well. Then, he
remembered the disaster advocacy workshop he attended. He told some residents of the
village to act together and try to prevent the flood. The plan was to create a passageway to a
stream which passes beside the village. All of them began to assist, some digging and some
bringing stone by using tractors. Finally they made a separate route for flood water so that it
would not affect their livelihoods. He said that it was by the mercy of God that the storm
slowly stopped and their village was kept safe but nevertheless they were so happy to learn to
help one another and to be able to prepare for the flood. The people of the area requested
training or a workshop on how to confront disasters in an area like theirs where the
government seemed not to be helping.
After a week, he returned to his home and before leaving he asked his village’s permission to
share their incredible story of unity, and to request training for the village from our trainer in
Kandahar.