Education

Sector
United Nations
Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization
United Nations UNESCO
Educational, Scientific and Associated
Cultural Organization Schools

A Student’s Guide
to Disaster Risk Reduction STAY SAFE AND BE PREPARED
This guide is part of a three-book Compendium on Disaster Risk Reduction
(DRR) that aims to introduce concepts, exercises and best practices on disaster
preparedness and response to teachers, students and parents.

The Compendium is based on the belief that comprehensive disaster preparedness

and resilience-building is most successful when the whole (school) community,
starting with students, parents and teachers, is involved and when the process
actively encourages students to take the lead on some activities.

In this Student’s Guide, young people from 11 to 18 years will find loads of
interesting information on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). The guide explains the
basic DRR concepts, explores the psychosocial effects of disasters, and provides
tips for different activities young people can do in class, at school, at home and in
the community to improve disaster preparedness and response. With appropriate
support from parents and teachers, young people can become well-prepared and
disaster-smart!

A Student’s Guide
to Disaster Risk Reduction

THIS GUIDE IS DESIGNED

FOR YOU, THE DISASTER
STAY SAFE
FIGHTER OF TOMORROW! AND BE PREPARED
This Guide is part of a three-book Compendium on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).
The other guides are:
Stay safe and be prepared: a teacher’s guide to disaster risk reduction (ISBN 978-92-3-100044-7)
Stay safe and be prepared: a parent’s guide to disaster risk reduction (ISBN 978-92-3-100045-4)

Published in 2014 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
7, place de Fontenoy
75352 Paris 07 SP, France

© UNESCO 2014

ISBN 978-92-3-100031-7

This publication is available in Open Access under the Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO (CC-BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO)
license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo/). By using the content of this publication, the users accept to
be bound by the terms of use of the UNESCO Open Access Repository (www.unesco.org/open-access/terms-use-ccbyncsa-en).

The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any
opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities,
or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors; they are not necessarily those of UNESCO and
do not commit the Organization.

Illustrations: Maulvi Dzikrana Muhammad

Designed & printed by UNESCO

Printed in France

Acknowledgments

This publication was prepared with the generous support of BASF Stiftung, a charitable foundation
based in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

Special thanks to Mr Daniel Petz for his valuable contribution to this guide.
 A Student’s Guide
to Disaster Risk Reduction

STAY SAFE
AND BE PREPARED
Table of Contents

Quick Facts about Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)  ......................................................   5

Am I at Risk?  .. .....................................................................................................................   6
What Is Vulnerability?  ......................................................................................................   9
We All Have the Same Rights to Be Safe  ...................................................................   10
The Role of Climate Change  ........................................................................................   12
DRR Crossword  .. ..............................................................................................................   14
It Happened to Me  ....................................................................................................   16

Ready, Set, Go!  ..........................................................................................................   24

Become Risk-Smart  .. .......................................................................................................   25
Become Prepared  ...........................................................................................................   32
Become Resilient  ............................................................................................................   38
Take a Moment to Think about All This  ....................................................................   44
Measuring Your Progress towards Becoming
a Resilience Girl or Preparedness Boy  .......................................................................   45
Glossary  ......................................................................................................................   47
Dear student,

The information in this Guide will explain how to keep you and your friends safe from
disasters. Take the time to read it once, twice, three times — this information could save
your life!

Through this Guide, you will get to know a handful of smart young people just like you.
A lot has happened to many of them and they want to share with you what they’ve
learned and experienced.

For instance, you’ll meet a young girl who lost one of her legs due to a tsunami.
Her experiences encouraged her to learn as much as possible about disaster risk,
preparedness and resilience. In her new school, she gave a presentation on ‘Be risk-smart,
be prepared, be resilient.’ Her classmates got really interested in disaster preparedness
and resilience, and wanted to learn more.

On your journey to becoming disaster smart, make sure to get everybody on board:
Discuss the Guide with your friends, ask your teacher to teach you about disaster
preparedness, share your ideas at home, motivate your classmates, initiate different
activities… You can become a disaster risk reduction champion!

At the end of this guide, you will find a scoreboard that will allow you to measure your
progress. You will also find key words explained in an easily accessible glossary.

Have a wonderful learning journey and stay safe!

Quick Facts about Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
QUITE RECENTLY, IN A HIGH SCHOOL NOT
quite recently, in a high school
TOOnot
FAR too
AWAY...…
far away..

Be ris
k-sma
Be pre rt!
pared!
Be res
ilient
!

THE newest
the NEWEST MEMBER
member OF
ofOUR
our
class will now tell usABOUT
CLASS WILL NOW TELL US about
HAZARDS,risk,
hazards, RISK AND
andDISASTERS.
disasters.

THANK you,
thank YOU. I'm
I’M GLAD
glad
YOU’RE ALL INTERESTED
you’re all interested
IN learning
in LEARNING ABOUT
about
DISASTER
disaster riskRISK !
today..

5
 Am I at Risk?

have you
ever .. .

have you
ever ..

...taken
a risk ?

taken
a risk ?

Have you tried to

jump over a puddle or a bush?

Have you tried to

jump over a puddle or a bush?

Did you fall and

hurt your knee?
Did you make it?
Did you fall and
hurt your knee?
Did you make it?

GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT!

What was the riskiest thing
you have ever done in your life?

WHAT Disasters have

What ISwas
THEthe
RISKIEST THING thing
riskiest
YOU’VE EVER DONE? a lot to do
you have ever done in your life?
with risk.
Disasters have
a lot to do
with risk.
Let me explain
how.

D
Let me explain
Did it go well? Was it worth the risk? how.

D
Did it go well? Was it worth the risk?

6
 sometimes WE forget that
nature is all around us.

We
We are arepart
partofofnature.
nature. AndAnd likenot
human
unlike beings,
human nature is always
beings, nature is
changing. This can happen
always changing and transforming. in different ways, in things we witness
every day, like wind, rain, and the movement of clouds. Or it can be
This
in can happen
things that inare
different ways, like the
less common, movement
like of clouds,tsunamis,
earthquakes, wind and rain, things
erupting
we witness almost every day.
volcanoes, cyclones or floods. And while in some areas of the world,
Or it canevents
these be things that areregularly,
happen rather rare, such as an earthquake,
in others a tsunami, anrare
they are extremely erupting
—
volcano, a cyclone or a flood. And while some of these
leading to the name ‘extreme events’ or ‘natural hazards.’ events happen almost every
day at some places in the world, they happen rather rarely in most places.
Therefore scientists and the media often call them extreme events. In disaster
science, they are also called natural hazards.
To learn more about natural hazards you can visit this website:
http://www.neok12.com/Natural-Disasters.htm

Thanks
Thanks totomodern
modern science,
science, as wellofasexperience
also centuries centuriesand
ofobservation,
experienceweand
haveobservation,
learned a lot about
we have
natural learned
hazards. We aknow
lot about natural hazards.
that earthquakes We near
are most likely know or that earthquakes
at places where two or—more
and tectonic
most
volcanoes
plates meet — are want
(if you mosttolikely
know near
more,or go at
andplaces where
ask your physics twoandor more tectonic
geography teachers)plates meet.
and that most
volcanoes
In are also situated
some regions, eldersclose
haveto tectonic plate boundaries.
left stories or markers to show where and how high
tsunamis wereelders
In some regions, in the past.
have left Many regions
stories or markershave
to showmore
where than
and ahow
century of records
high tsunamis were inonthe
rainfall,
past.
temperatures
Many regions have andmoreextreme events,
than a century whichon
of records allow scientists
rainfall, to make
temperatures predictions
and extreme about
events, which how
allow
scientists to make predictions about how
often a certain hazard strikes a certain area.often a certain hazard strikes a certain area.

7
 ROLL YOUR DICE SIX TIMES AND WRITE DOWN
Roll your dice six times and note down
grab your THE RESULTS. COMPARE THEM WITH WHAT YOUR
the results. Compare THEM with your
dice !!
CLASSMATES ROLLED.
classmates!

let’s talk
about
probability.

When you roll a die, you know that your chance of rolling a 6 is one in six. But you also know that even if you
When
roll theyou
dieroll
sixatimes,
dice, you
youknow
may that
not your
get achance
single of6—getting a 6may
or you is '1 in 6'.6But
roll youtime,
every also know that
or roll 6 aeven
few when
times.you
Theroll the
thing
dice six times, you may not get any 6 at all, or get 6 all the time, or get 6 a few times. The thing is,
is, if you only roll the die a few times, the results look very random, but if you roll it many, many times — for if you only roll the dice
a few times,
example the results
10,000 times —look very
you willrandom.
see thatHowever,
you roll when you dicepretty
each number many many
muchtimes,
evenly.forYou
example 10,000
will also see times,
that, on you
will see that
average, youeach
rollnumber comes
a 6 about onceupevery
nearlysixasrolls.
frequent as the others. You will see that, on average, 6 comes one time in
six rolls.
I know this is a lot of math. If you want to learn more about probability, I know your math teacher will be
I know to
happy thishelp.
is a lot of math. If you want to learn more about probability, please ask your math teacher.
So, when
So, when you
youhear
hearthat
thatthe probability
the of aofflood
probability yourcoming to thisflooded
area being area is '1isin‘120', whatwhat
in 20’, doesdoes
it mean? It means
it mean? that if you
It means that
look at hundreds of years, it looks like one flood happens every 20 years. But, if we only look at a few years, for example
if you look at the numbers over hundreds of years, floods happen about once every 20 years. But, if you only
look at aof
80 years few years
your — forthe
lifetime, example,
chances80of ayears
flood—happening
the chances of amore
seems floodrandom.
happening seem
Like the more
dice, yourandom.
may be so You may
lucky to
be lucky enough to not experience a single flood in those 80 years, or you may experience four
not have to experience any flood in those 80 years, you may experience 4 floods during your lifetime, or you may evenfloods over the
same number of years — or you may even experience ten floods.
experience 10 floods throughout those years.
You might say there is a lot of uncertainty in what we know about the probability and risk of disasters, and you
You might say there is a lot of uncertainty in what we know about the probability and risk of disasters, and you are
are right. But understanding how likely it is for a certain hazard to occur is important if you want to know what
right. But
kinds knowingyou
of hazards theneed
chances of certainfor,
to prepare hazards
whichhappening
are more is importanttoif prepare
important you wantfor,
to know whatyou
and how hazards you need
can reduce
to prepare for, which hazards to
the risk of a disaster happening. prioritize on and how to reduce the risk of disasters.
Think of
Think ofthe
thepeople
peopleyou
youlove, thethe
love, things youyou
things lovelove
to do,
toanddo, the
andthings
whatyouyouwould
want love
to dotoin
dothein the future.
future. Howeverlow
However low
the probability is, would you be willing to risk losing all that in a disaster? If your answer is no, then you are to
the probability is, would you be willing to risk losing all that in a disaster? If your answer is no, then you would want
do things
going to reduce
to want to dosuch risk.to
things Comfortably
reduce such carrying onwill
risk. We withonly
the way we do
become things,
more will eventually
vulnerable expose
to disaster if us
wetocontinue
greater
risk of disaster.
on without making any changes to our environment or our skill sets.

HAZARDS ARE NOT DISASTERS.

Hazards are NOT DISASTERS.
Hazards are not always
Only if humans
Only if humansareare
affected
affected does a hazard
does a hazardbecome
becomea
caused by nature. In many
disaster. Disaster
a disaster. riskwe
When is the
sayprobability that awe
‘disaster risk,’ hazard
are will
cases, humans cause them. turntalking
into a about
disaster. The risk itdoes notaonly depend
how likely is that hazard will on
Environmental pollution, how strong the hazard That
is, butrisk
on not
the vulnerabilities and
become a disaster. only depends on
fires, nuclear disasters and capacities of people and communities.
how strong the hazard is, but on a population’s or
oil spills are man-made
a community’s vulnerabilities and capacities.
hazards. So are violent

H
conflicts and wars.

8
What Is Vulnerability?
Who knows WHEN PEOPLE, COMMUNITIES,
vulnerability defines ANDthe
what THINGS LIKEthat
factors BUILDINGS
make ARE IN DANGER OF
a human,
vulnerability
means?
BEING AFFECTED BY A HAZARD,
a community, and other things THAT IS
VULNERABILITY.
like physical buildings
endangered by a

ME ! hazard.

VULNERABILITY depends
on different factors:
• where people live: do they live
in a hazardous area or not?
• how well built houses are: WHERE PEOPLE LIVE
are they strong enough to Do they live in a hazardous
withstand
HEALTH,hazards?
AGE, AND GENDER area or not?
Can
•  smallage
health, children, older people,
and gender: can
children, seniors,
and people anddisabilities
with people
with disabilities
evacuate evacuate
easily? easily?
Are women
Areand
women and men differently
men affected affected
differently by disasters? HOW WELL BUILT HOUSES ARE
by disasters? Are they strong enough to withstand hazards?
• social and economic status.

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STATUS

GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT!
It is not random where and how we build our houses or who is more vulnerable when a hazard strikes. Often,
certain people
Have you in our
thought community
about are our
why we build nothouses
given the help
where wethey would
do, and whyneed
someto be safe
people arefrom
more hazards.
vulnerableThey
thanare more
others
vulnerable because of WHO and HOW they are:
when a hazard strikes? There are many people in our community that are not given the help they need to make sure that
they’re safe from hazards.
Poor people: Often they can only afford to live in unsafe houses in areas that are at risk from hazards.
Poor people: Often they can only afford to live in unsafe houses in areas that are at risk from hazards.
Old and sick people: Many of them need special assistance. But they become particularly vulnerable if they do not
Oldanyone
have and sickto
people: Many
take care ofof them need special assistance, and they may be particularly vulnerable if they do not have
them.
anyone to take care of them.
People with disabilities: They need special warnings and might need special assistance. They become more
People with disabilities: They may require special warnings and assistance. They may be more vulnerable if our houses,
vulnerable if our houses, schools and roads are not built in ways that allow them to quickly evacuate.
schools and roads are not built in ways that allow them to quickly evacuate.
Migrants,
Migrants,immigrants andtourists:
immigrants and tourists:
TheyThey don't
don’t know
know manymany
peoplepeople and have
and might might have difficulties
difficulty to understand
understanding the language.the
language.
They mayThey become particularly
be particularly vulnerable ifvulnerable if there
there is nobody is nobody
to tell to tell
them about them
local about
hazards andlocal hazards
where and
they can be where
safe. they
can be safe.

SO VULNERABILITY DEPENDS
So vulnerability ON HOW
depends on WE
howORGANIZE OUR COMMUNITIES,
we organize AND WHAT
our communities, KIND OF
of who
VULNERABLE
we 'make'POPULATIONS WE stay'
or 'allow to HAVE INvulnerable.
THOSE COMMUNITIES. SOME PEOPLE
Some people argue BELIEVE
that we THAT IF
can reduce vulnerabilities if we make sure that everybody's human
WE MAKE SUREare
rights EVERYBODY’S HUMAN
taken into RIGHTS ARE RESPECTED, WE CAN REDUCE VULNERABILITIES.
account.

9
 We All Have the Same Rights to Be Safe

Everybody has the same rights to be safe from disasters!

“The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights starts by
The United that
declaring Nations
allUniversal Declaration
human beings of Human
are born freeRights starts by
and equal in declaring that all
dignity and
human
that beings
every are born
human freeisand
being equal intodignity
entitled thoseand thatwithout
rights, every human being is of
distinction
entitled
any to those
kind, such rights,
as race,without
colour,distinction of any kind,
sex, language, such aspolitical
religion, race, color,
orsex,
other
language,
opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.” birth
religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property,
or other status.

Have you already learned about the United Nations Universal Declaration
ofHave you already learned about the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights at school?
Human Rights at school? Which rights do you think are relevant when it
Which rights
comes to safetydo you think
fromare relevant when it comes to safety from disasters?
disasters?
To build a just and safe community, everybody's rights are important no matter if the person is tall or small, dark
Toskinned
build aorfair and
light safe community,
skinned, everybody’s
male or female, rights
a baby or very are
old,important.
from here orIt adoesn’t matter
stranger. To do if they
that, are
the tallway
best or small;
is to
dark-skinned or light-skinned; male or female; young or old; local or from a different country. To create a safe
have everybody consulted and involved. Unfortunately, often some people's voices are not heard enough or they
community that takes into account everyone’s needs, everyone needs to be involved. Unfortunately, some
are notare
groups asked or not
either not allowed
asked orto participate.
not allowed to Farparticipate.
too often, the
For voices of children
example, and youths
far too often, are not
the voices of taken into
children
account
and youths when planning
are not takenfor security
into in schools
account or safety in
when planning fora security
disaster situation,
in schoolseven though
or safety in they can besituation
a disaster a leading—
force in learning and teaching about risk, preparedness and resilience.
even though they can be a leading force in learning and teaching about risk, preparedness and resilience!
InInmany
manysocieties,
societies,there
thereisisstill
still aa difference
differenceon in how
howboysboysandandgirls
girlsare
aretreated.
treated. Smart andgirls
Smart outspoken
might be girls might be
ridiculed
ridiculed
and laughedandat,
laughed
ratherabout, rather than
than listened listened
to. They may to.not
They maybenot
even even betoallowed
allowed to go toorschool
go to school learnor learnrisks
about about
risks,
and preparednessInand
preparedness. resilience.
Sri Lanka, In Srithe
during Lanka,
2004during
tsunami,the 2004 tsunami,
way more girlsway more
than boysgirls than
died, boys died,
because girlsbecause
were
not usually
girls taught
were not howtaught
usually to swim.howProbably
to swim.nobody
Probablyasked
nobodythose girlsthose
asked if they would
girls if theylike to learn
would how
like to learnto how
swim,to
orswim,
maybe it was not seen as something that girls are supposed
maybe it was not seen as something that girls are supposed to do? to do.
And
Andwhat
whatabout
aboutthose
those who
who are sick or
are sick or have
haveother
otherhealth
healthissues
issues- the
— the
girlgirl in wheelchair
in the the wheelchair orboy
or the thewith
boy Down
with
Down syndrome? They might be particularly vulnerable in a disaster, because it might be more difficult for
syndrome? They might be particularly vulnerable in a disaster, as it might be more difficult for them to get to safety
them to get to safety on their own. They, too, should be taught about what risks they face, and how they can
beonprepared
their own.
andShould theyThey,
resilient. not betoo,
taught about
should bewhat risks they
consulted face,
on the on how
easiest way they
forcan be to
them prepared andhazards
deal with resilient?
Should
and they not
disasters. be consulted
They, on the easiest
too, can contribute to away for them
more to deal
resilient with hazards
community. and disasters?
Unfortunately, Can't
those theywe
who contribute
urgently
to our
need to community
consult withbeing morebeing
are not resilient? Unfortunately,
asked, thoseand
not told, taught, whothey
we urgently
are not need
beingtosaved.
consult withcan
What are we
the do
ones
to
who are
change not being asked, not being briefed, not being taught, not being saved. What can we do to change that?
that?

GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT!

Reflection time:
• Are there things in your family and community that boys are allowed to do and girls are not (or the other way around)?
Form a small group with three or four of your classmates and/or friends and discuss following questions:
Are there tasks in your family and community that girls are required to do and not boys (or the other way around)? Are
there things that you would like to do but are not allowed to do because you are a girl or a boy?
• Are there things in your family and community that boys are allowed to do and girls not (or the other way
• Think about how these differences might be helpful to you or your family during a disaster. Then think about how they
round)? Are there tasks in your family and community that girls are required to do and boys not (or the other
might be dangerous during a disaster.
way round)? Are there things that you would like to do but are not allowed to do because you are a girl or a
• Have you ever felt that you were not consulted, either at home or at school, when an important decision was taken?
boy?
How did it make you feel?
• Can you think of how these different rights and roles might be of use during a disaster? Can you think of how
• Who in
these your class,
different in your
rights andfamily,
roles in your be
might neighbourhood is not usually
dangerous during consulted, asked their opinion, or provided with
a disaster?
• Have you ever felt that you were not consulted, either at home or atpreparedness
information? Think about ways they can be included in learning about risk, school, when andan
resilience,
important as well as ways
decision was
they can be included when planning and preparing for disasters.
taken? How does that make you feel?
• Who in your class, in your family, in your neighborhood are usually not being asked, not being consulted, not
being taught? Think about ways they can be included in learning about risk, preparedness and resilience as
well as ways they can be included when planning and preparing for disasters.
10
One way
We can we can reduce
particularly reducevulnerabilities
vulnerability is by organizing
by getting organized as a our communities,
community. thereby
Here, we increase our capacities.
increasing
We can, for example, learn about our community's hazards and create good warnings about themand
our capacity. We can, for example, learn about our community’s hazards that are
create appropriate
understandable warning
for everyone. We systems that
can share the everyone can
responsibilities understand.
on who helps elders,We
sickcan share
people, the women
pregnant
responsibilities related to
and people with disabilities helping when
to evacuate, seniors, sick approaches.
a hazard people, pregnant women,
We can build sheltersand peopletowith
for everyone be safe
disabilities evacuate when a hazard is approaching. We can
from hazards and help everybody, including poor people, to build safe houses.build shelters for everyone to
be safe from hazards and help everybody, including poor people, to build safe houses.

MANY PEOPLE ARGUE THAT THERE ARE

'Many people argue that there are
YOU MEAN there’s
no such thing
NO NATURAL
no natural disasters
DISASTERS AT ALL, .BECAUSE
They say A
as a natural
HAZARD IS that
ONLY Aa DISASTER WHENbecomes
hazard only IT AFFECTSa
disaster? HUMANS.
disaster WHEN HUMAN VULNERABILITY
if people are vulnerable IS
HIGHand
ANDlack
CAPACITY IS LOW,toTHEprotect
capacities RISK OF
DISASTERS themselves.
IS GREATEST.

Globally, the number of disasters has been rising!!

Japan
Japan 2011:
2011 :
Haiti 2010 earthquake: earthquake
Haiti 2010 : earthquakeand andtsunami:
tsunamialmost
more than 220,000
earthquake 20,000 peoplepeople
killed,killed,
more than
Almost 20,000
Over 220,000 peoplekilled
people killed USD
more210
thanbillion in damage
$210 billion in damage

Philippines
Philippines19911991 :
Hornof
Horn ofAfrica
Africa2011
2011: Mt.
drought: 13drought
million Mt.Pinatubo
Pinatuboeruption:
eruption
global
Globalaverage temperatures
average temperatures
people
13 million peopleneeded
needed decline
decline by 0.4–0.5
by 0.4-0.5 degrees
degrees
humanitarian
humanitarian assistance
assistance Celsius that year due toofthe
Celsius that year because
(food,
(food, water,
water, shelter,etc.)
shelter, etc.) eruption
eruption

Pakistan2011
Pakistan 2010: floods:
flood Myanmar
more
Morethan
than66million people
million people Myanmar20082008cyclone:
: cyclone
more
Over 130,000 peoplepeople
than 130,000 killed killed
displaced
displaced

SCIENTISTS HAVE FOUND THAT:

SCIENTIST FOUND
• The global rise THAT
of disaster :
occurrence is related to population growth and to the fact that
more
• The people
global live
rise ofindisaster
hazardous areas, especially
occurrence in densely
is related populatedgrowth
to population cities. and to the fact that
• more
Morepeople
than 32live in hazardous
million people hadareas,
to fleeespecially
their homesinfrom
densely populated
disasters in 2012.cities.
• • 
More
Unsustainable development leads to environmental degradation, which ininturn
than 32 million people had to flee their homes from disasters 2012.
exposes
• Unsustainable development lead
communities to higher risks of disaster.to environmental degradation, which in turn expose
communities to higher risks of disaster.
• Communities which protect their forest cover are less prone to soil erosion and landslides
• Communities which protect
(for example, mangrove foreststheir forest
protect cover arewhen
communities less prone to soil
tsunamis erosion and landslides
strike).
(for example, mangrove forests protect communities when tsunamis strike).

11
 The Role of Climate Change
One particular
GLOBAL WARMING HASphenomenon
BEEN IDENTIFIED More than a hundred years ago,
AS that increases
A PHENOMENON disaster
THAT INCREASES people around
people aroundthe world
the worldstarted burning
started burninglargelarge
amounts of coal,ofoil,
amounts andoil,
coal,
risk
THE from
RISK heavy rainfalls,
OF DISASTER CAUSED BY natural gas to power their homes, factories, and vehicles.
and natural gas — or fossil fuels — to power their homes, factories,
heat
HEAVY waves and
RAINFALLS, maybe also
HEATWAVES, AS
stronger
WELL cyclones
AS POSSIBLY CAUSING is and
Today,vehicles. Today,
most of the worldmost
reliesof
onthe world
these fossilrelies onenergy.
fuels for these Burning
fossil fuels
fossil
globalCYCLONES.
STRONGER warming. fuelsenergy.
for releasesBurning
carbon dioxide, a heat-trapping
fossil fuels gas, into
releases carbon the atmosphere.
dioxide, a heat-
Higher temperatures
trapping gas, into theleadatmosphere.
to more evaporation
Higher of water. Combined,
temperatures lead they
to more
increase the probability of extreme weather such as heavy
evaporation of water. Combined, these two phenomena increase therainfalls, drought
and stronger storms and cyclones.
probability of extreme weather such as heavy rainfalls, drought and
stronger storms and cyclones.

THINK BACK TO OUR DICE:

To go back to our dice,
In a normal world, the number 1 would represent cold
In a normal
weather, world, 6
number wewould
can think of number
be hot weather1 and
as cold
the
weather, number
numbers 6 as hot
2 through weather
5 would beand the numbers
temperate 2-5
weather.
as temperate
In a world of weather.
warming climate, numbers 5 is hot
weather, while 6 is now
In a world of warming representative
climate, of extremely
numbers 5 stands for hot
hot weather.
weather and number 6 for extremely hot weather.
Six of the
Since ten hottest years
temperature worldwide
records (since in
have been temperature
existence, six
records
of exist)hottest
the ten took place within
years the last decade.
worldwide have occurred
within the last decade.

The problem of climate change is

not only that it increases the
risk of certain extreme events.
In many regions, it makes it
difficult to calculate disaster
risk based on the past, as what
was a 1-in-20 years flood, might, SO Then what can
with climate change, become we do to minimize
a 1-in-10 year flood. disaster risk?

12
 There's a lot of
things we can do! WHILE SOMEofOFthe
While some THEthings
THINGS WE HAVE discussed
we have DISCUSSED may
MAYseem
SEEM
SCARY, THERE are
scary, there ARE aA lot
LOT of
OF we
THINGS
can WE CAN DO TOthem.
do against PROTECT
OURSELVES FROM THEM.
Humanity has
Humanity haslived
survived
with andover hundred-thousands
survived natural hazardsof years
and living
disaster riskwith
for
natural hazards
hundreds and disaster
of thousands risk.Many
of years. Manyhuman
humancommunities
communities have
have proven
proven to be
very resilient, meaning they bounce back after they being struck by
to be very resilient, meaning they could bounce back and thrive after they a disaster.
So what
were does
hit by it take for
a disaster. a community
What does it taketofor
bea resilient?
community to be resilient?

We now know that disaster risk depends on the hazards we face, on the vulnerabilities we have and on our
We now know
capacities that disaster
to minimize risk depends
hazards on the hazardsOften
and vulnerabilities. we face, onisthe
this vulnerabilities
expressed by thiswe have and
simple on our capacities
formula:
to minimize hazards and vulnerabilities. Often this is expressed by this simple formula:

HAZARD Xx VULNERABILITY
HAZARD VULNERABILITY
DISASTER RISK  =
DISASTER RISK =
CAPACITY
CAPACITY
To be resilient, the first thing we need to be is Risk-Smart. To be Risk-Smart we have to find out as much as
So, to be about
possible resilient,
thethe firstwe
risks thing
arewe needand
facing to belearn
is riskhow
smart. To be risk
to reduce smart
those we have
risks. This to find
also out aswe
means much as possible
need to be
about the risks we are facing and learn on how those risks can be reduced.
climate smart — know about climate change and work to adapt to it, and slow it down. This also includes being climate smart,
knowing about climate change and working to slow it down and to adapt to it.
While we might not be able to influence all hazards — it is impossible to stop an earthquake from
While we mightwe
happening,— notcan
be able to influence
influence all hazards
some hazards by-building
well, it is dams
difficult
ortoplant
stop trees
earthquakes from
to reduce happening
flood - we can
risks, for
influence some hazards by, for example, building dams or plant trees to reduce flood risks.
instance.
We can
We canreduce
reduceour
ourvulnerabilities,
vulnerabilities,too.too.
We We
can can
buildbuild
safersafer
houses in safeinareas
houses orareas,
safer help those whothose
or help are more
whovulnerable
are more
to become less
vulnerable so. We can
to become less put a stop
so. As to practices before,
we mentioned that endanger
we canouralsoenvironment andpractices
put a stop to work to that
slow endanger
down global
warming.
our environment and work to slow down global warming.
Another thing
Another thingthat
thathelps us us
helps become
becomeresilient is toisbebeing
resilient prepared, whichwhich
prepared, meansmeans
to improve our response
improving to disasters
our response to by
disasters
having goodby having
warnings, good
safewarning systems,
houses, safe safe houses,
evacuation safe
shelters, evacuation
knowing shelters,
first aid, and knowing
etc. Preparedness first aid, for
is something that
just a few examples. Preparedness is something that everyone can do and it’s easy! The better prepared
everyone can do and it's easy! The better prepared a family, a school, a community, a country, the less tragic the effects a
family, a school, a community, or even a country, the less tragic the effects of a disaster
of a disaster will be. A risk smart, prepared community will be more resilient in case a disaster happens. will be. A risk-smart
and prepared community will be more resilient when disaster strikes.

EVENEven
IF YOU’RE NEVER AFFECTED
if no disaster
BY A DISASTER,
happens, REDUCING
reducing risk
RISK
andAND PREPARINGfor
preparing FOR
DISASTERScan
disasters CAN be
BE FUN
funAND
and LET’Slet’s
yeah, BE RISK-
be LET’S
let’sBE
be LET’S BE
let’s be
can US
BRING bring us closer
CLOSER TOGETHER SMART!
risk smart! PREPARED!
prepared! resilient!
RESILIENT!
together as a school, a
AS A SCHOOL, A FAMILY AND A yeaa!
family and a community.
COMMUNITY.

13
 1
1

2
2

3 4 5
3 4 5

6 7
6 7

8
8

9 10 11
9 10 11

12 13
12 13

14
14

15
15
DISASTER
CROSSWORD!!

16
16

17
17

18
18

19
19

14
DRR Crossword

ACROSS
Across
3. Preparing for disasters can be
4. A natural or man-made event that threatens humans
6. Helps to minimize the impact of disasters
8. The chance that a certain event happens at a certain time
12. Earthquakes, storms, volcano eruptions, floods, landslides are ...
(2 words)
14. Bouncing back well from a disaster
16. What we should be (2 words)
17. Global atmospheric system that determines our weather
19. When a hazard impacts human beings - their life, health or
possessions

DOWN
Down
1. Helps humans to understand natural hazards better
2. Help to protect communities from tsunamis
5. The number of disaster has been ... In recent decades
7. There are no such things as ... (2 words)
9. Sum of factors that makes a human, a community or an asset
endangered by a hazard
10. Burning fossil fuels leads to this (2 words)
11. Main greenhouse gas responsible for global warming (2 words)
13. The probability that a hazard will turn into a disaster, based on
vulnerability and adaptive capacity (2 words)
15. Period in which six of the ten hottest years happened
18. A natural hazard caused by wind

15
 It Happened to Me

Hey!

Thank you very much.

That was a great
presentation. Now
enjoy the break!

that was
a great please,
presentation! well, I’ve
How do you know tell us do you really
survived
so much about about it. want to hear
one... yes, of
disasters? my story?
course!

Before moving here,

my family lived close to the
coast, just like here...

16
The area was known for earthquakes. One day there was Although we've experienced
early on, we were taught how to earthquakes before, we were so
a very strong
duck, cover and roll, and then afraid. We
SCARED. Wesaw
sawthe
thewall
wallcracked
cracked
earthquake. a bit, but otherwise,
otherwise the
the school
school
evacuate the school in case of
building stood strong.
an earthquake.

WEwere
We WEREstanding
STANDING INinFRONT
front OF of
THEthe
SCHOOL, JUST
school,
CHATTING
just WITH EACH
chatting among OTHER,
us, WHEN
when SOME
somePEOPLE
people So we all started to
CAMErunning
came RUNNING FROM
from THEtheBEACH
beachAREAS. THEY
areas. SHOUTED
They run towards the hills.
shouted that
THAT A BIG WAVEa WAS
big wave was coming..
COMING. It was really chaotic...

wave!
wave!
then I heard a loud noise,
wave!

like the roaring of thunder

I looked back...

ITit’s
WASa Atsunami..
TSUNAMI...

I got hit by the wave.

It swept me away.

17
 it took hours for the search and rescue
FORTUNATELY I AM A GOOD SWIMMER, SO I
Fortunately, I'm a good swimmer SO I team to get me out of the debris.
MANAGED TO KEEP MY HEAD ABOVE WATER.
managed to keep my head above the water. My left leg was stuck.
IT FELT LIKE FOREVER, BUT I FINALLY LANDED
It felt like forever, but I finally landed
ON A PILE OF DEBRIS...
on a pile of debris..

they
they brought
bring me meto
toaahospital.
hospital.
there was
there wasa alotlotofof
chaos.
chaos.
A NICE DOCTOR CAME AND TOLD ME THAT
a nice doctor came and told me that
people were
people searching
searching of for THERE WAS PROBABLY NOTHING THEY
there was probably nothing they
their families.
their families. COULD DO FOR MY LEFT LEG AND THAT
could do for my left leg and that
they would have to amputate it. I was
THEY WOULD HAVE TO AMPUTATE IT. I WAS
very sad and cried for hours.
VERY SAD AND I CRIED FOR HOURS.

I WASwas
I, too, WONDERING
wondering
I, too, was wondering
ABOUT
about MY
about myFAMILY,
my family..TOO...…
family..

After they took my leg,

they moved me to a recovery
facility. There I got a
prosthetic leg and
learned how to walk again.

Most
MOST ofFAMILY
OF MY my family and friends
AND FRIENDS survived
SURVIVED the
THE DISASTER.
disaster. But most of our town was destroyed.
BUT MOST OF OUR TOWN WAS DESTROYED. I DECIDED THAT
I HAD TO LEARN There,
AS MUCHI AS POSSIBLE
decided ABOUT
that DISASTERS
I had AND
to learn
THAT I WOULD NEVER as
as much AGAIN FACE A DISASTER
possible UNPREPARED.
about disasters.
I would become prepared.

18
 Wow, that sounds
really tough. How
yeah. if I were you, I’d
did you manage to
be really sad or angry..
stay that positive?

WELL, I WAS BOTH SAD AND ANGRY FOR QUITE

Well, I was both sad and angry for quite
SOME
some TIME.
time. I ICRIED
criedA aLOT
lotAND DIDN’T
and WANT
didn't TO
want
TALK TO PEOPLE
to talk to people IN THE
in HOSPITAL, ESPECIALLY
the hospital.
Especially
WHEN I DIDN’Twhen
KNOW IWHETHER
haven't MYheard whether
FAMILY HAD
my family had survived or not. I feared
SURVIVED OR NOT. I WAS SCARED
that I might be all alone from that THAT I MIGHT
BE ALL on.
point ALONE FROM THEN ON.

WHEN MY FAMILY CAME TO THE

Well, when my family came The therapists in the hospital, who helped AND LEARNING ABOUT DISASTERS
And learning about disasters
HOSPITAL I WAS VERY RELIEVED.
to the hospital I was very THE THERAPISTS IN THE HOSPITAL, WHO HELPED ME
me learn to walk again, were also very and preparedness, thinking
OF COURSE THEY WERE SHOCKED
relieved. Of course they LEARN TO WALK AGAIN, WERE SO HELPFUL AND
helpful and, positive. They kept encouraging
POSITIVE. AND PREPAREDNESS, THINKING
that it may be useful to me
were shocked about my leg,
ABOUT MY LEG, ALTHOUGH THEY THEYthat
me KEPT IENCOURAGING
would walk MEagain
THAT I and
WOULD WALKdo
could AGAIN THAT IT MIGHT BE USEFUL TO
and others, really helped me
ALTHOUGH THEY trIED to
TRIED NOT TO SHOW IT. BUT IT
NOT show it. But it was
AND DO
all ALLfun
the THEthings
FUN THINGS THAT
that I DID before..
I did BEFORE. ME AND OTHERS, REALLY HELPED
to stop feeling sorry for
WAS REALLY GOOD TO TALK TO
really good to talk to
myself..
ME TO STOP FEELING SORRY FOR
THEM ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED
them about what happened MYSELF...
AND ABOUT HOW I FELT.
and about how I felt.

I was really happy to be able to Even now, the sadness I would also like to
go to school after all the time comes back sometimes,. OR YOU CAN WRITE
share my story with you..
I spent in the hospital and after
moving to a new area.. ... but it's much less than ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES
I USUALLY write
before. And there is
always someone I can
IN A BLOG, LIKE I DID!
about MY experiences
in a blog..
talk to, or I write about
it in my diary.
BLOG?

19
 LAST
Last YEAR,
year,MYmy
HOUSE
houseWASwas
destroyedBYby
DESTROYED A a
cyclone. My
CYCLONE. MY FAMILY
family had to flee
HAD TO FLEE
to an TO
evacuation
AN EVACUATION
center. Then we
CENTRE.
had to THEN
moveWEto a
temporary
HAD TO MOVE TO A
housing while
TEMPORARY HOUSING
waiting for our
WHILE
houseWAITING
to be FOR
OUR HOUSE TO BE
rebuilt.
REBUILT.

IT WAS SO HOT AND LOUD IN THOSE PLACES. I COULDN’T STUDY, I COULDN’T

It was so hot and loud in those places. I couldn't study, I
SLEEP. ANDsleep.
couldn't THEY WERE
AndFAR AWAY
they FROMfar
were SCHOOL,
from WHICH MEANT
school, THATmeant
which I HAD
TO GET UP VERY EARLY TO GET TO SCHOOL ON TIME.
that I had to get up very early to get to school on time.

After school, I took care of my little

sister until my father got home from
work, which was pretty late. I was so
tired all the time and it was difficult
for me to concentrate on what I was
doing. I did badly at school.

Then, I found out that

the organization
providing the housing
had computers that
we could use...
I started to write a blog
about what happened to me
and my family.

I don't know how, but writing

really made me feel better...

20
THROUGH THE BLOG, I GOT IN TOUCH WITH OTHER CHILDREN WHO HAD
Through the blog, I got in touch with other children
EXPERIENCED DISASTERS.disasters.
who had experienced ONE GIRL TOLD
OneME THAT
girl YEARS
told me AGO,
thatA
HUGE
yearsFLOOD
ago PUT HER flood
a huge VILLAGEput
UNDERWATER FOR SEVERAL
her village WEEKS.
under water
for AND
SHE several weeks. GOT
HER SISTERS She SO
andBORED.
her sisters got WAS
ELECTRICITY so bored.
DOWN,
Electricity was down, all her toys and books were
ALL HER TOYS AND BOOKS WERE SWEPT AWAY, AND HER
swept away, and her family couldn't leave the second
FAMILY
COULDN’T
floor of LEAVE THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE HOUSE ...
the house.

AFTER
AfterA WHILE, THEYthe
a while, CAME UP WITHcame
sisters SOMEupSIMPLE
withGAMES
some
THAT DIDN’T
simple games REQUIRE
that ELECTRICITY
did not needAND TOOLS, WHICH
electricity
HELPED THEM PASS
and tools, whichTHEhelped
TIME. THEY
them WERE REALLY
pass theHAPPY
time.
They
TO GOwere
BACK really
TO SCHOOLhappy
AFTERtoTHE
goFLOODS
back HAD
to school
PASSED.
after the floods had passed.

AABOY
boyTOLD
told MEme
THAT
thatHEhe AND
andHIShis
FAMILY HAD TOtoLIVE
family had live
INinANanEVACUATION
evacuation
center
CENTRE far
FAR from
FROM
his home for
HIS HOME FOR TWO two
weeks because the
WEEKS BECAUSE THE
volcano near his
VOLCANO NEAR HIS
village erupted.
VILLAGE ERUPTED.
He said that living
HE
SAID THAT LIVING
in the center was
IN
THE CENTRE WASN’T
not bad. He easily WHAT WAS DIFFICULT FOR HIM WAS
What was difficult for him was
BAD. HE EASILY MADE
made friends with GOING BACK HOME, BECAUSE HE WAS
to return home. He was afraid
FRIENDS
other WITH OTHER
children AFRAIDthe
that THAT THE VOLCANO
volcano wouldWOULD
erupt
CHILDREN
and they didAND THEY
fun DID ERUPT AGAIN. HE HAD BAD DREAMS
again. He had bad dreams about
FUN
thingsTHINGS TOGETHER.
together. ABOUT
the THE WHOLE
whole VILLAGE
village BEING
being
SWALLOWED
swallowedUP byBY BURNING lava.
burning LAVA.

He only managed to
But your story is the
overcome his fear after his
most amazing of all.
teacher explained how
Thanks for sharing it THANK YOU FOR
volcanoes work and that
with us. SHARING YOUR STORIES.
the chance of another
eruption in his lifetime is WE’RE SO PROUD
very small. TO BE YOUR FRIEND.

YEAH, YOU
YEAH, YOU CAN
CAN
ALSO COUNT
COUNT ON
ON US FOR
US FOR SUPPORT..
SUPPORT.

21
 Reflection questions # 1

GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT!

Take a couple of minutes to think about the children's stories and to answer the following questions.
Share
Take aand discuss
couple your answers
of minutes with the
to think about thechildren’s
classmate sitting
stories next
and to you.the following questions. Share and
to answer
discuss your answers with the classmate sitting next to you.

How did
How did you
youfeel
feelwhen
whenyou read
you thethe
read children’s stories?
children's stories?

What feelings
What feelings did
didthe
thechildren
childrenexperience afterafter
experience the disaster? Can you
the disaster? relate
Can youtorelate
their feelings?
to their feelings?

How did the children cope with their feelings? Do you think they did a good job?
How did the children cope with their feelings? Do you think they did a good job?

If you were in their position, what are the things that you would have done similarly, and what are the things
Ifthat
youyou
were in their
would have position, what are the things that you would have done similarly, and what are the
done differently?
things that you would have done differently?

Have you ever been affected by a disaster? Do you know someone who has been affected by a disaster?

22
HELP IS HERE: PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT
HERE ARE A FEW THOUGHTS THAT MAY HELP YOU FEEL BETTER IF YOU ARE
Here are
AFFECTED BY AaDISASTER:
few thoughts
that may help you feel better
when a will
• Things disaster happens:
get back to normal. Even if things are hard now, they are likely to get
better soon enough.
• • 
Soon, things
It is not shall
your get back
fault. to normal.
Disasters Even
are not if things
God’s are hardelse’s
or anybody now, they are likely to get better
punishment.
soon enough.
• Ask grown-ups for help if you are feeling confused or afraid. They will help you
• It understand
is not your fault.
what Disasters
is goingare
on.not God's
Don’t beorafraid
anybody else’s
to ask anypunishment.
questions such as “How long
are we going to be in this shelter?” or “When will I go back to school?”
• Ask grown-ups for help if you are feeling confused or afraid. They will help you understand
what
•  It isisokay
goingtoon.
beDon't beangry
sad or afraidafter
to askaany questions
disaster such as
happens. “How
If you long
feel areorwe
sad goingtry
angry, to be
to in
find
this out why
shelter?” oryou arewill
“When feeling this to
I go back way. Try to share your feelings with your parents,
school?”
siblings, friends or teachers.
• It is okay to be sad or angry after a disaster happens. If you feel sad or angry, try to find out
•  You
why might
you have lost
are feeling thisthings that
way. Try are valuable
to share to you
your feelings or your
with evenparents,
have to siblings,
be awayfriends
from or
home
teachers.for a while. See this as an opportunity to make new friends and be creative on
using things for playing and studying.
• You might have lost things that are valuable to you or even have to be away from home for a
• Understand that parents and family members might also be sad, confused and angry
while. See this as an opportunity to make new friends and be creative on using things for
after a disaster. This does not mean that they don’t love you. They might also be very
playing and studying.
busy rebuilding what got destroyed during the disaster.
• Understand that parents and family members can also be sad, confused and angry after a
• Sometimes it helps to write, draw or sing about what happened. You can describe
disaster. This does and
what happened not how
meanyou
that they
feel don’t
about it, love you.you
so that They
canmight also be
remember very
it all busy to
better
rebuild what got destroyed during the disaster.
when it’s all over and you want to tell others how brave you were.
• • 
Sometimes it helps
You too, can help.toGirls
write,
anddraw
boysor ofsing about
all ages what
can helphappened.
in sheltersYou can describe
by taking care ofwhat
happened and how
other children, you feelwith
playing about it, soYou
them. thatcan
youalso
can remember it allafter
help at home better when it's all
a hurricane orover
an
and you want tofor
earthquake, tellexample
others how
by brave
picking you were.up or cleaning up.
things
• • 
You
Trytoo, canback
to go help.
toGirls and
school asboys
soonof
asall ages can
possible, as help in shelters
it is good by what
to share takingyou
care of other
children, playing
experienced withyour
with them. You can
friends andalso help at home after a hurricane or an earthquake,
teachers.
for example by picking things up or cleaning up.
• Learn about hazard, risk, preparedness and resilience so you have a head-start if
another
• Try disaster
to go back happens.
to school as soon as possible, as it is good to share what you experienced with
your friends and teachers.
• Learn about hazard, risk, preparedness and resilience so you have a head-start when the
next disaster happens.

Source :
UNISDR and UNICEF (2007). Let's Learn How to Prevent Disasters. UNISDR and UNICEF.

Adapted from UNISDR and UNICEF. 2007. Let’s Learn How to Prevent Disasters. UNISDR and UNICEF.

23
 Ready, Set, Go!

THE NEXT DAY AT SCHOOL...

good morning,
everyone!

CAN YOU TEACH US HOW

Can you teach us how
TO be
to BE RISK-SMART,
risk smart, Instead of me teaching
PREPARED AND
prepared andRESILIENT?
resilient? you, why don't we work
together to become risk sure
smart, prepared and !!
resilient?

LET’S
Let'sASKask
AROUND AND SEE
around
WHO’SandINTERESTED.
see who's MAYBE Yes, let's form a
Team Risk- Smart,
ITinterested.
WOULD BE Maybe
BETTER
it's better and
AND a Team Prepared HEY,
hey,WHAT
what ARE
are THEY
MORE
moreFUN TO WORK
fun to work and a Team Resilient! TALKING ABOUT?
they discussing
about?
IN GROUPS!
in groups!

That is a
great idea!

Each team can present Let's ask our teacher if

can we join
your group? their findings in a we can use some time in
couple of weeks’ time. class to present the
yeah, I want 0F our group work!
resultS of
to join too...
come join
us !

24
Become Risk-Smart
let’s hear
it for team
risk smart!

RISK
SMART
one week later.. . TEAM

To be able to deal with disaster You’ve already learned that the

risks, you first need to map risk of disaster is greatest when
them. Think of yourself as a communities have low capacity and
‘disaster risk detective’. high vulnerability.

# 1. C REATING A RISK MAP

BY TEAM RISK-SMART

A risk map
is an important
tool that will
help you with
many other
activities.

25
 WHAT you
What YOU need
NEED

A large piece of paper or an empty Pens — you might want Some tape or glue to hang your
A large
blackboard, piece
white of paper
board, or wall Pens, you
to use might want
different colors Some tape iforit’s
risk map glueonto hang
paper
or an empty blackboard/wall to use different colors your risk map if it's on paper

WHAT TO DO:
1. Draw a map of your neighborhood, village Howor town. you can doyouit
• Are frequently in those areas that are at risk?
Include the places where you spend the most time: • Is your school in an area that is at risk?
1. Draw a map of your neighborhood, village or town. It is Find out the answers to the following questions:
your home and your school. 5. Next, discuss vulnerabilities.
important to include the places you mostly spend time at:
2. Include natural landmarks, such as rivers and canals, • 
 Which
What hazards
makes certainis your
people neighborhood/village/town
in your neighborhood
your home and your school.
mountains and steep hills, or coastlines, as well exposed
more to (earthquakes,
vulnerable than others?floods, landslides and
2. asInclude
major natural landmarks,
infrastructure such
(roads, as rivers
bridges, and canals,
tunnels), • Whatothers)?
makesWhich areas
certain will bebuildings,
areas, most affected
or if a certain
and important
mountains publichills,
and steep buildings
coastline (fire
andstations,
others. train infrastructure
hazard occurs? in your area more vulnerable than
stations, hospitals, police stations, electrical plants.) others?
3. You
Include some of the main infrastructure like roads,
should also include potentially hazardous
 Which disasters have happened in the past in your
• What activities happen in your neighborhood that
bridges, tunnels
buildings like chemical and others.
plants. neighborhood/village/town?
increase vulnerabilities? Which areas were most
3.  affected and why?
6. Mark buildings and areas where a large number of
4. Once
Includeyouimportant
have drawn your
public map, it’s
buildings, such time to become
as train and bus
astations,
disaster fire
riskstations,
detective! Find out
hospitals, which
police hazards
stations, mayor's people
 Doesmight
yourneed help when
community a disaster
already have riskstrikes,
maps such
for
your community
office, is facing.
electricity plants Split up into teams and
and others. as schools,
variouscommunity
hazards? If centres,
so, how homes
were they for made?
the elderly,
Were
interview people in your community — everyone and hospitals.
people in our community consulted? Does the map
5. from
Include buildings that and
coulddisaster
be hazardous, like chemical 7. Next,include
think of capacities. Mark
local journalists management changes in risk due to buildings and
climate change?
plants, sewage plants and others.
officials to your family and friends. The Internet and infrastructures that are important for disaster
7. response,
Then, mark suchareas and buildings
as evacuation that safe
routes, are atzones,
risk from a
6. your
Oncelibrary
you haveare drawn
great sources
your map, of itinformation,
is time to becometoo. a
Find out the
disaster risk answers
detective. to Find
the following
out whichquestions:
hazards your hospitals, fire houses, and others. Discuss how work
certain hazard. Different groups of students can muchon
• Which hazards is your different hazard scenarios (like a small
at risk those facilities are from disasters and how flood versus a large
community is facing. You neighborhood/village/town
can split up in teams and visit
exposed to?people
Whichinareas will be mostYou affected flood, a light versus a strong earthquake).
accessible they would be when a disaster strikes.
and interview your community. may talkifto
a
certain
the hazard
fire station occurs?
chief, disaster management officials, the 8. Your
 riskyou
Are map is ready!inThere
frequently are sothat
those areas many things
are at risk?
• Whichmeteorologists,
mayor, disasters have local happened in theyour
journalists, pastteachers
in your you can do with it: present it to your teachers, your
area? WhichYou sections 
family,Is your school inworkers
emergency an area that likeisfire
at risk?
fighters. Find out
and others. can were most affected
also interview your and why?
parents,
• Does your community
grandparents, neighbors already have risk
and friends. Or, maps
instead of 8. if Next,
you can display
think, discuss it and
in the community
research somewhere.
about vulnerabilities.
for various
visiting hazards? Ifthem,
and interviewing so, were
you people
can alsoin yourthem
invite From here, you’ll want to start talking about how
community consulted? Does the map include 
your What makes can
community certain
startpeople
to reduce in your neighborhood
its disaster risk,
to your school to give a presentation or to simply answer
changes in risk /village/town more vulnerable
and how you can be more prepared. Think of ways than others?
your questions. Youdue
canto climate
also do some change?
research in the local
4. Next, mark areas and buildings
library, look through your local newspaper that are at risk from
archive or do to identify people
What makes who areas,
certain wouldbuildings,
be vulnerable in a in
infrastructure
aresearch
certain hazard. Different
on the internet. groups of students can disaster
yourandareahow
morethey can bethan
vulnerable helped to safety. What
others?
work on different hazard scenarios (like a small flood can children/youths do to help?
versus a large flood).  Which of the things we do increase vulnerabilities?

26
 accessible they would be when a disaster strikes. disaster risk or on how to be more prepared for disasters.
11. Your risk map is ready! You can use it in many ways: Think of ways to identify people who are vulnerable in
Present it to your teachers, as well as to your case a disaster strikes and on how they can be assisted to
get to safety. What can children/youths do to help?

Some tips
If your community is too big to fit into one risk map, you can form
• If youreach
groups, community is too
responsible big to fita into
for mapping onearea
specific riskwithin
map, the
you can form
community. groups,
You can even each
think responsible for mapping
of working together with other
a specific area within
schools in your community. the community. You could even
work with other schools in your community.
If your home and your school are in different parts of town, you can
individually
•  make be
Hazards might a different
risk map infor your neighborhood
different seasons. If and
collectively make one for your school.
so, different groups can make risk maps for different
Hazards might
seasons. Youbecan
different
also doin different
a separateseasons. If thisfor
risk map is the case,
each
different
hazard,groups could
instead ofmake risk maps
combining allfor differentinseasons.
hazards one map.
You can also do a separate risk map for each hazard, instead of
• Risk maps are always based on probability and
combining all hazards in one map.
sometimes very improbable things can happen (these
Beare
aware
calledthat risk swan
black maps events
are always
— trybased on probability
to figure and
out why!).
sometimes
This means very improbable
that thingshouse
even if your can happen (these are
and school things are
called blackinswan
located areas events
that –are
tryrelatively
to find outsafe,
why!).it This
makesmeans that
sense
even if your house and school are located in areas that are
to be prepared from disasters.
relatively safe, it makes sense to be prepared from disasters.

THEY DIDwho
Others IT, SO
didCAN
it YOU!
Students from Baan Talae Nok and Kuan Sai Ngam schools in Thailand took part in a Disaster Risk Reduction
Learning Camp. They performed several fun risk- smart activities, including:
A community survey, where children asked villagers about their knowledge and experiences with disasters and risk
reduction.
Drawing risk and resources maps to show areas considered hazardous and safe for children during a tsunami.
Presenting their maps to younger children as well as telling these children where to run/evacuate if a tsunami comes.

Source: Baan Talae Nok Schoolchildren and Rabatbai Group (2008). The Alert Rabbit. Save the Children Sweden – Southeast Asia and
The Pacific Regional Office.

27
 #2.
# 2. M
 AKING MURALS ANDMURALS
MAKING EXHIBITIONS
AND EXHIBITIONS
It's cool. While preparing the mural or exhibition, you
learn about a disaster-related topic in a fun way. You
get to be all creative, while offering something useful
to other students, your families and the whole
community.

What you need 3. Once you have enough information, make a concept
WHAT YOU NEED:
It depends very much on what you want to present and
for your mural or exhibition piece. Think of how your
mural or piece will look like, the materials you will
Itwhat is availableon
all depends to what
you. Exhibition
you want pieces can takeand
to present various
what is available to you, because exhibition pieces can
need to make it and what information you would like
forms.
be anyYou mayand
shape use: size you want. You could use:
to present through the mural or piece.
• 
 Medium
Medium- oror
large size papers
large-size to make
papers tocollages
make collages
4. Discuss with your teacher where to put on the mural

•  Different
Differentcolored
colouredpens, crayons,
pens, water
crayons, or oilorcolors,
water oil colours, paints (for murals)
or exhibition. It should be somewhere clearly visible
paints (for murals) and accessible to your intended audiences. Make
• Scissors, rulers, glue
 Scissors, rulers, glue sure you get permission to paint your mural or hold
• Newspapers and magazines (to cut out articles of interest, yourcharacters
exhibition ator photos)
that place.
 Newspapers and magazines (to cut out articles of
Printouts
• interest, from the
characters or internet
photos) 5. Get creative in painting your mural or making your
• Old pieces ofthe
fabric and cloth, threads or wool exhibition piece. Ask your arts, handicraft or head
 Printouts from internet teacher for support.
• 
 An exhibition space or a wall to draw
Old pieces of fabric and cloth, threads or wool your mural onto
6. Public relations are important. Send out invitations
An exhibition space or a wall to draw your mural onto and put up posters to get people to go see your
WHAT TO DO: mural or exhibition. Organize an opening ceremony
for your mural or exhibition and get as many people
1. Brainstorm with your teacher and classmates what topicasmural or to
possible exhibition
attend thiswill address
event – yourand whoyour
family,
How youtocan
you want presentdoit it to. For example, you could paint classmates,
a mural by your the riverside to remind people
teachers, your neighbors and
1. to reduce the
Brainstorm withrisk
yourofteacher
flooding by not throwing
and classmates on whichgarbage community
into the river, or you could put together an
leaders. Think of going to local radio
exhibition on the
topic the mural hazards shall
or exhibition facedfocus
by your community.
on and whom stations to spread the word about your work.
you want to present it to. For example, you can paint a
2. Do some research on your topic so that you can illustrate it in athe
7. Prepare way that will
exhibition help
space so people understand
you can present your
muralyou
what by the
areriverside
trying to to remind
show. people to not create
more flooding risk by throwing garbage into the river. pieces well. Display or hang them so they are clearly
Or,
3. Once you canhave
you makeenough
an exhibition at the town
information, hallabout
think visible.
or a how your muralHaving somewill
or piece textlook
explaining
and what your piece
park on theyou’ll
materials hazards faced
need tobymake
your community.
it and what information you (what it is
are about,
going toby whom
focus on.it is made) will make it
easier for people to appreciate your work. You and
2. Discuss
4.  Do somewhere
research toabout
put on your topic.
the muralFor example, if you with your
or exhibition yourteacher.
friends Itcan
should be somewhere
also train to become clearly
exhibition
want toand
visible make a mural to
accessible that introduces
your intended good habits, Makeguides,
audiences. sure you get permission to
so there is always someone paint your
to mural
answer
observe
or the exhibition
hold your things people do that contribute to
there. visitors' questions. Think about a good day/time to
disaster risk. Or, if you want to make an exhibition open your exhibition. A special occasion such as the
5. Get creative
piece in painting
on volcanos, find outyourmoremural or making
about them through your exhibition piece and don’t forget to ask for help!
International Day of Disaster Risk Reduction (13th
books, through the internet, or by having a discussion October) might be it.
with your teacher.

28
6. Get people involved! Send out invitations and put up posters to get people to go see your mural or
exhibition. Organize an opening ceremony for your mural or exhibition and get as many people as
possible to attend this event — everyone from your family to community leaders. Try to get local radio
stations to spread the word about your work.

7. Prepare the exhibition space so you can present your pieces. Display or hang them so they are clearly
visible. Having some text explaining your piece (what it is about, by whom it is made) will make it easier
for people to appreciate your work. You and your friends could also become exhibition guides, so there
is always someone to answer visitors’ questions. Think about a good day/time to open your exhibition. A
special occasion such as the International Day of Disaster Risk Reduction (October 13) might be it.

THEY DIDwho
Others IT, SO
didCAN
it: YOU!
Others who did it:
Young people in Petapa, El Salvador, formed an emergency committee in the aftermath of the 2001 earthquake. They
Young people
organized in Petapa, El Salvador,
an environmental formed
education an emergency
program committee
to raise awareness in the aftermath
on issues offelling
such as tree the 2001
andearthquake. They
the extraction of
organized an environmental education program to raise awareness on issues such as tree felling and the extraction
sand and rocks from the river. They painted a mural on tree felling on school buildings and put up signs to forbid the of
sand and rocks
extraction from
of rocks the
and river.
sand They
from thepainted
river. a mural on tree felling on school buildings and put up signs to forbid the
extraction of rocks
Source: Mitchell, T., and sand
Tanner, T. from the river.
and Haynes, K. (2009). Children as Agents of Change for Disaster Risk Reduction: Lessons from El
Source:
SalvadorMitchell, T., Tanner, T.
and the Philippines. and Haynes,
Children K. (2009).
in a Changing Children
Climate as Agents of Change for Disaster Risk Reduction: Lessons from El
Research.
Salvador and the Philippines. Children in a Changing Climate Research.

#3. INITIATING AND SUPPORTING

#3. INITIATING AND SUPPORTING
RISK REDUCTION
RISK REDUCTION
ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITIES
You can initiate and support risk reduction
You can initiate
activities in your and support You
community. risk can
reduction
easily
activities
organize a in your community.
community clean-up, You
plantcan easily
trees or
organize
mangroves, a collect
community
rainclean-up,
water, andplant
more. trees or
mangroves, collect rain water, and more.

What you need

What
 you
Well, this need
depends very much on the activity.
Well, this depends very much on the activity.
For a cleanup, you need bags or baskets to move the garbage to the designated waste disposal sites. Working or
For a cleanup,
household youmight
gloves need bags
comeor baskets
handy. to move
Having thecart,
a small garbage to the designated
wheelbarrow or truck waste disposal
shall allow you sites. Working
to remove or
larger
household
items moregloves
easily. might come handy. Having a small cart, wheelbarrow or truck shall allow you to remove larger
items more easily.
For planting trees or mangroves, you need seedlings of plants, shovels to dig holes and buckets to water the new
For planting trees or mangroves, you need seedlings of plants, shovels to dig holes and buckets to water the new
plants. 29
plants.
 Salvador
Salvadorand
andthe
thePhilippines.
Philippines.Children
ChildrenininaaChanging
ChangingClimate
ClimateResearch.
Research.

#3.
#3. INITIATING
INITIATING AND
AND SUPPORTING
SUPPORTING
# 3. INITIATING AND SUPPORTING
RISK
RISK REDUCTION
REDUCTION ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITIES
You
You can
can initiate
initiate and
and support
support risk
risk reduction
reduction
activities
activities in
in your
your community.
community. YouYou can
can easily
easily
organize
organize aa community
community clean-up,
clean-up, plant
plant trees
trees or
or
mangroves,
mangroves, collect
collect rain
rain water,
water, and
and more.
more.

WHAT YOU NEED:

What
What you
you need
need
• Well, this depends very much on the activity.
 Well,
Well,this
thisdepends
dependsvery
verymuch
muchon
onthe
theactivity.
activity.
• For a clean-up, you need bags or baskets to move the garbage to the designated waste disposal sites.
 For
Foraacleanup,
cleanup,you
youneed
needbags
bagsor
orbaskets
basketstotomove
movethe
thegarbage
garbagetotothe
thedesignated
designatedwaste
wastedisposal
disposalsites.
sites.Working
Workingoror
Working or household gloves might come handy. Having a small cart, wheelbarrow or truck will allow you
household
householdgloves
glovesmight
mightcome
comehandy.
handy.Having
Havingaasmall
smallcart,
cart,wheelbarrow
wheelbarrowor ortruck
truckshall
shallallow
allowyou
youto
toremove
removelarger
larger
to remove larger items more easily.
items
itemsmore
moreeasily.
easily.
• To plant trees or mangroves, you need seedlings, shovels to dig holes and buckets to water the new plants.
 For
Forplanting
plantingtrees
treesorormangroves,
mangroves,you
youneed
needseedlings
seedlingsof
ofplants,
plants,shovels
shovelsto
todig
digholes
holesand
andbuckets
bucketsto
towater
waterthe
thenew
new
plants.
plants.

WHAT TO DO:
1. Start by looking at your risk map. Discuss with your teacher, classmates or family what human activities
How
How
make you
you
certain can
can
areas moredo
do it
it These may include clogging of rivers and canals with garbage, cutting down
risky.
of1.
vegetation
1. You
Youcan around
canstart
startwith landslide-prone
withlooking
lookingatatyour
yourrisk hills
riskmap. as wellwith
map.Discuss
Discuss as harvesting
withyour ofclassmates
yourteacher,
teacher, stones and
classmatesor gravel
orfamily fromhuman
familywhat
what riversactivities
human activities
2. Makemake
a list certain
make certain
of whatareas
areas more
could andrisky.
more risky. These
should bemay
These may
done include
include clogging of
ofrivers
cloggingrisks
to minimize rivers and
in your canals
canalswith
withgarbage,
andcommunity. garbage,
Here arecutting
somedown
cutting down of
of
examples:
vegetation
vegetation
2. Make around
around
a list of what landslide
landslide
could pronebehills
prone
and should hills
done as well
asto
well as
asharvesting
harvesting
mitigate of
ofstones
(minimize) risks inand
stones andgravel
gravel
your from
fromrivers.
community.rivers.
Here's an example:

HAZARD WHAT MAKES IT MORE LIKELY WHAT COULD BE DONE

River flooding Cutting down trees near the river Plant trees near the river
Throwing garbage in and near the river Organize a garbage clean-up

Tsunami Cutting down barrier forests and Revitalize mangrove forest

mangroves on coastline

Landslide Soil erosion because of cutting down of Plant bushes and trees
vegetation

3. Again, visit the people you consulted with when you made your risk map, like people from neighborhood
associations, women's groups, local government and NGOs. Ask whether there are activities in your
neighborhood/village/town aiming at mitigating disaster risk.
30
4. If such activities exist, go assist! Maybe your knowledge on hazards and risks might even help to make the
activities more effective.
 Tsunami Cutting down barrier forests and Revitalize mangrove forest
mangroves on coastline

Landslide Soil erosion because of cutting down of Plant bushes and trees
vegetation

3. Again, visit
3. Again, visitthe
thepeople
peopleyouyouconsulted
consultedwith when
with whenyou you
made youryour
made risk map, like people
risk map, from neighborhood
like neighbourhood
associations, women’s groups, local government and NGOs. Ask whether there areactivities
associations, women's groups, local government and NGOs. Ask whether there are activitiesininyour
your
neighborhood/village/town aiming at mitigating disaster risk.
neighbourhood/village/town that aim to mitigate disaster risk. If such activities exist, go and help!
4. With
If sucheverything you’ve
activities exist, learned,
go assist! you your
Maybe will make the activities
knowledge even
on hazards andmore effective.
risks might even help to make the
activities more effective.
4. If there are no such activities, organize some!
5. If there are no such activities, organize some! Talk to authorities, associations and NGOs about the risks your
community is facing and propose activities that you, together with your class, school, friends, family and
community could do.

Some tips
You can use these activities to raise awareness about
• behaviors
You canthat use harm
these your
activities to raise awareness
environment and increase
about behaviours that
disaster risk in your community. harm your environment
and increase disaster risk in your community.
 These activities can go well together with creating posters,
• murals
These andactivities
signs to caninform
go well together members
community with creating
of
posters,and
dangerous murals and signs
hazardous to inform
practices community
and on how they could
members
do things moreof dangerous
risk smart. and hazardous practices
and on how they could do things more risk-smart.
 Some of these activities might need you to raise some
• money
Some or of
askthese activitiesYou
for donations. might need
can talk you to
to local raise
business
owners and ask if they are willing to support such projects. to
some money or ask for donations. You can talk
local business owners and ask if they are willing
to support such projects.

THEY DID who

Others IT, SO
didCAN
it YOU!
Children in Sumbawa Island, Indonesia, an area that is at high risk of volcanic eruptions and floods, founded Sanggar
Sinar Pajo (which means 'children's workshop'). Next to raising the community's awareness about flooding risk due to
littering, the children play an important role in 'Sunday Cleaning' activities. With their peers and adults, they cleaned
the drainage ditch along the main road, the drainage inside the village as well as places of worship in the community.
Source: UNISDR and Plan International (2012). Children's Action for Disaster Risk Reduction: Views from Children in Asia. UNISDR
and Plan International.

31
 Become Prepared

let’s hear it for

team PREPAREDNESS!

PRE-
-NESS
one week later...
TEAM PARED

# 1. W
 HERE?
#4.WHEN?WHERE?
WHEN?
HOW?

HOW?
THIS ACTIVITY WILL HELP YOU PREPARE
AThis
DISASTER
helpsPREPAREDNESS AGENDA
you to be prepared
wherever and whenever a
SO THAT YOU ARE PREPARED WHEREVER
hazard strikes.
AND WHENEVER A HAZARD STRIKES

WHAT YOU NEED:

• What
Your risk you
map, ifneed
you have already made one
• A
 Your risk
large map,
piece ofifpaper
you have
oralready
severalmade one pieces of paper, if you haven’t made a risk map
smaller
• Pens
 or pencils,
A large piece ofideally
paper orof different
several colours
smaller pieces of paper, if you haven't made a risk map
Pens or pencils, ideally you have different colored ones
WHAT TO DO:
1. List all the places you go to throughout the week. Indicate what time of day you are in each place.
How you
2. Locate and mark can doplaces
those it in your risk map. If you don’t have a risk map yet, draw a map of your
1. List all the places
community, whichyou go to throughout
includes the week.
all the places Indicate
in your list.which time of the day you spend at each place.
2. Locate
3. Discuss theand mark those
hazards places
in your in your risk
community and map.
where If you haven't
you would gotten a riskatmap
be most riskyet,
fromplease
thosedraw a map You
hazards. of your
might
community, which includes all the places in your list.
have done this when you made your risk map. If not, go back to the section on risk maps to see the kinds of
information
3. Discuss theyou will in
hazards want
your to look into.
community and where you would be most at risk from those hazards. You might have done
this when you made your risk map. If not, please look at page 23 to see the kinds of information you need to map hazards
4. Write down the hazards you’ve identified and associate them with the locations you mapped out in step 1.
in your community.
4. Write down the hazards you've identified in step 3 next to the corresponding places you've identified in step 1.

32
5. Add a column where you can write down the kinds of warning you would get for each hazard at
5. Add
eacha place.
columnDiscuss
where you can
your listwrite
withdown
yourthe kinds ofand
teachers warning you would get for each hazard at each place. Discuss
parents.
your list with your teachers, parents and/or with those responsible for disaster warnings in your community.
6. Write down what you would do and where you would go if you get a warning for a certain hazard
6. Write down what
at a certain you would
location do and where
(see example you would go if you get a warning for a certain hazard at a certain location
below).
(see example below).
7. Put in your evacuation/safety routes for each location and each hazard into your risk map.
7. Put in your evacuation/safety routes for each location and each hazard into your risk map.

Here's an example of how your plan could look like

MONDAY
MONDAY
Place
Place Time
Time Hazard
Hazard Warning
Warning Action
Action
School
School 8 –am
8 am – 2 pm
2 pm EarthquakeMost
Earthquake Most likely
likely no no Duck,cover
ƒƒ Duck, coverand
andhold
hold
warning
warning ƒƒ WWhen shakingisisover,
hen shaking over,calmly
calmly
andandcautiously
cautiously leave the school building
leave the school building
ƒƒ Meet
Meetupupwith
withmy
myclassmates
classmates at at
designated
evacuation point
designated evacuation point
Home
Home 2 –pm
2 pm – 4 pm
4 pm Tsunami
Tsunami Tsunami
Tsunami warningƒƒ Evacuate
warning Evacuatetotohill
hillclosest
closesttoto
mymy house
house
sirens, radio, TV,
sirens, radio, TV,
text
text message
message

Sports ground4 pm4 –pm

Sports
– 6 pm Floods
6 pm Floods
Sirens, word of ƒƒ EEvacuate
Sirens, word
to higher ground on the
vacuate to higher ground on the northwest
ground of mouth, text
mouth, text northwest
side of sportsside of sports ground
ground
message
message
Grandma’s 6 pm – 8 pm Landslide Neighbors, fire Evacuate through back door of
Grandma’s
house 6 pm – 8 pm Landslide
fighters; monitor ƒƒ EGrandma’s
Neighbours, fire vacuate through back door of grandma’s
house as soon as I spot
house fighters; monitor house as soon as I spot warning signs for
hill next
hill next to
to warning
landslide
signs for landslide
grandma’s
grandma’s house house Warn neighbors and call
ƒƒ Warn neighbours and call fire
fire Department
in case
in case of very ƒƒ Grab
of very department
my and grandma’s preparedness bag
heavy
heavy rainrain Grabgrandma
ƒƒ Help my and Grandma’s
to evacuate
preparedness bag
Help grandma to evacuate

SOME TIPS
SOME TIPS
• Discuss your list with your family members — they might want to make such a list too. Discuss where
Discuss
you yourmeet
would list with
andyour
howfamily
youmembers. Maybe they want
would communicate withtoeach
makeother
such aiflist
anytoo.
ofDiscuss
these where youhappened.
disasters would meet
and how you would communicate with each other if any of those disasters happen.
• Discuss in class and with authorities on how warnings could be improved at different places in your
Discuss in class and with authorities on how warnings could be improved at different places in your
neighbourhood/village/town.
neighborhood/village/town.

33
 #5.MAKING A
# 2. M
 AKING A FAMILY DISASTER PREPAREDNESS PLAN
FAMILY DISASTER
PREPAREDNESS PLAN
YOU’VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HAZARDS AND HOW TO BE
You've learned a lot about hazards and how to be
PREPARED FOR THEM, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU CAN HELP YOUR
prepared for them. This means that you can assist your
PARENTS AND SIBLINGS TO MAKE A PREPAREDNESS PLAN.
parents and siblings in making a preparedness plan.

WHAT
What YOU
you NEED:
need WHAT TO DO:
HOW YOU CAN DO IT
1. Take your time and make sure that all family members join in the
1. Take your time as a family and make sure that all family members join
discussion.
the discussion and have a say.
2. Discuss which natural and man-made hazards are present around
2. your
Discuss which
home, natural and
workplace, man-made
school, hazards
and play areMake
sites. present around
a ‘Where?
your home, workplace, school,
When? How?’ plan for each family member. and play sites. Make a 'Where?
When? How?' plan for each family member.
3. Discuss how safe your house is and if it can withstand different
3. disaster
Discuss how safe your
scenarios. Talkhouse
about is. whether
Discuss if itit can withstand
is safer different
to stay inside the
house or to evacuate in case a certain disaster happens. or to
disaster scenarios. Discuss if it is safer to stay inside the house
evacuate in case a certain disaster happens.
4. Check all rooms in the house for things that could be hazardous in
4. case
Check all roomsoccurs
a disaster in the (for
house for thingsthings
example, that couldthat be hazardous
could cause ainfire
Pens and paper orcase a disaster
could occurs
fall down (forblock
and example, things
exits). Make thatsure
could cause
that anya dangerous
fire or
could fall down
materials and block
are stored exit ways). Make sure that any dangerous
safely.
materials are stored safely.
5. Draw a map of your house. Include detailed information, such as
5. where
Draw athe map of your
main house.box
electrical Include detailed
is and whereinformation,
the gas andsuch wateras lines
can be turned
where the mainon and shut
electricity boxoff.
is and where the gas and water lines
can be turned
6. Discuss on and
and agree onshut
theoff.
safest evacuation routes from each room
the 6. inDiscuss
the house. Ideally,
and agree you
on the should
safest have two
evacuation separate
routes routes
from each roomplanned
in
risk map from each spot in the house. Discuss who is responsible for
the house. Ideally, you have two separate routes planned from each helping
family
spot inmembers who
the house. needwho
Discuss assistance and how
is responsible fortohelping
help them
family
evacuate.
members who need assistance and how to help them evacuate.
7. 
7. Discuss
Discussways tomake
ways to makeyouryour house
house moremore resistant
resistant against
against hazards and and
hazards
Your
Yourrisk
riskmap,
map what you can do to prepare your house before a hazard
what you could do to prepare your house before a hazard strikes. strikes.
if you have one 8. 
8. Prepare
Prepare emergency supplies,
emergency supplies, an emergency
a preparedness bag(or
or,preparedness)
at least, a list of bag
or, at least, a list of important things you need to bringand
important things you need to bring in case a disaster strikes in you
case a
disaster strikes and you need to evacuate.
need to evacuate.

34
9. 
9. Map
Map your
your surroundings.
surroundings. ThinkThink from side
from which where a hazard
a hazard may come
may approach, thefrom, the secondary
secondary hazards thathazards thatyou
might harm
might harm you when evacuating or prevent you from evacuating (large trees and/or
when evacuating or prevent you from evacuating (large trees and/or electricity lines that could fall, drenches and electrical lines
that could fall, drenches and rivers that could flood, bridges that could be
rivers that could flood, bridges that could be impassable, buildings that could collapse and others). impassable, buildings
that could collapse and more).
10. Decide on the best evacuation routes and where to evacuate for each hazard. Have more than one option for
10.  Decide on the best evacuation routes and where to evacuate for each hazard. Have more than one
evacuations.
option for evacuations.
11. Discuss what to do with your pets and/or livestock in case a disaster happen.
11. Decide where to meet or how to contact each other in case you get separated.
12. Make a list of people and institutions that can help in case a disaster strikes. Write down important phone numbers
12. (fire
Discuss what
fighters, to do
police, with your
ambulance, pets and/or
relatives, livestock
neighbors, doctors,in utilities
case ofanddisaster.
others) and have it copied for each family
member.
13.  Make aSave thepeople
list of numbers andin your cellphones
institutions butcan
that alsohelp
have in
them
theon paper.of a disaster. Write down important
event
phone
13. Decide onnumbers (fire fighters,
where to meet police, each
or how to contact ambulance, relatives,
other in case you getneighbours,
separated. doctors, utilities, etc.) and
make a copy for each family member. Save the numbers in your cellphones but have them on paper as
14. Write
well.down your plan. Make sure each family member is clear on their responsibilities, and make sure that there is
always someone to back up in case the person is away.
14. Write down your plan. Make sure each family member is clear on their responsibilities, and that
15. Review
thereand, if needed,
is always revise your
someone plan after
to back up insome
casetime.
the person is away.
15. Review and, if needed, revise your plan after some time.

Some tips
SOME
 Agree TIPS
on two meeting points:
- One on
• Agree right
twooutside yourpoints:
meeting house in case of a
sudden emergency, such as a fire.
- One right outside your house in case of a
- sudden
One outside your neighborhood,
emergency, in case
such as a fire.
you cannot return home or are asked to
- One outside your neighbourhood, in case
evacuate.
you cannot return home or are asked to
Practice evacuating from your home and
evacuate.
neighborhood twice a year (both on foot
• Practice
and in a evacuating
vehicle). from your home and
 neighbourhood twice ainyear
Include your neighbors your(both on foot
emergency
and in a vehicle).
planning. Maybe you can help each other in
case of an
• Include emergency.
your neighbours in your emergency
 planning.
Agree on a relativeyou
Maybe can help
or friend in aeach other in
different
case of an emergency.
village or town that you all can contact in
case you
• Agree onlose each other.
a relative or friend in a different
village or town that you all can contact in
case you lose each other.

35
 ##6. PACKING
3. P ACKING AN
AN EMERGENCY BAG
EMERGENCY BAG
YOU’LL NEED AN EMERGENCY BAG IF YOU HAVE TO EVACUATE. WHICH
OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WOULD YOU PUT INTO SUCH A BAG, AND
ARE THERE OTHER ITEMS YOU WOULD INCLUDE?
A preparedness bag can be of great use if you have
to evacuate from home. Which of the following items
would you put into your preparedness bag and what
other items would you add in?

WHATEVER ELSE YOU DECIDE, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT SHOULD
Well, you've probably
BE INCLUDED INyou
Whatever YOUR EMERGENCY
decide, BAG:are certain things that
there
realized that you can't you should put into the preparedness bag:
• Important medicines and first aid • Some soap, a toothbrush and other
bring everything as  Important medicines and first aid Some soap, a toothbrush and other
items; hygiene items;
the bag may become
too heavy and too bulky • Aitems
source of light: flashlight, candles hygiene
•  items
If not too bigsuch
andas sanitary
heavy, youpads
can
to carry...  A source
and of light: flashlight, candles
matches; Ifalways
not too bigone
pack and
of heavy, you can
your favourite
and matches
• Some water and food;
always pack one
toys, books of your favorite
or trinkets; and toys,
 Some water and food books or memorabilia
• A small battery-powered or wind-
• Important documents or copies of
 Important documents or copies of  Aup
small
radiobattery-powered radio might
to access information in
those documents;
those documents (Which important be helpful
case to access
electricity blacksinformation in
out after the
• Adocuments
bit of money;
would you bring?) case electricity blacks out after the
disaster.
•
 AA change of clothes and a towel;
bit of money disaster
A change of clothes and a towel
REMEMBER: IF YOUR HOUSE IS IN THE HAZARD ZONE AND YOU ARE ALREADY
INRemember: Whatever
A SAFE PLACE, you
YOU SHOULD NOTdo,
HEADifHOME
your
FORhouse is in the
THE EMERGENCY BAG!
hazard zone and you are already in a safe place, you
ALSO,
shouldA DISASTER MIGHThome
NOT head HAPPEN
forWHILE
theYOU ARE AT SCHOOL.
emergency bag TALK
if itWITH
is
YOUR TEACHER ABOUT PREPARING AN EMERGENCY BAG FOR SCHOOL.
unsafe.

36
 ha
ar zar
ea d
!
# 7. M AK IN G
# 4. M
 AKING DISASTER WARNING SIGNS
DIS AS T E R
W AR N IN G S IG N S
BY MAKING SIGNS, YOU CAN HELP INFORM PEOPLE ABOUT HAZARDS,
YouHAZARDOUS SPOTS
can help inform people AND
aboutEVACUATION ROUTES
hazards, hazardous IN YOUR AREA.
spots and evacuation routes in your area.

WHAT
What TO
youDO:need and how you can do it
1. 1. First,about
Think think which
about which warnings
warnings you you
wantwant to convey.
to convey. This
This is is bestdone
best donebybydiscussing
discussing
which
which hazardsyour
hazards yourcommunity
communityisisfacing
facing and
and byby identifying
identifying high
highrisk
riskareas
areasininyour
community.
your community. Again, a risk map
Again, comes
a risk maphandy.
comes handy.
2. 2. Think
Think aboutthe
about the purpose
purpose ofofthe warning
the warning signs:
signs:
• Historical markers:
Historical markers: DoDosomesomeresearch
research andandlearn about
learn about past disasters
past in your
disasters in your
community. Was there ever a tsunami or a flood in
community. Was there ever a tsunami or a flood in your neighborhood your neighbourhood/
village/town?
/village/town? If yes, how
If yes, how high
highdid
did the watergo?
the water go?WasDid a volcano
there ever erupt
ever a volcano in
eruption
yourintown? If so, how far did the lava and ashes go? By marking
your town? If so, how far did the lava and ashes go? By marking those, you can those, you
ZO NE
can remind
remindyour your community
community of which
of which areas areas were affected
were affected in the past.
in the past.
S AFE
• Warning
Warning signs:
signs: Look
Lookaround
around for hazardousspots
for hazardous spotsand
and behaviours.
behaviors. Youmark
You can can hills
mark
hillsand
andslopes
slopes that are prone to landslides when the rainy season
that are prone to landslides when the rainy season comes or make a sign comes or
make forapeople
sign for people
to not to not
cross the cross
bridge once the
thebridge
river hasonce
risenthe river
above has risen
a certain mark.above a
certain mark.
Marking evacuation routes: If the authorities have not done so, you can mark the
• Marking evacuation routes: If the authorities have not done so, you can mark
main evacuation routes from your neighborhood/village/town. This can be meeting
the main evacuation routes from your neighbourhood/village/town. This can
combined with marking safe zones or meeting points where people can gather after
be combined with marking safe zones or meeting points where people can
point
an evacuation.
gather after an evacuation.
3. Warning signs can take different forms and shapes. You can paint them on walls or trees.
3. Warning
You cansigns
makecan signstake different
out of forms
cardboards, and
using shapes.
colored Youor
pencils can paint and
markers them on them
cover walls
or with
treesplastic
(you need permission to do so as well as the right kinds
to make them more weather resistant. You can even discuss with your of paints and
brushes
teacherorabout
multi-coloured
making signssprayout ofcans).
metal. You can make signs out of cardboards,
using coloured pencils or markers and cover them with plastic to make them volcano shelter 200 m
4. Whenever
more weather you want toYou
resistant. put can
up signs, make sure
even discuss withthat
your you ask forabout
teacher permission
making and
coordinate
signs with the necessary authorities (school management, local government,
out of metal.
police)
REMEMBER THAT IN A DISASTER SITUATION PEOPLE ARE UNDER STRESS.
MAKE SURE THAT THE SIGNS ARE VERY CLEARLY VISIBLE, SO THAT PEOPLE
Remember: in a disaster situation people are under
WOULD
stress. NOT MISS
Make THEM,
sure EVEN IN A HECTIC
that the SITUATION.
signs are THEY
very SHOULD
clearly ALSO
BE visible,
ABLE TO WITHSTAND
so that THE FORCES
people OF NATURE.
would not miss THEM, even IN A

37
 Become Resilient

To be resilient means to be able to bounce back

and recOVer well after a disaster.

. -IEN
TEAM RESIL- T

# 1. PURIFYING WATER
#8. PURIFYING WATER
IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WATER YOU DRINK IS NOT CONTAMINATED
BY CERTAIN BACTERIA AND CONTAMINANTS,
Even duringESPECIALLY
disasters, IN it
A DISASTER WHEN ACCESS
is extremely TO CARE
important
to make sure that the water you drink is not
MAY NOT BE EASY. YOU SHOULDc THEREFORE
o n t a m i n aLEARN
t e d HOW
b y TOc PURIFY
e r t a i nWATER.
bacteria and
contaminants. You should therefore learn how to
purify water.

1. Remember that you should always have some clean 3. Clear the water from dirt. You can do this by giving it
water stored in your emergency bag and at home for use time (12–24 hours) to settle until the dirt sets at the
in a disaster. bottom of the container. Then, move the water above
1. Remember that you should always have some clean the dirt
cloth, into or
tissue another
a coffeeclean
filter.container. If letting it settle
takes too long, you can filter the water through a clean
2. If youwater
don’t stored
have any in your
cleanpreparedness
water or havebag. veryYou should
little left, 4. cloth,
The safest
also have some stock at home that you can use in a tissueway
or atocoffee
purifyfilter.
your water is by boiling it.
you can purify some. Carefully select your water source. Bring the water to boil until you see large bubbles
disaster.
Don’t use water that has floating material in it, water forming. Cook it for 5-10 minutes more. If you're
that
2. has any
If you odour
don't have orany
water that
clean hasora have
water darkvery
colour.
little left, 4. The safest
afraid waytoo
to lose to much
purifywater
your water is by boiling
to evaporation, use it.
a Bring
These are all indications that the water is significantly the water to boil until you see large bubbles forming.
you can choose to purify water. Carefully select your lid. Boiled water might not taste well, as it has lost
contaminated and may be dangerous no matter what Boil it for another 5–10 minutes. If you’re afraid to lose
water source. Don't use water that has floating oxygen. Move the water from one container to
you do to filter it or to kill the bacteria. On the other too much water to evaporation, use a lid. Remember that
hand,material in it,in
water that has anybeodor or water thatout
has
a little dirt the water can easily cleaned
another to add
boiled water oxygen
might and
not make
taste as itgood,
taste better.
because it has lost
a dark color.
and won’t hurt anyone.These are all indications that the water is 5. oxygen.
AnotherMove
way tothe
disinfect
waterfiltered
from oneandcontainer
settled water is
to another
significantly contaminated and may be dangerous no to
to add
use oxygen
chlorineand makewhich
tablets, it taste
canbetter.
be purchased in
matter what you do to filter it or to kill the bacteria. On many places. This is something you might want to try
the other hand, a little dirt in the water can be cleaned with your teacher at school first, before doing it at
out easily and won't hurt anyone. home with your parents.
3. Clear the water from dirt. You can do this by giving it 6. You can also purify water with household bleach that
time (12-24 hours) to settle until the dirt sets at the is based on a chlorine compound. It does not kill
bottom of the container. Then, move the water above bacteria as effectively as boiling does, but it will get
the dirt into another clean container. If letting it settle rid of most of them. Ask your science or chemistry
takes too long, you can filter the water through a clean teacher on how to purify water with bleach.

38
5. Another way to disinfect filtered and settled water is to use give you water that is safer to drink than the one you had
chlorine tablets, which can be purchased in many places. before. Here is how it works:
This is something you might want to try with your teacher
at school first, before doing it at home with your parents. • After you have filtered the water, you just need one clear
plastic bottle with cap.
6. You can also purify water with household bleach that is • Fill the bottle up until it is 75 per cent full, close it and
based on a chlorine compound. It does not kill bacteria To be resilient means
then to be able
shake it forto
30bounce
secondsback
to move oxygen into the
as effectively as boiling does, but it will get rid of most of and recOVer well after a disaster.
water.
them. Ask your science or chemistry teacher on how to
purify water with bleach. • Next, place the bottle horizontally on a flat surface like
a rock or a rooftop, in a spot where it can get direct
7. If none of the above methods are available to you, one sunlight. Ideally, the surface should be dark or reflective.
method that only requires a few clear plastic bottles and • Leave it there for a minimum of six hours. If the sunlight
sunlight. This method utilizes the ultraviolet rays of the sun. is indirect or it is cloudy, leave the bottle for up to 24
Be aware that it will not kill all bacteria, although it will hours.

-IEN
TEAM RESIL- T

SOME TIPS:
• Try these methods at school with your science or chemistry teacher, so you
already know how to do them and know what’s safe, particularly when it
comes to using bleach or chlorine.

#8. PURIFYING WATER

• Discuss the issue of clean water with your family when you make your
family preparedness plan. Discuss how much water you want to have
in your storage and who is responsible for checking on the stock. Think
about how large an issue clean water might be in your community and
Even
whichduring disasters,
of the methods it is
offers a solution thatextremely important
works for your family, both
topractically
make and sure that
economically. the water you drink is not
contaminated by certain bacteria and
contaminants. You should therefore learn how to
purify water.

1. Remember that you should always have some clean
water stored in your preparedness bag. You should
also have some stock at home that you can use in a
disaster.
2. If you don't have any clean water or have very little left,
you can choose to purify water. Carefully select your
water source. Don't use water that has floating
material in it, water that has any odor or water that has
a dark color. These are all indications that the water is
significantly contaminated and may be dangerous no
matter what you do to filter it or to kill the bacteria. On
the other hand, a little dirt in the water can be cleaned
out easily and won't hurt anyone.
3. Clear the water from dirt. You can do this by giving it
time (12-24 hours) to settle until the dirt sets at the
bottom of the container. Then, move the water above
the dirt into another clean container. If letting it settle
cloth, tissue or a coffee filter.
4. The safest way to purify your water is by boiling it.
Bring the water to boil until you see large bubbles
forming. Cook it for 5-10 minutes more. If you're
afraid to lose too much water to evaporation, use a
lid. Boiled water might not taste well, as it has lost
oxygen. Move the water from one container to
another to add oxygen and make it taste better.
5. Another way to disinfect filtered and settled water is
to use chlorine tablets, which can be purchased in
many places. This is something you might want to try
with your teacher at school first, before doing it at
home with your parents.
6. You can also purify water with household bleach that
is based on a chlorine compound. It does not kill 39
bacteria as effectively as boiling does, but it will get
rid of most of them. Ask your science or chemistry
 safe, particularly when it comes to using bleach or chlorine.

#9. MAKING AA PUPPET

#9.MAKING PUPPET OR
ome tips
Try these methods athave
want to
safe, particularly when
school
it
in your
comes to
OR
• Discuss the issue of clean water with your family when you make your family preparedness plan. Discuss how much water you
withstorage
your science
using
and whoorischemistry
bleach or
responsibleteacher,
chlorine.
so you
for checking already
on the stock.know
Thinkhow
abouttohow
do them
big theand know
issue what’s
of clean water
might be in your community and which of the methods offers a solution that works for your family, both practically and
economically.
Discuss the issue
THEATER
THEATER
# 2. P UTTING ON A PUPPET ORSHOW
SHOW
of clean water with your family when you make your family preparedness plan. Discuss how much water you
THEATRE SHOW
want to have in your storage and who is responsible for checking on the stock. Think about how big the issue of clean water
might be in your community and which of the methods offers a solution that works for your family, both practically and
economically.
It
Itisisa agreat#9.
great way
waytoMAKING
toteach
teachother
other PUPPET
A children,
children,parents OR oror
parents
other THIS
othercommunity IS A GREAT
communitymembers WAY TO
membersabout TEACH OTHER
aboutdisaster CHILDREN, PARENTS
disasterresilience
resilience ORand
OTHER
and
preparedness.
preparedness.COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THEATER SHOW
DISASTER RESILIENCE AND PREPAREDNESS!
#9. MAKING A PUPPET OR
MAKING YOUR way
It is a great OWNtoFINGER
teach OR PAPER
other BAG parents
children, PUPPETS or

MAKING
MAKINGYOUR
YOUR OWN THEATER SHOW
other community members about disaster resilience and
OWNFINGER/PAPERBAG
preparedness. FINGER/PAPERBAGPUPPETS
PUPPETS

What
Whatyou
you
It need
is a need
WHAT
greatYOU
MAKING NEED:
YOUR
way OWN FINGER/PAPERBAG
to teach PUPPETS
other children, parents or

Papers
Papers
orother
or
a paper community
a paper bagbag a papermembers about disaster resilience and
• Papers
Whatoryou
preparedness.
bag
need

Scraps
Scraps
ofof
fabric,
fabric,
wool
wool thread
ofthread
Papers
• Scraps
 or a paper
fabric, wool bag
thread

Scissors
Scissors
and
and glue
glue
 Scrapsand
• Scissors of fabric,
glue wool thread

Colored
ColoredMAKING
pens  YOUR
pens • Coloured pens glue
Scissors and OWN FINGER/PAPERBAG PUPPETS
Colored pens draw!
draw!draw! cut!
cut!
cut!
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How  Papers or a paper bag
n
ando
doitityou can do it
Scraps should
of fabric,

1. Decide on how your puppet lookwool
like. thread
Will it be a person, an animal, a superhero?
your
ur puppet
puppet
should
should
look
look
like.
 like.
Will
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Scissors itand
be
it glue
bea person,
a person,
anan
animal,
animal,
a superhero?
a superhero?
2. Draw its shape and outline on a piece of paper. If you are making a finger puppet, make
the
 Colored pens finger and draw the head on top of it. If you are
dnd
outline
outline
on onabody
pieceas long
a piece as
ofof about
paper.
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Ifyour
If youyouareare
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a fingerpuppet,
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draw! make cut!
gsas
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draw
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it.it.
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ow you3. Cut
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g puppet,
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make
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4. Color Dpuppet
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pe
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and outline threads for its hair.
on a piece of paper. If you are making a finger puppet, make
he body as5.long
Glue2. 
asparts
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ut out the shape of the puppet.
ur
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olor together.
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and decorate your puppet. You can use scraps of fabric to make clothes for your
uppet and use wool threads for its hair.
4. Colour and decorate your puppet. You can use scraps of fabric to tape!
tape!
ets,
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funfun
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atat
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ng parts
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reative in making6. 
different characters.
For finger puppets, it’s fun to have more than one character on
hand, so go ahead and be creative in making different characters.

40
PLANNING A SHOW
PLANNING A THEATRE SHOW
What you need
• Puppets, or
WHAT YOU NEED:
• Costumes, which you may come up with using the different things you find at home or in school.

• Puppets, or costumes, which you can design using different things you find at home or in school.

How you can do it

WHAT TO DO:
1. Discuss which topics you want to present at the show and think of who your audience would be.
•DOn
1.  preparedness,
iscuss what topics you can,
you for example,
want to presentmake
at athe
play about
show andhow people
think should
of who behave
your or should
audience willnot
be.behave when a
disaster happens.
• If you want to talk about preparedness for example, your play could show how people should or
• Aftershould
a disaster,
notifbehave
you have to livea in
when an evacuation
disaster happens.shelter for a while, you can make shows that teach people how to
stay clean and healthy.
• After a disaster, if you have to live in an evacuation shelter for a while, you can make shows that
teach
• You can alsopeople how to
make shows to talk
stayabout
cleanyour
andfeelings
healthy.
after a disaster happens.
• You can also make shows to talk about your feelings after a disaster happens.
2. Like in movies, puppet and theater shows need a script. Come up with an interesting story to capture people’s attention.
2. Likepreparedness
Since in movies, puppet and theatre
and resilience shows
are serious needput
topics, a script.
in someCome thatwith
jokesup an interesting
will lighten story toheart
your audience’s capture
and make
people’s attention. Since preparedness and resilience are serious topics, put in some jokes that
them remember your messages better. Involving your audience in the play is often a good way to make them enjoy your
will lighten your audience’s heart and make them remember your messages better. Involving your
performance.
audience in the play is often a good way to make them enjoy your performance.
3. Distribute roles: Who will be the director, who will be responsible for costumes or making puppets, who will be the
3. Distribute roles: who will be the director, who will be responsible for costumes or making puppets,
actors and puppet players?
who will be the actors and puppet players?
4. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.
4. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!
5. Find a stage where you will perform your theater play or puppet show. Invite people to attend.
5. Find a stage where you will perform your theatre play or puppet show. Invite people to attend.

41
 ##10. SHARING
3. S HARING EXPERIENCES

EXPERIENCES
WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE A DISASTER, YOU FEEL A LOT OF THINGS. SOMETIMES IT
IS DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT THEM WITH GROWN-UPS. IN SUCH SITUATIONS,
WhenCAN
YOU you experience
TRY TO PUT a disaster,
DOWN youYOUR
feel a lot of things. Sometimes
FEELINGS it is difficult
AND THOUGHTS ON toA talk about themA
POSTCARD,
LETTER OR IN A PICTURE. EXCHANGE THEM WITH OTHER CHILDREN WHO HAVE on
with grown-ups. In such situations, you can try to put down your feelings and thoughts a
BEEN
postcard, a letter or a picture. Exchange them with other children who have been affected by
AFFECTED BY DISASTERS, EITHER IN YOUR REGION OR IN A DIFFERENT REGION. YOUR
disasters, either in your region or in a different region. Your teachers or parents will be happy to
TEACHERS OR PARENTS WILL BE HAPPY TO HELP FIND OTHER CHILDREN YOU CAN
help find other children you can share your experiences with. You might even end up having a pen-
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH. YOU MIGHT EVEN END UP HAVING A PENPAL FOR
friend for the rest of your life.
THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

THEY DID who

Others IT, SOdidCAN
it YOU!
The Code
The Code neighbourhood
neighborhood ininYogyakarta,
Yogyakarta,Indonesia,
Indonesia,isislocated
locatedalongside
alongsidea river. In In
a river. thethe
aftermath
aftermathof of
thethe2010 eruption
2010 eruptionof of
Mount Merapi,
Mount Merapi, lava
laharfloods
floodsaffected
affectedthetheneighbourhood
neighborhood to to the
the extent
extentthat
thatthetheEastern
easternandandthe
theWestern
westernsides
sidesofofthe
theriver
river
were cut
were cut off
off from
from each
each other.
other. With
With the
the bridge
bridge impassable,
impassable,children
childrenfrom
fromthetheone
oneside
sidecould
couldnot
notcommunicate
communicatewith withtheir
their
friends
friends on
on the
the other
otherside.
side.With
Withthe
thehelp
helpof
ofaavolunteer
volunteergroup,
group,Cemara,
Cemara,children
childrenon onboth
bothsides
sidesofofthe
theriver
riverwrote
wrotedown
downtheir
experiences duringduring
their experiences and after
andthe flood
after the on postcards.
flood They put
on postcards. Theytheput
cards
the into
cardsenvelopes and then
into envelopes anddecorated the envelopes.
then decorated the
The volunteers
envelopes. Thethen delivered
volunteers thenthe cards to the
delivered the cards
children on the
to the opposite
children sideopposite
on the of the river.
side of the river.
Source: Interview with Ayu Diasti Rahmawati, October 2013.

Another way to share your experiences is by writing down stories or

Another way to share your experiences is through writing down stories or
composing songs. You can either come up with entirely new stories and
composing songs. You can either come up with entirely new stories and songs, or
songs, adapt existing stories, or create new song lyrics for an existing song.
adapt
They can existing stories,
help you to or create
share hownewyou
songfeel
lyrics for what
and an existing song.
you’ve Theythrough
gone can express
during a disaster, or tell the story of how you managed to, or triedtry
your experiences when facing a disaster or tell how you managed to, or to,to,get
get
back to normal. They can also convey messages on what
back to normal. They can also convey messages on what you learned fromyou learned from the
disaster
the andand
disaster on how
how toto
be be
better prepared
better for theifnext
prepared one. one should occur.
another

THEY DID IT, SO CAN YOU!

Others who did it
In Sri Lanka, after the 2004 tsunami, children adapted a folk
song/tale to become a song/tale about the different
disasters the country has faced.
In Ecuador, in 1993, children composed new lyrics to a song
to make it about earthquake warnings. The song was a
success and was even played on the radio.
Sources:
Benson, L. and Bugge, J. Child-led Disaster Risk Reduction: A
Practical Guide. Save the Children.
UNISDR and UNICEF (2007). Let's Learn How to Prevent Disasters.
UNISDR and UNICEF.

42
 ##11. IMPROVING
4. IMPROVING YOUR
YOUR SCHOOL SAFETY
SCHOOL SAFETY
AS
As AA STUDENT,
student, YOU youSHOULD
should GET get INVOLVED
involvedIN IMPROVING THE SAFETY
in improving the
OF YOUR of
safety SCHOOL.
Your AFTER
school. A DISASTER
After aHAPPENS,
disaster YOUhappens,
CAN HELPyouIN
REBUILDING
can help AND in REDECORATING
rebuilding YOURredecorating
and SCHOOL AND TO MAKE Your SURE THAT
school
ITandIS BUILT
to make ON Asure
SAFE PLACE
THAT AND IT ISIS CONSTRUCTED
built on A safeRESILIENTLY.
place YOU
and
SPEND A LOT
IS constructed OF TIME AT SCHOOL
resiliently. ANDyou spend a lot of time OF
THEREFORE KNOW WHAT KIND AT
SCHOOL
school YOU andWANT IT IS JUSTknow
therefore FAIR THAT
what YOU kindGETofINCLUDED
school IN you THE
PLANNING
want. ItPROCESS
is justWHENfair YOUR thatSCHOOLyou GETSget RETROFITTED,
included RELOCATED
in the
OR RECONSTRUCTED.
planning process IL IS whenALWAYSYour GREAT
schoolTO LEARNgets FROM A REAL LIFE
retrofitted,
PROJECT
relocated (NOT or TEXBOOKS).
reconstructed. It is always great to
learn from a real life project (not textbooks).

THEY DIDdidIT,it SO CAN YOU!

Others who
In
In the
the Philippines,
Philippines, students
students of
of the
the Santa
Santa Paz
Paz National
National High
High School
School in
in the
the town
town ofof Guinsangon
Guinsangon managed
managedto toadvocate
advocatefor
forthe
relocation of their school, which was situated in a location prone to landslides. The Department of Education
the relocation of their school, which was situated in a location prone to landslides. The Department of Education recommended
the relocation, but
recommended the there was resistance
relocation, but therefrom
was the community,
resistance by thewhich felt thatnoting
community that ‘vague warnings’
that 'vague were not
warnings' enough
would reason
not be
for a costly move. The students engaged school authorities and organized an education campaign in
enough reason for a costly move. The students engaged school authorities and organized an education campaign in their their community,
informing
community, them aboutabout
informing the impacts of landslides.
the impacts To support
of landslides. thethe
To support students’
students'campaign,
campaign, their
theirhead teacher organized
headteacher organized aa
community-wide referendum for the relocation plan. Because of the persuasion of the students, the
community-wide referendum for the relocation plan. Because of the persuasion of the students, the students' proposal students’ proposal
won and the school was successfully relocated, to a new school that was built with a disaster-resilient
won and the school was successfully relocated, with the new school built with disaster-resilient design. design.
Source: Plan UK
UK (2010).
(2010). Child-Centred
Child-CentredDisaster
DisasterRisk
RiskReduction:
Reduction:Building
BuildingResilience
Resiliencethrough
throughParticipation,
Participation,Lessons
Lessonsfrom Plan
from Plan
International.
International. Plan
Plan UK.
UK.

disaster
sign

mural
mural -risk map-
-risk map-

43
 Take a Moment to Think about All This
YOU’VE ALL COME
Congratulations,
UP WITH GREAT ACTIVITIES THAT
you have learnt many things
that can make you more
WILL HELP YOU BE MORE RISK-SMART,
risk smart, prepared
PREPARED AND RESILIENT.
and resilient.

after school.. .

WELL, WE AH,
NOW
NOWWEWEHAVE SOSOMANY
HAVE MANY COULD
Well, DOweSOME
couldOF do
THEM ah, wait.
WAIT. ONE
ACTIVITIES TO
ACTIVITIES DO,
atI hand.
DON’T some of them during breaks one more
I'm afraid we won't have at AFTER
school SCHOOL.
or after WEschool
CAN MAKE A
hours. MORE THING
thing..
THINK WE’LLtime
enough HAVEin ENOUGH
class STUDENT CLUB,
We can make A RISK-SMART,
a student club,
TIME to
TO DO
do THEM ALL IN
all that.. a Risk Smart, Preparedness
PREPAREDNESS AND RESILIENCE
and Resilience Club..
CLASS! CLUB.
I’M SURE
OUR TEACHERS WOULD
I'm sure our teachers
BE HAPPY
would TO LETtoUSallow
be happy USE Aus
to use a classroom and TO
CLASSROOM FOR OUR ACTIVITIES.
assist in our activities. We
WEcan
COULDalsoALSO
askASK
ourOUR PARENTS
parents
to donate things for
TO DONATE THINGS FOR
our projects.
OUR PROJECTS.
well, “R” stands for Resilience.
I MADE that’s so nice of you..!
I made I see that a lot in you.
And btw, what does “P”
THIS FOR YOU. IT’S
this for you. you have taught me so many
on your jumper
it’s a present things. this is my way of saying
A PRESENT.
.. thank you.. .
stand for?

preparedness.

because now
I am prepared.

sweet,
a jumper!

R P
What does
the large
‘R’ mean?

- THE END -
44
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Glossary1
•  CAPACITY
The combination of all the strengths, attributes and resources available within a community, society
or organization that can be used to achieve agreed goals. Capacity may include infrastructure
and physical means, institutions, societal coping abilities, as well as human knowledge, skills and
collective attributes such as social relationships, leadership and management.

•  CLIMATE CHANGE
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines climate change
as “a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters
the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability
observed over comparable time periods”.

•  DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

The practice of reducing the risk of disaster through systematic analysis and management of the
causal factors of disasters. This includes reducing exposure to hazards, lessening the vulnerability
of people and property, wise land and environmental management, and improved preparedness.
For education it implies the systematic analysis of and attempt to reduce disaster-related risks to
enable the education system to provide (and learners to continue, and out-of-school children to
access) quality education for all, before, during, and after emergencies.

•  HAZARD
A dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity or condition that may cause loss of life,
injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and
economic disruption, or environmental damage.

•  PREPAREDNESS
The knowledge and capacities developed by governments, communities and individuals to
effectively anticipate, respond to, and recover from, the impacts of likely, imminent or current
hazard events or conditions.

•  RESILIENCE
Resilience is the ability of an education system (at different levels) to minimize disaster and
conflict risks, to maintain its functions during an emergency, and to recover from shocks.
Resilience at the individual level is the ability to apply knowledge to minimize risks, to adapt
to emergency situations, to withstand shocks, and to rapidly resume learning and other life-
sustaining activities. Resilience can be strengthened when factors underlying vulnerability are
addressed. Resilience is the opposite of vulnerability.

1 - From United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) 2009, Terminology, http://www.unisdr.org/we/inform/
terminology, and UNISDIR 2012, “Assessing School Safety from Disasters - A Global Baseline Report. ISDR Thematic
Platform for Knowledge and Education 2012”, http://www.unisdr.org/files/35274_2012schoolsafetyglobalbaseline.pdf

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 •  RISK
In popular usage the emphasis is on the concept of chance or possibility (‘the risk of an
accident’). In technical settings the emphasis is usually placed on consequences in terms of
‘potential losses’. The relationship between vulnerability and the likelihood and severity of
hazards can be represented using this equation:

RISK = HAZARD X VULNERABILITY

The worse the hazard, the greater the risk. Likewise, risk also increases when a community,
system, or even a school is more vulnerable.

•  VULNERABILITY
The characteristics and circumstances of a community, system or asset that make it susceptible
to the damaging effects of a hazard. There are many aspects of vulnerability, arising from
various physical, social, economic, and environmental factors. At the education system level,
vulnerability is the combination of exposure to conflict-related, natural, and human-made
hazards, and the degree to which the education system at different levels is susceptible to
collapse and disruption of function. At the learners’ level, vulnerability is the combination
of exposure to hazards and the degree to which learners are susceptible to interruption or
complete loss of access to quality education opportunities.

 • UNITED NATIONS’ UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS:

see http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

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 Education
Sector
United Nations
Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization
United Nations UNESCO
Educational, Scientific and Associated
Cultural Organization Schools

A Student’s Guide
to Disaster Risk Reduction STAY SAFE AND BE PREPARED
This guide is part of a three-book Compendium on Disaster Risk Reduction
(DRR) that aims to introduce concepts, exercises and best practices on disaster
preparedness and response to teachers, students and parents.

The Compendium is based on the belief that comprehensive disaster preparedness

and resilience-building is most successful when the whole (school) community,
starting with students, parents and teachers, is involved and when the process
actively encourages students to take the lead on some activities.

In this Student’s Guide, young people from 11 to 18 years will find loads of
interesting information on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). The guide explains the
basic DRR concepts, explores the psychosocial effects of disasters, and provides
tips for different activities young people can do in class, at school, at home and in
the community to improve disaster preparedness and response. With appropriate
support from parents and teachers, young people can become well-prepared and
disaster-smart!

A Student’s Guide
to Disaster Risk Reduction

THIS GUIDE IS DESIGNED

FOR YOU, THE DISASTER
STAY SAFE
FIGHTER OF TOMORROW! AND BE PREPARED