SITI NUR AFIQAH
Throughout September – October 2021, we were given the opportunity to study several interesting topics related to disaster management in Batch Seven of the ACE Programme. We started with the gender, inclusion, resilience and diversity course. We were introduced to the Humanitarian Inclusion Standards that help organisations tackle the critical issue of how to include those most at risk in emergencies and prevent anyone from being left behind.
We got to learn about the importance of the nine inclusion standards and how to improve inclusivity by applying the sector standards. Besides that, the course addressed sexual gender-based violence and child-protection issues too. Through this course, we got to relate to real-world situations where a leader can recognize the different impacts of hazards on various levels of capacity, vulnerability and exclusion among the affected communities. The Programme then continued with the international humanitarian system course; ASEAN disaster management; system and design thinking; humanitarian diplomacy; civil-military coordination; camp coordination camp management; and finally the course that I enjoyed the most, post disaster needs assessment (PDNA).
Some might wonder why PDNA? It was because the course was related to my current position in the post-disaster sector. Even though I am not directly under the section in charge of this matter, it is related and relevant to my job scope. It was fascinating to discover tools and templates to carry out the PDNA, which may be adapted and adopted to our system in calculating the costs and losses in any disaster. The PDNA process is government-led and government-owned, but we can access technical support and facilitation from the European Union, the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, and other stakeholders as determined and requested by our respective governments. The PDNA process involves the participation of the affected population, local authorities, NGOs, donors, civil society and the private sector. I believe it is an excellent platform to gather all relevant input from related stakeholders. Key sectors assessed are social, including housing, health and nutrition; education and cultural heritage; productive issues, including agriculture and irrigation, commerce and industry, and tourism; infrastructure, including transport, energy, telecommunications, water and sanitation; and cross-cutting concerns, including gender and social inclusion, the environment, social protection, livelihoods, disaster-risk reduction and governance. Due to limited time, we only got to study two key sectors, housing and cross-cutting concerns. It is hoped that we will get another opportunity to learn how to use the other key sectors in accessing the costs and losses in our countries. Overall, it was an enjoyable and safe learning environment and experience that allowed us to express our opinions and thoughts in a non-judgemental environment. I cannot wait for the next course to treasure the knowledge and experience, even though it is online!
Written by: Siti Nur Afiqah, ACE Programme Batch Seven- Malaysia | Photo Credit : Siti Nur Afiqah
NOOR HAZMAH ROSLI
I have been working as a paramedic since 2012 with the Emergency Medical Ambulance Services, the Ministry of Health, Brunei Darussalam. In 2015, I was selected as an ambulance commander to lead the emergency-response teams during Brunei’s 33rd National Day. I was then promoted to paramedic training officer and professional development in 2018 and was given greater responsibility to take care of all the paramedics nationwide in terms of their training and competency levels. On top of that, I have worked in high-pressure environments in life-threatening emergency situations, especially during this Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, I have also collaborated and worked closely with academic institutions and agencies in Brunei to expand and promote learning opportunities in paramedic education for our future generations. I hope to deliver my very best virtually in the ACE Programme in the context of capacity building and adopting best practices in disaster management.
When I was told about joining Batch Seven of the ACE Programme, I honestly did not know what it was all about until emails began to arrive in my inbox. I was told it was a good opportunity for me to learn about leadership in disaster management in ASEAN countries but I was still uncertain about it. Good thoughts came later and I asked myself “why not?” To me, the ACE Programme is a selective and prestigious programme that any future leader should appreciate. As a result of the training, I am able to maximise my understanding into becoming an effective future leader.
We are now in our eighth week of the ACE Programme and let me tell you, it has been a roller coaster ride for all of us since Day One. So far, we have covered lessons/modules on English communication in disaster management (ECDM); critical incident leadership (CIL); gender, resilience, inclusion and diversity (GRID); the international humanitarian system and ASEAN disaster mechanisms and there is lots more to come. The learning approach is different in comparison with previous ACE Programmes due to the pandemic and there has not been any physical contact yet among us.
So far, it has been a successful and exciting journey as we are using adult learning methodologies in a safe learning environment and utilising online techniques to maximise our learning capacity despite the challenges faced along the way. This blended learning practice is equally as engaging as face-to-face sessions. We have learnt so much from disaster experts and we have yet to find ourselves and to create our own leadership identity through this programme. On top of that, we are also learning through real life experiences from colleagues in other ASEAN Member States who are in the same boat as we are. Indeed, experience is a great teacher.
I am very grateful to everyone who has been involved in the ACE Programme, and it is very true that this is a golden experience for the future leaders of tomorrow in disaster management. Following up on what I have said, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the ACE Programme partners, JAIF as the main funder of this programme, as well as the support from the New Zealand Government, United States Government, United Nations partners, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, GNS Science, AADMER Partnership Group, RedR Australia, the United States Forest Service, academic institutions: MIIS, AIM and APCSS. And most importantly, the AHA Centre for making this happen and possible in preparing us to master various aspects of disaster management.
We still have to soldier on until April 2022. I really hope that travel may be permitted in the near future and I will be able meet my fellow ACE family members face-to-face to continue learning and supporting each other. I am also looking forward to building and strengthening my networks and collaborating with other people from different backgrounds in disaster management.
To me, this is just the beginning and every day is a learning experience. I wish all the best to the other warriors! And I hope the COVID-19 pandemic will be over soon so we can meet each other in the near future. Cheers!
Written by: Noor Hazmah Rosli, ACE Programme Batch Seven- Brunei Darussalam | Photo Credit : Noor Hazmah Rosli
LAUNCHLABS
The AHA Centre recently held the AHAckathon Competition, where several teams from different countries worked on developing a mobile app to find solutions in disaster management. The exciting three-day event would not have been possible without the help of partners like launchlabs.
Innovation consultant Tobias Wosowiecki explained what launchlabs is all about. “What launchlabs is doing is all around innovation and also around cultural change. The world is becoming more and more complex. We are helping clients and organisations act like successful start-ups, which means they are really agile and flexible as they are changing the culture. And how they are changing their solutions, like when they are getting information from end-users. We are doing that with the approach of agile frameworks, like design thinking, scrum, lean start-up.”
For this approach, launchlabs has three pillars. “The first pillar is called learninglabs, where the teams will learn to understand and apply methods for human-centered and agile innovation development, enabling them to develop new products, services or business models that their customers really need in a playful and risk-free manner” said Tobias, or Toby to his friends and colleagues.
The second pillar is called projectlabs, where clients change the way they approach complex strategic and innovation project without a clear solution path. Launchlabs facilitates and enables the entire innovation process as experts for agile work from the first planning session all the way to implementation. “We are helping people to create their own ideas. This is our main work.
And with that we are using different kinds of frameworks, like what we did with the AHAckathon. At the end of a specific time, we come up with prototypes that we can test and implement in the system,” he said.
The third pillar is called culturelabs, which is all about building a sustainable agile corporate culture. “The culture needs to grow and change sometimes. We are helping our clients create and design agile work environments. Especially now that we’re going through a pandemic. We’re creating virtual working environments. All of that means change. In this kind of field, we become more like coaches. And all of this needs communication. That is the underlying theme of these three pillars.”
Launchlabs partnered with the AHA Centre for the HELiX AHAckathon Competition. The challenge of using technology to find solutions for disaster management was posed to students from different countries of the ASEAN region. “Before you can start a hackathon, you need a problem. This is what we created together with the AHA Centre. We created six different challenges that teams could choose from. We needed to find the right problems. Part of the pre-work was to find the right problems and frame challenges. So it’s easier to understand what the problem is, try to solve it as well, and who are the users inside it,” Toby explained.
Students from the different countries of the ASEAN region joined the three-day competition, forming teams and collaborating among themselves in coming up with the best app to solve disaster-management issues. The teams showcased past disasters in their respective countries and the solutions they came up with in the areas of logistics, emergency response, coordination and communication.
“All the teams focused on the users. That was what we tried to achieve. In this context, when we are trying to solve problems, we are not solving it for ourselves, but for other people. We are trying to understand the situation. They designed the platform but never really lost their focus on the end user.”
Being part-Indonesian, Toby understood the cultural aspects of handling, mentoring and coaching teams for the AHAckathon. “We should not lose the connection with people when looking for solutions. With my experience, when it comes to collaboration, the Asian culture is supporting it. Asia has a strong culture of working together,” he said.
“The AHA Centre does really important work. I have learned many things about disasters through this partnership. We have a better understanding of how to solve them. I think that Germany could have handled the recent disaster in a better way, which is mainly due to the fact that we are not so experienced with such disasters” said Toby, recalling the July 2021 floods that inundated parts of Germany. He notes that in Asian countries, people come together, help each other and collaborate during disasters. “I think this collaboration can really help us, especially the European collaboration with the AHA Centre. We have much to learn from Asian countries.”
“Collaboration is all that you need, collaboration is the main thing you do to provide the help. The main goal is to get the help to affected areas fast.” On his views of the role of technology in disaster management, “Technology is definitely helping us organise ourselves. But what I also believe is that we should not lose focus on people affected by these disasters, not lose the personal connection. This is the challenge we have to tackle with integrating technology more. Technology solves problems, but the people who are affected in flooded areas, they still need that human contact,” he added.
Written by : Judith Garcia Meese | Photo Credit : AHA Centre and Launchlabs
SOCIAL MEDIA
IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Social media plays an increasingly important role in disaster management. Some would even argue that it has played a vital role in recent years, with lives saved and much needed food, water and supplies delivered to where they are needed most.
While major news media companies provide ample coverage when a disaster occurs anywhere in the world, information gets posted and exchanged at a much faster pace on social media. Text, pictures and videos get published at lightning speed and often make it to TV, even if they are not of the usual broadcast quality.
A case in point is the earthquake that devastated Haiti in 2010 when 2,000 posts on Twitter, Facebook and other social media proved critical in guiding rescue efforts.
When an earthquake struck the island of Lombok in Indonesia, social media was key in bringing help to the villages that were affected most. Many of the pictures and videos of the devastation posted on Instagram were also helpful in raising funds.
There is also the “Safety Check” feature that Facebook has added. More and more people now use it to tell their social media network that they are safe and unharmed. It has already been used by 9 million people in the United States when hurricanes have struck.
Celebrities have been known to turn to social media for fund-raising, appealing to their fan base. US celebrity James Woods used his Twitter account during the fires that ravaged California in 2019. Woods used Twitter to post reports and updates that resulted in several people being reunited with their loved ones.
As ordinary people become journalists, a lot of information gets shared and published. Disasters get reported as they happen. And with this wealth of information, which is posted more often in real-time, rescue organisations and agencies are able use this to map out relief efforts.
While there is the freedom of sharing information, there is also the issue of authenticity and credibility. “Fake news” has now proliferated to the extent that a lot of rescue groups treat social media posts with caution. Other posts can be misleading too. A picture of one flooded street cannot give you the overall situation in a community. But while this has become an issue, it still cannot be denied that social media plays a significant role in disseminating information and bringing aid to where it is much needed.
Source:
https://www.preventionweb.net/news/how-social-media-shaping-disaster-governance
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/information-age/how-social-media-can-help-during-crisis/
https://preparecenter.org/topic/social-media-disasters/
Written by : Judith Garcia Meese