Egypt's SCZONE eyes deeper investment, port digitalisation ties with Singapore    Egypt's gold prices slip slightly on July 28th    Egypt's Housing Min. reviews HDP marketing plan    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egypt, South Africa pledge to deepen development cooperation at G20 meeting    Egypt's PM orders road maintenance review, tougher penalties to curb accidents    Egypt, Novartis explore expanding collaboration in oncology, cardiology    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    EU, China agree on rare earths, climate but divisions remain on trade, Ukraine    Association of Real Estate Developers seeks urgent meeting over threatened land deallocation on Northwest Coast    Midar partners with Adeer to develop Boulevard project in Mostakbal City with EGP 70bn investment    Iran launches mass deportation of Afghans amid spying allegations    Over 60 million visits recorded under Egypt's Women's Health Initiative since 2019    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    Thailand, Cambodia clash on new front as tens of thousands flee    Sudan's ambassador to Egypt holds reconstruction talks on with Arab League    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Egypt welcomes 25-nation statement urging end to Gaza war    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt foils terrorist plot, kills two militants linked to Hasm group    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



UN prepares Egyptian children for natural disasters
Published in Almasry Alyoum on 13 - 10 - 2011

Children and young people are extremely vulnerable when a natural disaster strikes. When an earthquake hit Haiti last year, 80 percent of the schools in Port-au-Prince where destroyed or severely damaged, and when an earthquake hit China in 2008, more than 10,000 children were killed. Although Egypt has not experienced any large-scale disaster for many years, the country is located on a fault line which could be disrupted by an earthquakes or severe weather changes.
That is why, on the occasion of the celebration of the International Disaster Reduction day, the UN is teaching Egyptian youth how to cope with the risk of disasters.
“Children and young people are capable of much more than you would imagine. In case of an emergency, they can't just sit around waiting for their teacher to tell them what to do. They have to know how to react appropriately,” explains Amjad Madani Abbashar, head of the UN regional office for Arab States.
He refers to the case of a Japanese schoolboy who opened a window and helped his classmates evacuate as an earthquake struck earlier this year.
Japanese children take classes of risk reduction, and although that is not necessarily a good idea for Egyptian schools, children and young people should learn more about dealing with potential disasters, Abbashar says. And it's not just a matter of knowing how to evacuate; it's also a matter of prevention.
“Often the people themselves have the best idea of what is needed to be safe, and therefore preventing disaster is also about listening to people and taking their voice seriously,” Abbashar says.
In Egypt, workshops are organized in schools to educate responsible students, who are, in turn, charged with educating the rest of the classroom on safety measures.
The UN has produced special textbooks regarding the subject and has also launched an online game, where older children and young people can try their hand at dealing with risk reduction in different cities worldwide, according to Berta Acero, who is a communication officer at the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction.


Clic here to read the story from its source.