KOICA for strengthening community resilience

Bangladesh is exposed to a multitude of hazards for which the local people of vulnerable regions require special attention to enhance their resilience against the impacts of hazards through an inclusive resilience approach, says Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

KOICA has partnered with a number of multilateral organizations and international non-governmental organizations to build community resilience and has been supporting the above-mentioned projects.

It primarily aims to enhance the resilience of the vulnerable communities from flooding, cyclones, storms, earthquakes, etc. that have been the cross-cutting sectors of KOICA.

The projects apply various approaches for the affected people namely, access to forecast-based financing, micro-insurance and seasonal livelihood support, national capacity to respond to emergencies and risk reduction of the chronic flood-affected population.

KOICA in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society (IFRC), Oxfam Bangladesh and KOICA Bangladesh Alumni Association (KBAA) held a knowledge-sharing seminar titled ‘Building Community Resilience to Natural Disasters’ on Thursday evening at Gulshan Club in the city.

Young-Ah Doh, Country Director, KOICA Bangladesh Office, Nasima Begum, Member (Secretary), Planning Commission and President, KBAA, Piet Vochten, Deputy Country Director, WFP Bangladesh Country Office, Ali Akgul, Operations Manager, IFRC, among others, were present.

The event featured presentations and discussions on KOICA-funded projects with WFP titled, “WFP Building Resilience to Achieve Zero Hunger (BRAZH)”, IFRC titled, ‘Integrated Flood Resilience Programme: Phase 2 through Community-based Disaster Risk Reduction Approach’ and Oxfam Bangladesh titled, “Resilience Boat Resident Community of Bangladesh”.

It also consisted of an action plan on ‘Innovation Solutions to Safe Drinking Water in the Saline-prone Coastal Belt’ under KOICA-Yonsei Master’s Degree Programme in Community Development in Korea.

Speaking on the occasion, KOICA’s Country Director Young-Ah hoped that through this support from the government of the Republic of Korea, it will strengthen the resilience of community people in the areas of health, livelihoods, WASH and overall ability to withstand and cope against natural disasters.