Jiwaka disaster office conducts awareness on climate change

Highlands

The provincial disaster office in Jiwaka is embarking on an awareness campaign on climate change and its effects on the daily lives of the people.
The awareness effort is effectively complemented by one of the United Nations agencies in the province – the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) – as part of its ongoing programme on disaster risk reduction and awareness in the province.
Four officers were engaged in the programme and they are Ju Perenga from the provincial health division, Carol Ape representing the education division, IOM’s livelihood officer Thomas Mek and team leader and provincial disaster coordinator John Kupul.
Kupul said the team focused on reaching a target of 10,000 people in the province.
He said the group would target schools and main market areas where a lot of people gathered.
“So far we’ve covered almost half of North Waghi, a third of South Waghi Anglimp with at least two or more places yet to visit this week,”  Kupul said.
Schools visited include Waghi Valley Secondary School, Minj Secondary School, Fatima TVET centre, Milip High School, Minj TVET centre, Timil Waghi Bible College, Nondugl St Mary’s Primary School, Jim Taylor Primary School and Karepa Primary School. Main market areas included Kumbal, Kudjip and Banz town.
“Our two-week programme drew attention from people from all sectors of the community who took interest in the message that was delivered to them.
“The people were told that different forms of natural disasters emanating from climate change were real and that every effort must be taken by individuals and families to cope with disasters.
“People were also made aware of the coping strategies they should employ when facing disaster,” Kupul said.
“Everyone must know how to preserve food and plant varieties of crops that can withstand harsh climatic conditions such as the El-Nino-induced drought. In the last drought in 2015 that lasted almost eight months, many people suffered.”