On Friday, November 15, the Sarah Baartman District Municipality (SBDM) joined the global community in commemorating International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) which is on October 13. The event took place at Mtyobo Primary School in Nemato.
The Provincial Disaster Centre was present to share this year’s IDDRR theme “empowering the next generation for a resilient future” which focused on leveraging the education sector to reduce disaster risks among school-aged children. The event aimed to educate young learners at Mtyobo Public Primary School about fire safety and other natural or man-made disasters.
District Councillor Athenkosi Diniso, handed over Fire Extinguisher Balls to Ndlambe Fire Services for distribution to informal communities. Additionally, fire extinguishers were donated to Mtyobo Public Primary School. SBDM Disaster Management teams provided practical demonstrations on extinguishing small fires, such as oil fires, and emphasised the importance of the “stop, drop, and roll” technique in case of clothing fires.
The Department of Social Development highlighted their role in disaster response and support for vulnerable groups, Miss Charlene Engelbrecht spoke extensively about the importance of schools implementing Youth group programmes.
“These programmes will help the children stay informed of the outside world and not just learn from a desk,” Engelbrecht said. She also spoke about a programme that the school could take part in, called the Teenage Against Drug Abuse (TADA) initiative.
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) shared information about social grant top-ups, while the South African Police Service (SAPS) presented on crime prevention programmes for children and youth.
- This article was first published in Talk of the Town, November 21, 2024. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
