Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
CONCERN over schoolchildren and gold panners being stranded by flooded rivers during the rainy season has prompted Gwanda District to intensify disaster preparedness training, with communities being equipped to identify and respond to risks before they escalate into emergencies.
The district has rolled out a Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) training programme from district level to grassroots communities as part of efforts to strengthen disaster preparedness, mitigation and response.
The initiative comes as Gwanda continues to face a range of hazards, including floods, prolonged dry spells and erratic weather conditions, which leave some communities and key economic activities particularly vulnerable during the rainy season.
Gwanda District Development Coordinator Ms Nomathemba Ndlovu said continuous training of stakeholders was critical in reducing the impact of disasters and preventing avoidable loss of life.
She said recurring incidents of schoolchildren and gold panners being trapped by rising water had been identified as a major area of concern requiring urgent intervention.
“One of the areas of concern are cases of school pupils that get marooned during the rainy season as well as gold panners. In some cases lives have been lost. We want to ensure people are informed so that we can prevent such losses,” said Ms Ndlovu.
She said the training programme was designed to equip communities with the knowledge and skills needed to anticipate hazards, minimise risks, respond effectively to emergencies and recover quickly from disasters.
Gwanda District developed its DRR plan in 2024 and reviewed it last year to incorporate updated statistics, emerging risk trends and changes to ward boundaries.
The plan consists of three key documents: the district disaster risk profile, the disaster risk mitigation and adaptation plan, and the district emergency response plan.
Ms Ndlovu said ward-level DRR plans had also been developed to guide communities in taking anticipatory action and implementing mitigation, adaptation and emergency response measures.
“We have a DRR plan at district level and capacitation of stakeholders is contained in the plan and it’s crucial in the implementation of the plan. As a result, there is a need for continuous training of stakeholders from the grassroots up to district level where we have the district DRR committee,” she said.
Ms Ndlovu said DRR committees had been established at community level and were receiving ongoing training, with support from development partners.
“We have been working with development partners to ensure that committees are capacitated. We have trained the district DRR committee and now we are moving to grassroots level,” she said.
The ongoing training programme is being supported by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC).
Ms Ndlovu said the district’s long-term objective was to build resilient communities capable of responding swiftly to disasters while reducing reliance on external assistance.
“Every life lost, property damaged, or livelihood destroyed weakens the district’s ability to contribute to the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and the vision of an upper-middle-income economy by 2030. We need to build resilience and ensure a swift recovery, as well as to guide the district towards a more sustainable and disaster-resistant future,” she said.
Gwanda remains vulnerable to a broad range of natural, environmental, health and technological hazards.
These include floods, prolonged dry spells, storms, lightning, water shortages and other climate-related shocks, as well as disease outbreaks and public health emergencies.
Livestock diseases continue to threaten livelihoods and can potentially spread to humans, while environmental degradation, mining accidents and road traffic accidents remain significant risks.
The district is also battling drug and substance abuse, which has been identified as another threat requiring a coordinated response from communities and stakeholders.
Chief Masuku of Gwanda said direct community involvement in disaster risk reduction was critical in building self-reliance and reducing dependence on external support.
He said communities should be empowered to identify risks within their areas and take ownership of solutions instead of waiting for assistance after disasters occur.
“Such an initiative of having communities involved in disaster risk reduction strategies is crucial in cushioning communities that have been severely affected by the effects of climate change. Communities have also been extensively educated on climate change issues and the role they can play,” he said.
Government has established disaster risk reduction structures from national level to grassroots communities to strengthen preparedness and emergency response.
The committees play a key role in helping communities prepare for and respond to disasters such as droughts, floods, storms, lightning, fires, water shortages, epidemics, livestock diseases, drug and substance abuse, road traffic accidents and mining accidents.
Through these structures, communities are encouraged to identify local hazards, develop preventive measures and educate residents on ways to minimise risks.
The approach is expected to strengthen community resilience and ensure disaster preparedness becomes a continuous process rather than an intervention activated only after lives and property have been lost.
