Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo in Tsholotsho
TSHINO Primary School in Tsholotsho District will on Thursday host this year’s International Disaster Risk Reduction Day commemorations to be presided over by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe.
This year’s event will run under the theme: “Children and youth as the agent of change in Disaster Risk Reduction.”
The local organising committee led by the Tsholotsho District Development Co-ordinator, Mr Aaron Gono, held a preparatory meeting at the school to fine-tune preparations for the national event that is expected to attract 3 000 delegates.
In an interview, after the meeting that was also attended by Tsholotsho Rural District Council chairperson, councillor Rophas Ndlovu, Mr Gono said while preparatory meetings have been going on at district, provincial and national level, it was seen necessary for the team to meet members of the committee who are on the ground.
“We have been planning as the District Civil Protection Committee but we then thought that it would be very important for us now to meet the lower structures, that is the ward and also the other committees so that we work together and have this synchronisation and connection for the day,” said Mr Gono.
He stressed the need to have one voice as they prepare for the commemorations.
Mr Gono said more importantly, the day is mainly for the people who are on the ground as they are the first to be affected when disaster strikes.
“We want to make sure that the people own the day so as to accept and own it and make sure that they feel that it is their day,” said Mr Gono.
He said the event is held on a rotational basis and this year, Matabeleland North was chosen and it was decided to bring the occasion to Tsholotsho because of late, the district has been affected by quite a number of disasters.
“Remember, recently, in 2017, there was a national disaster, which was declared as a result of floods here. Other than that, through our reports, in terms of our preparedness and in terms of our contingency plan, it seems that as a district we are now somewhere as compared to other districts and provinces,” said Mr Gono.
The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction was set in 1989, after a call by the United Nations General Assembly for a day to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction.
Held every October 13, the day celebrates how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters and raising awareness about the importance of reining in the risks that they face.
The rising cost of disasters reflects the growing impact of climate change and poor development choices. Globally, countries face increasingly severe natural events, driven by extreme weather and risk-blind planning.
While direct disaster costs reach around $202 billion annually, the broader economic impact is estimated at $2,3 trillion. Developing nations suffer the most, while wealthier countries face high financial losses.
The 2025 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction calls for two actions, increase funding for DRR in public and international budgets and ensure all development and private investments are risk-informed and resilient.
