Resilience

Geoffrey Kibigo is a Disaster Risk Management Officer with Tearfund, based in Kenya. Chris McDonald is Tearfund’s Disaster Risk Management and Churches Lead, based in the UK.  In this interview they discuss how local churches can work with communities to build resilience and reduce the risk of disaster.

What is resilience?

Chris:

Resilience is the ability of people and communities to cope with, and recover from, the challenges they face, so their lives and livelihoods continue to flourish.

We can think of this in three main ways.

Firstly, the ability of communities to resist or absorb challenges. Like having a strong building that can resist heavy rainfall and high winds.

Secondly, people’s ability to adapt their lives and livelihoods so they are less affected by the challenges. For example, growing drought-tolerant crops where climate change is making rainfall less predictable.

Thirdly, the ability of people to change the underlying, long-term reasons why they are susceptible to disasters. Such as challenging unjust laws and policies that keep people in poverty. Or influencing the ways things are done, for example the way women and girls are treated in local communities. 

What is the role of the church in this?

Geoffrey:

In many communities you will find a local church that is trusted and known by everyone. The church is there permanently – before, during and after disasters – so is well placed to lead and support activities to reduce the risk of disaster.

Local churches often have leadership structures, human resources and space. This means they can lead activities and share important information that can save lives, for example during the Covid-19 pandemic. They can provide space for training and can also become a rescue centre – a safe place that people can run to. 

Do you have an example?

Geoffrey:

 The Pentecostal Assemblies of God Church in Zambia, in Serenje district, is training communities how to take care of the forest and also a wetland. The wetland is the source of two critical rivers that supply safe drinking water and water for irrigation. By taking care of the natural vegetation, and safeguarding the wetland, the communities are protecting themselves from flooding and drought.

They have also installed more than 800 beehives in the forest, which are improving the livelihoods of people who do not have access to arable land. The church provides space for people to process the honey and work together to prepare it for sale.

The church has established a dormitory within the compound to provide a safe living space for girls who have to walk long distances to school. This means that more girls are now completing their education. 

Next to the dormitory is a grain store, so if there is a drought the community has two or three months of stored food. This is a crucial initiative led by the church. 

Chris:

We have seen the biggest advances where there is integration of different types of work, as Geoffrey describes, and where the church is playing an active role.

All of this helps to build resilience and reduce the risk of disaster in communities.