By Solister Mogha

Zomba, November 21, Mana: Youth for Development Productivity (YODEP), a local youth organisation based in Zomba on Thursday trained community and district disaster risk management committees on search and rescue, one of the important aspects in disaster response.

Speaking during the opening of the two days training, YODEP Programmes Manager, Joy Mwandama said considering reports of heavy rains that the country is expected to experience this year, the organisation felt it necessary to empower both district and community disaster structures with search and rescue skills.

Mwandama said it is only when the district and community structures have been empowered with the necessary knowledge and skills that they can take the required steps during search and rescue missions.

"Obviously we expect floods and other forms of disasters in Zomba and it is therefore important that our teams are fully equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills," he said.

Mwandama said it is the expectation of YODEP that the training will be of great impact to communities of Zomba.

Among those participating in the training are members of the District Disaster Risk Management Committee, Area Disaster Risk Management Committee and Village Risk Management Committee.

Zomba District Disaster Risk Management Officer, Violet Jimu described the training as crucial, especially now that the district was preparing for various disasters.

Jimu said capacity building on disaster is crucial and hailed YODEP for the orientation, saying it will enhance the capacity of disaster structures.

During the training, participants were taking through topics like fire-fighting, survival skills, search and rescue techniques.

The training also involved disaster structures from Neno District who are also beneficiaries of the localised project with support from the Save the Children.