Earthquake Hazard Reduction Training & Awareness
SFL is reaching the completion of its first year of earthquake hazard reduction training and awareness in Kabul, Afghanistan. Funded by USAID, this program focuses on informing Kabul residents about ways to prepare for earthquakes.
Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, people have been flooding back into Kabul City and rebuilding their homes and community quickly, but not safely. Kabul Municipality has been overwhelmed with the influx of returnees that it has not been able to plan and properly reconstruct the city. Kabul, being an earthquake prone city,
would face great disaster and destruction
if an earthquake were to occur.
In order to mitigate the loss of lives and disasterous effects of an earthquake, SFL's community awareness program is providing training workshops at local universities to teach residents how to prepare their homes for future earthquakes. Though no home can built to be "quake proof", SFL's building techniques allow families more time to evacuate, saving their lives.
To compliment this program, SFL has been working to build the institutional capacity of Kabul Municipality. Primarily working with urban planners and architects, SFL has provided management training that will prepare the municipality to better respond to the influx of returnees. SFL has provided GIS software and technology trainings to help the Municipality safely and efficiently rebuild their city.
SFL's earthquake mitigation programs are highlighted in OFDA's September "Shelter and Settlements Sector Update". Click here to read the full report.