SCF launches District Disaster Response Network
HYDERABAD: In a proactive move to strengthen community resilience against climate-related emergencies, the Sindh Community Foundation (SCF), with support from Pathfinder International, successfully trained 102 young people, aged 18 to 29, from 10 villages across Thatta, including coastal areas, in first aid and emergency response skills. The initiative was conducted under SCF's ongoing SURMI Project, which focuses on climate resilience and youth empowerment.
Over the course of four three-day workshops, participants received hands-on training in CPR, bleeding control, burn management, electric shock response, and fire safety, alongside in-depth sessions on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation, and interpreting early warning systems.
'Communities are always the first responders during disasters,' emphasized Javed Hussain, Executive Director of SCF, during the closing ceremony. 'Training youth equips villages with immediate support mechanisms while creating a bridge with institutions like the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to enhance coordinated response and reduce risk.'
Retired Commander Naeem Yousuf, the lead trainer, conducted rigorous drills and simulations, preparing the youth to respond effectively during climate-induced crises such as floods, cyclones, and heat waves now more frequent and intense in Thatta due to climate change.
Senior district officials including Additional Deputy Commissioner-I Ghulam Dastgeer, Assistant Commissioner Shakir Faheem, and Dr. Rahena from the District Health Department praised the initiative. They emphasized the growing urgency for community-based disaster preparedness in vulnerable regions like Thatta.
Humera Ali, SCF's Project Manager, and MB Khaskheli, Cluster Coordinator from Pathfinder International, appreciated the participants' commitment and energy. They highlighted the transformative potential of engaging youth in localized climate action and emergency response.
The culmination of the fourth training batch marked a significant milestone: the formation of the Youth Network for Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Response. The network consists of 29 trained young leaders—both male and female—who will now take on formal roles as community-based first responders, emergency educators, and local coordinators for DRR activities across Thatta.
This youth-led network is designed to engage young people in awareness, preparedness, and response actions for disasters and climate emergencies, while fostering stronger linkages between local communities and government disaster management systems. It represents a model for climate-adaptive, community-driven resilience—one that places youth at the forefront of building a safer, more prepared Thatta.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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