Natural Disaster Early Warning: The Role of NGOs

Abstract

Inadequate information, poor infrastructure and lack of sufficient human and financial resources are hampering the implementation of early warning systems in Africa. Most African countries rely heavily on donor funds to carry out research and modelling activities necessary in the early warning systems, and donor aid to assist disaster victims. Currently, donor funds have declined substantially.

In Kenya, for instance, research centres involved in natural hazards studies and monitoring are donor funded. Information regarding impending disasters is communicated to the government through the Office of the President. The government then uses available mechanisms to send warning signals to the public. However, in many cases the information hardly reaches the public. Yet the public are the main victims when the disaster occurs.

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) work at local level with the communities and policy makers. They mobilise communities, provide training, information and advocacy services. They are in a better position to abridge the link between researchers, policy makers and the communities in sending early warning. There is need to empower local NGOs through capacity building so as to play a greater role in providing relevant information on natural disaster, linking scientists and policy makers with communities and advocating on behalf of the communities on effective natural hazards management.