1. Saritsa Foundation celebrated International Disaster Reduction DayEmpowers Girls and Women to be Equal Partnersto be resilient and develop safety culture to cope with disasters from 1 to 13 October 2012

2. Saritsa Foundation celebrated International Disaster Reduction Day by organizing workshops for community groups at  International Day UDAIPUR, RAJASTHAN from 1 October to 13 October 2012. The focus of this year's for Disaster Reductions Celebration has been to sensitize equalization of opportunities to women and girls to be resilient and identify the importance of safety culture. Saritsa Foundation advocates and practices People centered, People led and People owned Disaster risk reduction methodology to reach to the “Door Steps” of people as a Mobile University. Girls , women and women with disability have been nucleus of building capacity for disasters since its birth on 5 June 2000.

3. The workshops were organized to translate ethos and guidelines of Hyogo framework for action and to further objectives of UNISDR into reality at grass root level: Building understanding and awareness, use knowledge, innovation, and build culture of safety and resilience at all levels. Saritsa Foundation has imparted knowledge and practical training to 20,3500 people including 8,900 persons with disabilities where women and girls have touched about 40 percent of the participants. It has paid specific attention to marginalized women in women homes, tribal women and women sex workers and their gill children. Keeping in view its mission, Saritsa Foundation identified 5 groups of people and conducted workshops to raise awareness, impart education, practical training with mock drills as well as to use local resource to save lives in disasters.

4. The First group of participants consisted of 1100 girls and women teachers of two schools for girls and one co - education  school where boys and girls study together with equal numbers.    The second group of participants were 150 orphaned children of Shri Pravin Shah orphanage Udaipur, Rajasthan. These children needed this education most because they do not have any access to such an education to protect themselves. The third group of participants  were 150 deaf, dumb and visually impaired participants of APNA GHAR, UDAIPUR. To be with them with an instructor  of sign language, was highly satisfying when they took part in practical practices and mock drills.   The fourth group of participants for the workshop were 125 hospital staff, nursing assistants and doctors of Narayan Sewa Sansthan Hospital for Polio patients.  The fifth group of participants were members of Vigyan Samiti, Meera Rotary Club, Mahaveer International, Inner wheel Club, Maheshswari manswini, Sakhi Club and vishveswariya College of Fire and Safety Engineering  who took active part in interactive sessions and  practiced use of local resources in mock drills. It is satisfying to mention that 50 percent members in this workshop were women.

5. These participants were provided with useable inputs of awareness, knowledge, to save lives with practical training and mock drills. They were encouraged to use local resources to respond to disasters and make family disaster management plans to be first aid of Disaster Risk Reduction. School children were guided to organize rescue teams for earthquake and flood.  It was experienced that, in spite of  best efforts by national state, local and  international agencies who are making valuable contributions in preparing community groups, not even 1 percent of the participants  who attended workshops organized by Saritsa Foundation were exposed to such a  training earlier. This sensitizes the need to promote “Bottom Upward” mechanisms for Disaster Risk Reduction. It is  to be remembered at all celebrations of international community, that, preparing people at grass root is heart and soul of  building capacity.  The mission continues

6. PHOTOGRAPHS SPEAK !!

7. A Girl and A Teacher use a improvised floater for Floods A Practice. Girls - Children's at Workshop.

8. Women members of Vigyan Samiti, Rotary Club, Lions Club and Sakhi Club take equal part in preparing for Disasters. A women member forms part of Rescue Team for Floods.

9. A School Rescue Team of Girls Mahila Mandal Higher Secondary School - Udaipur. A Women Teacher Demonstrate how to protect her head in an emergency of an Earth quake.

10. A School Rescue Team of Stanvard High School- Udaipur, being prepaid at the Workshop. A Happy group of Teachers and Students after the Workshop.

11. Pro. Smita Kadam at a Workshop for Hospitals staff at Narayan Seva Sansthan, Hospitals for Polio Patients at Udaipur. The Participants at the Workshop.

12. The Team of Doctors at a Mock Drill at the Hospitals. A Mock Drill for Extinguishing Fire at the Hospitals.

13. Deaf , Dumb and Visually Impaired Children of Apna Ghar at a Work shop at Udaipur. Deaf , Dumb and Visually Impaired Children practice protecting their head for an emergency of an Earthquake.

14. Teachers of Deaf , Dumb and Visually Impaired Children practice evacuation of children. Deaf , Dumb and Visually Impaired Children practice.

15. Orphane d Children of Pravin Shah Orphan age at a Workshop. A Child rescue another child during an electric shock – a Mock Drill.

16. Children practice to occupy corner of a House and protect their Head in an emergency of an Earthquake. Children practice to occupy corner of a House and protect their Head in an emergency of an Earthquake.

17. Thank You!! The team of saritsa foundation