Disaster Management and Mitigation – My experience with the International Organization on Migration in Dominica

By Rachael Kalaba, 1st year MDP student

Racheal and the IOM Dominica country team

As I write this paper, I take the opportunity to thank the International Organization on Migration (IOM) and Dominica Red Cross for having supported and welcomed me. I had a fantastic opportunity to interact and work with two organizations as part of my MDP international placement.

The IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. Furthermore, the work is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals that support communities to be more resilient in disaster risk management. IOM Dominica has been working on restoring communities and livelihoods with an emphasis on disaster risk reduction strategies (DRR). The 2017 Hurricane Maria destroyed 95% of houses and livelihoods in Dominica. One of the challenges was realizing that many families affected by Hurricane Maria remain in tents, makeshift shelters, emergency shelters, with host families, in inadequately repaired structures and/or in unsuitable locations. IOM was able to support renovation of emergency shelters across Dominica and I was privileged to have been part of the last phase of the project.

Former Kalinago Chief at a community engagement meeting

I learned a lot in terms of how IOM is working closely with all stakeholders, government and other humanitarian organizations in Dominica, in handing over the renovated shelters and supporting to internally displaced families. IOM in its quest to support DRR work was able to launch a handbook for emergency shelters managers. I was able to work closely with the IOM staff on their daily tasks.  

Disaster risk reduction cuts across different sectors of development. There are 25 targets related to disaster risk reduction in 10 of the 17 SDGs, firmly establishing the role of disaster risk reduction as a core development strategy, IOM Dominica through its work has been able to create most of the works through interventions such as trainings livelihood, production of handbooks and renovation of houses and emergency shelters across the country.

Launch of Emergency shelters

My encounter with Red Cross was more about understanding of community-led emergency disaster plan for the Kalinago Territory and how this can be established. Furthermore, my interest was developed through my work as a volunteer under the disaster management team as a responder with the Canadian Red Cross in Winnipeg. I worked briefly with Red Cross and though their support and working with the Kalinago Territory. One of the achievements of working with Red Cross led to opening of the Kalinago Territory Branch. In understanding that we are there to work with the community, using the Red Cross methodology of community-led planning.