Today 13th October, the world celebrates the International Day for Disaster Reduction themed “REDUCING THE NUMBER OF AFFECTED PEOPLE”. As the world celebrates the international day of disaster reduction Rwanda counts 52 people who lost their lives, 119 seriously injured, 127 houses destroyed and 2000 hectares of arable area flooded.
The Rwanda’s Ministry for Disaster Management and Refugees Affairs (MIDIMAR) has disclosed that the country spent 6.5billions Rwandan francs to assist disaster victims from January to 11 October 2017.
The 2017 International Disaster reduction Day was dedicated to raise global awareness about effective actions, policies and practices taken to reduce exposure to disaster risk at the community level, thereby contributing to saving homes and livelihoods.”
Rwanda celebrates this day with the launch of national campaign for Disaster reduction where MIDIMAR will partner with different stakeholders in tree planting and digging of water channels, to reduce soil erosion.
According to UN, the International Day for Disaster Reduction was started in 1989, after a call by the United Nations General Assembly for a day to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction. Held every 13 October, the day celebrates how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters and raising awareness about the importance of reining in the risks that they face.