The Training of Trainers (TOT) for Disaster Risk Reduction and Preparedness for Home-Based Workers in Sri Lanka took place on the 11th and 12th of January, 2024 in Colombo.
The training was attended by 23 home-based workers (HBWs) from Central, Southern, and Uva Provinces, as well as Ratmalana District. These workers work in various areas such as agriculture, apparel production, Batik design, and food production and distribution.
The objective of the training was to capacitate home-based workers to identify disaster risks, mitigate them through adaptive actions, and prepare their businesses for adverse environmental conditions. The methodology used for the two-day in-house training included brainstorming, participatory appraisal, group presentations, and facilitated risk-sensitive business planning.
The session content covered a wide range of topics including business documentation, disaster impacts on business assumptions, disaster risk reduction theory and practice, risk assessment tools, coping, adaptation, and transforming strategies for business resilience, and the development of business continuity plans.
The output of the training included increased awareness among home-based workers about hazards in their areas, identification of business and household exposure to hazards, vulnerabilities, and capacities, understanding of risks to the five capitals, identification of individual and group risk-coping capacities, identification of post-disaster business continuity and market chain gaps, improvement of risk-sensitive business planning, and exploration of substitute income generation, risk avoidance protection, and asset protection measures.
Participants agreed to continue their home-based assignments with self-monitoring and reporting. They will provide authentic business continuity plans within 3 months of the training, using a mock format and incorporating trainer feedback. A review workshop is scheduled for June/July 2024.
Overall, the training aimed to empower home-based workers to build disaster resilience, reduce capital losses, and ensure the sustainability of their businesses through challenging periods. The TOT for Disaster Risk Reduction and Preparedness for Home-Based Workers in Sri Lanka was a significant step towards creating a more resilient and prepared workforce in the face of disaster risks.
