Stress on boosting skills of trainers

MUSCAT, MARCH 10 - The Relief and Shelter Department, in cooperation with the Executive Office of the National Committee for Emergency Management, organised a workshop on ‘Preparing trainers in relief and shelter’ on Tuesday. The workshop targeted 32 participants from the Ministry of Social Development, the Executive Office of the National Committee for Civil Defence, Oman Charitable Organisation, and the Public Authority for Food Reserve. The event aimed at preparing the participants as trainers in the areas of relief and shelter in all governorates as well as train employees and volunteers in the same area.

Dr Yahya bin Badr al Maawali, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Social Development and Head of Relief and Shelter Sector, said the workshop was part of an initiative called ‘My wilayat is ready’, as a national effort to achieve flexibility and community readiness and advance the role of relief and shelter wing in completing its organisational and procedural structures. Along with enhancing capabilities in providing shelter centres, the workshop also discussed relief materials for those affected by the emergency situations.

Al Maawali said, “Through this event, we seek to provide the teams knowledge, skills and tools, necessary to advance the roles entrusted to them in accordance with a specific timetable to each of the wilayats. So all work as a team with social development committees, create an integrated system and apply effective procedures to implement relief and shelter operations as well as to implement everything that strengthens wilayats’ readiness to contribute to the national effort to protect lives and reduce impacts of emergency situations on citizens and residents.”

The Relief and Shelter Department aims to provide relief services and materials for those affected by emergency situations. It is also responsible for opening, operating and managing shelters and providing relief materials such as water, food, clothing, medicine, and others. It also has responsibility of providing social and psychological support to victims of natural disasters.