Interviews 1

From ICVWiki

Interview 1: Role of Volunteers in Disaster Response

When disasters hit, local people are the first on site, and so are local community organizations. As a result, volunteers have a critical role in helping in the very early stages of disasters.

We talked to Mr. Ahmed Dahmani, Project Coordinator of SVP Volontaire Morocco. Supported by the Swiss Embassy and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), this pilot project is focusing on the recruitment and preparation of community volunteers in Morocco. Starting in Fez, the goal of the project is to promote voluntary action and citizen participation in the neighborhood.

Fez was chosen because given its historic architecture, access to the Medina and other places in the city is difficult in case of disasters. Additional cities have been added since. The experiment began in 2008, and since they have realized more than 50 operations, the last of which was in April 2011 with the participation of over 50 volunteers from the neighborhood.

Mr. Ahmed Dahmani pointed out that partnerships are critical for disaster preparedness. In concrete terms, this means collaborations, with municipalities, neighborhood associations and other local actors. In 2010, 560 volunteers had joined the project and the goal is to reach the mark of 1,000 by the end of 2011. Why get involved. Mr. Ahmed Dahmani put it into simple terms: "I am a volunteer, an active citizen." And he continued, "I can give a little time to make a difference and contribute to the change of attitudes within society."

• Volunteers and the role of them in disaster preparation, during and after.

• What is the role of volunteers in your organization sustainable.

• In the history, what the history of your organization in a few words.