DUSHANBE, July 5, 2011, Asia-Plus -- The Shelter and Recovery training to increase the collective response capacity of the Central Asian Red Crescent National Societies in shelter and early recovery programs and activities has started in Varzob district today and will last until July 9, according to Tajikistan’s Red Crescent Society (RCS).

The event is organized by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) jointly with the Tajikistan Red Crescent, and with the financial support of IFRC donors and DIPECHO VI.

About 20 experienced staff from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Red Crescent as well as Hungarian Red Cross Societies participates in the training.  The training will be conducted with support of experienced facilitators coming from Europe and Central Asian republics.

According to Mr. Eric Michel-Sellier, IFRC country representative in Tajikistan, the prime expected result of the training is the improved capacity of the Europe and Central Asia Zone RDRT to respond to natural disasters in the area of emergency sheltering and recovery, utilizing the established regional response mechanism.  He says the specialized shelter/recovery training for RDRT members “would not only increase and improve the response capacity of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, add specialized capacity to the RDRT roster, it also builds capacity within National Societies.”

Shamsuddin Muhiddinov, Central Asia regional emergency response coordinator of IFRC, says, the five-day specialized shelter/recovery training for RDRT members is based on the existing “shelter technical training” and “shelter tool kit training”, providing the candidates a clear understanding of the emergency sheltering process.  Additionally, the participants will receive training to master the basics of EMMA (Emergency Market Mapping Analysis) and will receive an overview regarding the different techniques for early recovery and recovery activities.

The shelter/recovery trained RDRT members are best positioned to train volunteers from the respective branches when relief items such as the shelter (tool) kits are distributed to the affected population.  The shelter/recovery RDRT member and volunteers will provide technical assistance to the beneficiaries when constructing emergency or transitional shelters.