A wake-up call at the Writeshop

Wednesday 6th December

Here at the DRR Writeshop in Ethiopia we listen and critique many presentations, from early warning systems to crop and livestock monitoring to community empowerment and participation. Beriso Shenge speaks up passionately on the need for communities to actually participate in risk reduction initiatives from start to finish. He wants government, INGOs and local NGOs to go a big step further than token consultation and get into real partnership with rural communities. Berisho is a farmer with 4 hectares of land and a pair of oxen. He is married with six sons and one daughter. Himself and his wife grow maize, beans, teff and sorghum. He is a good speaker and even before the translation we can see how important this is to him. He doesn’t want mere consultation, he doesn’t want to be “facilpulated”. He wants, even demands, full participation, from start to finish. His intervention is a real wake up call for all!

Maurice McQuillan, Catholic Relief Services Emergency Response Team