Disaster-resistant schools Children) the Agović/Save (Photo: Jasmin

Close to a hundred communities in were affected by the natural disaster in 2014. Around 560,000 citizens including 140,000 children were affected by floods and landslides. The unpreparedness of both the competent authorities on all levels of government and the citizens resulted in major material damage, leaving many families homeless. In order to help reduce the risk of natural and other disasters, in 2015 Save the Children implemented a program aimed at reducing the risk of natural and other disasters in the municipalities of Maglaj, Šamac, Gradačac, , and Brčko District. 2

Disaster-resistant schools meet such challenges. such challenges. meet drawn in order to create community alocal that is ready to from these be memories should that and recollections energy apartments, evacuations had they to but and survive, all it is children, have especially memories uneasy flooded offloods, to normal and the economy isslowly recovering. Citizens, The streets of are nolonger underMaglaj water,back life is communities in Bosniaand Herzegovina (BiH). was one Maglaj ofthecaused widespread hardest shock. hit from Images of acompletelyMaglaj flooded May 2014 Post-flood aidinMaglaj alive.“ -A5 houseOur was hit andIwas afraid wewouldn’tget out cried Ididn’t alot. “I know what would happen to us. couldn’t wait to back go to school. “–A7 be happy that the holidays came sooner, butIwasn’t. I my who friends hit were by thefloods. I thought Iwould Although my house wasn’t I worriedwas flooded, for was afraid.“I I didn’t know what going was on. first of anniversary the floods. Mehmed Mustabašić, the mayor on ofMaglaj, the sure that these have completely been repaired“ –said Floods leave behind landslides be andyoucannever “We now have anddeal to with try what happened. th grade girl. girl. grade th grade boy. grade of theirhomesandschools. of theirhouses, andlaterinrecovery products for cleaninganddisinfection consisting ofvouchers for purchasing to affected personsinMaglajarea, the Children provided assistance Immediately afterthefloods, Save

Photo: Amir Bašić/Save the Children Malteser International Europe. other lifesaving equipment. Theseactivities werefunded by withschools fire extinguishers, cabinets,first-aid ladders and conducting disaster simulation exercises equipping wellas as and developing Disaster action Risk Reduction plans, trainingincluded staff the school and students,planning Risk Reduction Savethe floods, the Childrencontinued working on Disaster After providing active help in the immediate aftermath of withdealing their traumas. study,could assistance in play and receivepsycho-social Corners, where, safeplaces at times ofdisaster, children reconstructing and establishing homes, schools Children out and disinfecting houses, and later included on italso lifesavingincluded equipment, equipment for clearing to help the children. Help impacted population, especially children, Save the Children immediately the efforts joined As an organization that primarily on focuses protecting its activitiesinMaglaj Save theChildren continues response plans“ Andrea said Žeravčić,director ofSave the Children in North-West Balkans. andintegratetry andmethods our experiences ofworking with situations children inemergency into disaster teachers andschool boards are carried outon ahigher, local community level. Through this project wewill important isvery “It to usthat action focus plans on children andthat certain activities that include children, programs (DRR). Inprograms (DRR). these Maglaj, activities

(Photo: Šejla Dizdarević/Save the Children)

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Disaster-resistant schools

(Photo: Jasmin Agović/Save the Children) “Novi and Šeher“ “Maglaj“ from elementary Maglaj. schools response plans andby adopted have developed been already situationsassessments These risk on level. the local and operating procedures for protecting children in emergency and rescue plans that include clear protocolsand standard and municipalities, protectionthe of schools wellas level as by developing and implementinggoals risk assessments on procedures for response. aquick plan The is these to meet have capacitieseducated, and outlined the necessary and other to disasters, ensure soas that are they adequately communities who are the first to react in times of natural Children on working isfocused with key actors in local disaster responses. Save project, ThroughDRR its the step inRisk reduction planning alogical appears as future Franklin “If to plan, you are you fail planning “ - Benjamin to fail. Resistant todisasters! natural andotherdisasters. adequate response incasesof capacities for prompt and and strengthening their improving theirpreparedness and workshops aimed at in60trainings participated „Novi Šeher“and„Maglaj“, from schools, two primary Close to180students capacity for and aquick adequatecapacity response in times of at enhancing their preparedness and strengthening their participated in aimed 60trainings and “Maglaj” Šeher” and 179students from “Novi elementary two schools to the present began, project moment 25employees From January 2015,when the implementation ofthe elementary school. elementary school. there. “–says one ofthe teachers from “Maglaj“ what would have happened had the students been students not were there. Icouldn’t imagine even it was night when the water started rising sothe and the entire archive upstairs, andluckily enough, important things, sowetook all the documentation or butweknew plans, wehad to save the most instinctively, human as beings. We had no strategies the“During as a floods we, collective, reacted in practice. of naturalandotherdisasters knowledge onactingincases order toapply theacquired two schoolsinMaglaj exercises for studentsof demonstration oftactical Save theChildren organized oftheactivities,As part

(Photo: Jasmin Agović/Save the Children) (Photo: Jasmin Agović/Save the Children)

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Disaster-resistant schools floor of floor the building after assistant the director notified plan, the students and their teachers to moved ahigher and endanger the citizens. In accordance with the outlined wave caused that by buildings heavy rainfall damage could situation by hit a flood in was about Maglaj which to get from the recent Thesimulation past. scenario a depicted reminded the memories uneasy adults ofsome very brought a lotofexcitementschool for the kids and The simulation exercise done “Maglaj“in elementary times ofnatural and other disasters. and their to protect capacity themselves and their in peers information and skills that strengthen will their resilience the students their well as as teachers possess the relevant simulations of natural and other disasters – ensured that natural and other disasters. Workshops and exercises – for help.“ we’re already there, then weshould stay putandwait leave the classroom and move to floor, a higher and if happens while we’re at school. We should calmly ”Now wealso know how to behave if flooding girl. stay calm andthat Ishouldn’t panic. “–A5th grade The most important thinglearned I is that I have to butI’velearneddangers, inthese alot workshops. didn’t“I know much about floods and similar who workshops conducted with students. his challenges ofthis kind. “–says one the teachers skills that would make them more to prepared meet about the hazards butalso help them develop certain the workshops“Through we tried to inform children –says a7th boy. grade

(Photo: Jasmin Agović/Save the Children) (Photo: Jasmin Agović/Save the Children) (Photo: Jasmin Agović/Save the Children) everything elsetakes seat. aback everything ofthe the children mainsafety priority becomes while However, in times ofnatural disaster, ensuring the divisions and discrimination, infrastructure poor etc. drasticas reduction in the number ofstudents, national facing is elementary This school many such challenges by the affected landslides. of “Novi elementarywere Šeher“ school indirectly students Several caused by heavy rainfall. and teachers by butlandslides ofit affected flooding part one was position, this community notsuffer did its geographical name ofthe municipality. ispart which Maglaj to Due “Novi in islocated Šeher“ the community ofthe same Novi Šeher ofvital importance.be them forserve the rest oftheir possibly lives and could awarefully that were they the would knowledge gaining throughand followed the evacuation spirits, in good system. The students vacated the classroomsplannedas them ofthe forthcoming danger via the school’s PA response in later well as of responding as situation stages to an emergency at level. the local other have disasters, their taken needs been into account and adequately addressed in the immediate Save the Children strives to improve the position ofchildren and ensure that in situations ofnatural or educational institutions,services, Cross), the (such and civilas the Red protection civil society services By enhancing the capacities actors, including ofall municipal authorities, population local protection Working together forthechildren’s well-being! chance to closer“ grow one ofthe –said teachers. together, that welearned butalso had alot a importantit was very that wehad agood time knowledge ofearthquakes, fires,floods etc. For me especially since people superficial have very “We’ve really learned inthese alot trainings, principle.school theSave Children“ Zijad Meškić, –said the dueprepared to our hard work andthe help of absolutely nothing! Today weare much better disasters. We had no hydrants,extinguishers, fire equipment for preventing natural andother “‘Novi school elementary Šeher’ had no house would collapse“ –A4th boy. grade there. It was raining andIwas alot afraid our damagedhouse andwe couldn’twas “The stay A 6 well andit’s itteachers very explain not boring.“ – disasters such fires as and earthquakes. The do. I’mreally interested inlearning about other flooding happens again we now know what to because weknew there was no danger, butif “We fooling were around during the exercise th grade boy. grade to put itout. upon noticing the fire outside, a fireused extinguisher exercises. The students were thrilled twowhen teachers, were in ofeducating charge teachers and conducting vatrogasci“ (Little Fire Fighters) Association who saw controlled two fires set up by members of “Malithe left the building and were in for a surprise when they to whatidea as like. fire areal children The looks calmly createall afire the participants and effect given were an the outlined routes. A smoke machine was there to the children vacated the premises in accordance with Then, the withoutteachers bell. and school panicking, school’s Protection Plan and Rescue by sounding the student notified the principle who then activated the A fire noticed in one of was the rooms and the head about natural and other disasters to their students. on teachers what educated which passed learned they achievement the work of all done with children, in with Save the Children. exercise This was the crowning drill for its students ofthe part activities as implemented afire“Novi organized also elementary Šeher“ school vatrogasci“. Prevention and Environment Protection “Mali Hrković on ofthe behalf Association for Fire pleased withvery our cooperation.“ Adem –said showed great interest inthese topics andI’m earthquakes, floods etc. Icansay that teachers lecturesgiven on crisis situations such fires, as the“During training, the teachers were A 5 learned how to behave situation.“ inadangerous - ”Workshops with our teachers interesting, were we th grade girl. grade

(Photo: Jasmin Agović/Save the Children)

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Disaster-resistant schools http://nwb.savethechildren.net Fax: +387(0)33290 675 Phone: +387(0)33290671 iHercegovina Ljubljanska 16, Save theChildren International