4. Community Engagement Process

Hello everyone, Welcome to the lecture series on Disaster recovery and build back better. This lecture focus on participation in disaster risk governance by getting insights from Mumbai, India and Ghana. We already told about that community participation is really a key element in disaster risk governance, we discussed about this in our previous slides previous presentations so, what we need that we need some framework.

This chunk introduces the importance of community engagement in disaster risk governance. It highlights that community participation is crucial for effective disaster management, and mentions that a framework will be discussed to guide this process.

Think of community engagement like working together in a team sport. Just as each player must contribute their strengths and skills to win a game, community members must collaborate to effectively manage disaster risks and recover from them.

And that framework can be divided into two part, one is the process part one is the outcome part. We discussed about that, and with that one we can get these variables of a comprehensive framework of participations.

The framework for community engagement in disaster risk governance is presented as having two main components: the process and the outcome. The process refers to how communities are involved in decision-making, while the outcome reflects the results of their participation. Understanding both aspects helps in evaluating and improving disaster risk management.

Imagine planning a family trip. The process involves discussing where to go, deciding on the budget, and selecting activities together, while the outcome is how enjoyable the trip turns out to be. Both the discussions and planning (the process) and the fun and memories created (the outcome) are essential for a successful vacation.

So you can see here more clearly that is encroached land on the settlement on Mithi riverbank it was earlier a mangrove forest. These are some of the glimpse of 100 square meter area total population is within this small place 25,000. We had a project there, one integrated disaster risk management for megacity Mumbai by Kyoto University, along with in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation of here in Mumbai...

This chunk discusses a specific study conducted in Mumbai, focusing on a densely populated area near the Mithi River. It notes that the area was once a mangrove forest and has since been developed, which raises concerns for disaster risk management, especially related to flooding. The project aims to integrate community participation into disaster risk management by collaborating with local authorities and institutions.

Similar to turning an old park into a housing estate, which may lead to risks like flooding, the conversion of the mangrove area into settlements in Mumbai shows how development without planning can create new disaster risks. Just as community voice should be considered in planning the park, involvement of community members is crucial in disaster management.

We set up a small office in a ward G-North ward, MCGM, a research hub from there imagine this is a timeline, we started to say used to go to Dharavi and say people hey hello how are you, and then we started to build kind of rapport with the people.

This chunk describes the initial steps taken to build a relationship with the community in Dharavi. It emphasizes the importance of establishing rapport and understanding the locals' concerns. By engaging in casual conversations, the project team could learn about critical issues such as livelihood and housing problems while discussing flood-related challenges.

Building rapport is like making friends. When you start school, you don’t just ask for help right away. First, you talk to classmates, join games, and learn about each other’s likes and dislikes. Only then do you create connections that allow you to help one another.

We said can we help you? can you help you some manner, before that we did not really put our plan to them we just wanted to know that this proposal should come from them...

This section focuses on how the project team sought to empower the community by asking for their input on disaster management solutions. Instead of imposing pre-existing plans, the team prioritized understanding the community's needs and involving them in developing solutions together. This collaborative approach strengthens local ownership and commitment to the action plans.

Imagine a class project where you ask your classmates what topics they are passionate about. Rather than dictating the project’s focus, you encourage everyone to share their ideas. This way, everyone feels valued and motivated, leading to a better project outcome because it reflects the group's interests.

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