Last week, the One Health Approach for Conservation (OHAC) – Gorilla Health attended a three-day workshop at UR-Gikondo on Disaster Risk Reduction. The workshop, held in Kigali, Rwanda, was organized by the Center of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management (CoEB) and the Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA), in partnership with the African Institute of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (AIIKS). The workshop aimed to enhance participants’ understanding, preparedness, and capacity in managing and mitigating disaster risks.
We are fully aligned with the common mission in cultivating a critical mass of multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary African human capital grounded in Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS). This includes fostering expertise that is deeply informed by Indigenous worldviews, ways of knowing, value systems, and research methodologies. Our shared goal is to promote research, innovation, and knowledge creation in strategic areas that support sustainable development.
The main objectives of the workshop were to:
-Raise awareness about disaster risks and vulnerabilities.
-Strengthen participants’ capacity in disaster risk reduction (DRR) planning & implementation.
-Share best practices, tools, and approaches for effective disaster preparedness & response.
-Promote community-based disaster risk management initiatives.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Policy (NDRRMP), updated in 2023, reaffirms Rwanda’s dedication to strengthening its disaster management framework.
We were honored to collaborate with experts from the University of Rwanda & the Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management to support the integration of Indigenous and traditional knowledge into wildlife management policies. Our commitment remains firm: communities will continue to be actively consulted on conservation initiatives that may impact their livelihoods and cultural heritage.
Special thanks to the Minister of Emergency Management, the CoEB who initiated the program in partnership with AIIKST. Special thanks to the One Health Approach for Conservation (OHAC) – Gorilla Health.
One Health in Action: We continue our commitment to advocating for the One Health Approach and raising awareness around conservation through our ongoing programs. By leveraging innovative monitoring tools, we aim to enhance early warning systems for detecting public health threats using an integrated One Health framework. At the same time, we embrace both scientific and Indigenous knowledge systems to strengthen community resilience against the growing impacts of climate change. https://lnkd.in/d3fqCyW9
