This project aimed to improve disaster preparedness and response for 10,000 beneficiaries in Mokhotlong and Qacha's Nek, focusing on the most vulnerable populations, including children, women, the elderly, people with disabilities, and vulnerable recipients of government social grants. Supported by EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid (ECHO), the project utilised drones to gather data in the mountainous terrain of rural Lesotho. This data was used to create maps of disaster-prone areas, informing the development of Community Disaster Preparedness Plans (CDPP). Government representatives at various levels, along with members of emergency and development community structures, used this data to better prepare for and respond to disasters. The project, implemented by World Vision Lesotho in partnership with the Lesotho Red Cross, ran from May 2018 to December 2019 (20 months) and benefitted communities in Mokhotlong and Qacha's Nek.

Background

Previous assessments have shown that the major drivers of vulnerability are a lack of access to information and services regarding early warning, a lack of knowledge on how to use that information, the non-existence of Community Disaster Preparedness Plans (CDPP), and centralised government initiatives towards Shock Responsive Social Protection. This situation leaves the population of Lesotho unprepared for shocks or hazards. To increase the resilience of vulnerable households, it is key to assist communities in increasing their capacity to address the most urgent situations of vulnerability and reduce the impact of disasters on their lives.