Friendship schools share experiences of combating floods, natural disasters and climate change

A special initiative has been taken to spread knowledge among students of Friendship schools about dealing with natural disasters like floods, river erosion and climate change in the riverine deltas of the  Jamuna-Brahmaputra basin (called chars). 

Knowledge and experience of managing safety from natural disasters are being exchanged with the students of 6 schools in France. 

The main goal of the programme is to spread the message of climate change and natural disaster survival in this country all over the world, reads a press release.

Recently an online exchange of school experiences between the students of the French schools and Friendship schools was held at the closing ceremony of this programme. 

Foreign Secretary Masood bin Momen joined as the chief guest, stating "The real situation in the remote areas of Bangladesh should come up by spreading the strategy of tackling climate change and natural disasters outside the country. In this way, I hope that the effects of climate change in Bangladesh will be highlighted all over the world". 

The foreign secretary also called for further enhancement of such experience-sharing programmes in the future, reads the release.

Speaking on the occasion, Runa Khan, founder, Friendship, said "The inhabitants of the Jamuna-Brahmaputra char islands have survived regular natural calamities like floods and river erosion their whole lives. And so, we are always striving to spread knowledge about climate change and disaster management among students. I am thankful to France and their school authorities for choosing Friendship students to share experiences."

Ambassador of Bangladesh to France Khandaker Mohammad Talha, Deputy Director of the French Ministry of Education Nicolas Marquis, Chairperson of Friendship France William Lebedel, General Manager of Education Department of Friendship Reza Ahmed and other officials of the organisation were present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Brig Gen (Retd) Ilyas Iftekhar Rasul, head of Friendship Education, said "360 students from the islands in the Jamuna-Brahmaputra char area and their families have acquired the knowledge of dealing with natural disasters and climate change. Not only that, from the third week of June, about 4,000 students are being taught flood preparedness in our schools. Specifically, 57 Friendship Schools in the chars of 8 upazilas (subdistricts) of Kurigram and Gaibandha are being included in these lessons in preparation for the disaster caused by floods and climate change." 

As a result, about 20,000 people living in the char areas are hoping that this preparation will be useful in protecting the lives and property of the locals during the floods. He also said that such activities will be increased in future.