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The communities of the Cook Islands have had to be self-reliant when it comes to natural disasters.
“We’ve had a fortnight of heavy, heavy rain. Just last week, a coconut tree fell across the road on my driveway. So [the community], we got out there and cleaned it up,” says Lydia Sijp, member of the Tupapa/Maraeranga disaster management committee on Rarotonga, the country’s largest and most populous island, and 2016 UNITAR training alumna.
We call for help from the government. But if the government doesn’t turn up, we just get out there and do it ourselves.
The Co...
Angeline Mueni Mutuku, the entrepreneur from Kenya, participated in the second round of the UNITAR Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Leadership Training for Women Entrepreneurs in Africa.
After losing her job at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Angeline started her business selling pure honey and pishori rice.
Angeline considers the UNITAR programme as part of her personal development by building her skills and confidence to excel in her business and serve as an example for women.
UNITAR Division for Prosperity partnered with Absa Bank and Sun...
Franco Escobar, a research fellow and PhD student from Mexico, aims to reinvigorate youth involvement in nuclear disarmament.In 2023, Franco took part in the Youth Leader Fund Programme for a World without Nuclear Weapons, which connects future leaders from various countries to advance disarmament efforts.Franco is creating the first youth archive of nuclear disarmament, documenting the stories of young activists to reclaim authorship of the Nuclear Age., 3 November 2024, Hiroshima, Japan - Hailing from Mexico, Franco Escobar, a research fellow at the Hiroshima Peace Instit...
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Lavinia Taumoepeau-Latu left Tonga to join her children in the US and to care for a sick sister. She has since been waiting for Tonga’s borders to reopen so she can continue her work in Tonga.
When a large part of Texas lost power in February 2021 due to three severe winter storms, it made Lavinia reflect.
Big countries have the opportunity and the resources to prepare for things like this. But it’s not on their mind,
she says. Tonga, on the other hand, may not have such resources, but “they’re always preparing, they’re a...
Dr. Mawadah Arif Hammadi is preparing a project to raise breast cancer awareness among disadvantaged women in Iraq.
She joined the UNITAR Great Ideas Space 2023: Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Promoting Health Security and Economic Development in Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon programme to learn about entrepreneurship and gain the skills she needs to make her project sustainable.
, 23 May 2024, Hiroshima, Japan – In the heart of Baghdad Medical City is a woman dedicated to improving Iraqi health care: Dr. Mawadah Arif Hammadi. As a junior resident physician, ...
Guiane Paul Pena is a 17-year-old student at Regional Science High School in Zamboanga City, Philippines, who excels in academics, sports and music.
Guiane serves as a Youth City Councilor in Zamboanga City, representing youth and proposing solutions to address challenges faced by his community.
Guiane joined the 2023 UNITAR Youth Ambassador Asia Pacific Programme, which aims to empower high school students in Asian-Pacific countries.
In the UNITAR programme, he won the grand prize for his “Youth Emergency Task Force” initiative to mobilize youth as first responders in...
Jewel's passion for disaster risk management stems from personal experiences during disasters, particularly the 2009 tsunami, which highlighted the importance of community preparedness.As the Manager of the National Disaster Management Unit in Tokelau, Jewel focuses on community capacity building, emergency management planning, and training for first responders.The geographical isolation of Tokelau complicates immediate disaster responses, while the community faces vulnerabilities due to climate change and limited resources.Jewel discovered the UNITAR DRR training program t...
Savelinga Fatafehi ‘O Lapaha Fa’oliu, an assistant geologist with Tonga Geological Services, completed the UNITAR “Leave No One Behind: Rapid Response to Climate Crises through Early Warning Systems” training programme.The training, which included online phases and a study tour to Japan, helped Savelinga strengthen her skills to develop early warning systems to improve disaster preparedness.Savelinga learned the importance of integrating technology with community involvement. She aims to apply what she learned to build a more disaster-prepared and resilient community in Ton...
Talita Tuipolutu is communications specialist in Tonga. She believes that community involvement is essential for disaster risk reduction and management.
Talita took part in the 2022 UNITAR Hiroshima Women’s Leadership in Tsunami-based Disaster Risk Reduction Training Programme.
Disaster risk reduction and management are important for Tonga, a country vulnerable to cyclones, earthquakes and tsunamis.
, 18 August 2023, Hiroshima, Japan – Talita Tuipolutu, a communications coordinator for the Tonga Australia Support Platform, developed a stronger passion for disaster risk ...
Mwikali Munyao, Kenyan carpenter and entrepreneur, participated in the first round of the UNITAR Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Leadership Training for Women Entrepreneurs in Africa.
In the COVID-19 pandemic, Mwikali lost her job as a customer service agent. She decided to pursue her interest in carpentry and turned it into a business.
The UNITAR training taught her the entrepreneurial skills she needed and helped her business overcome financial challenges.
The second round of the UNITAR entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership training programme, r...