Gamifying Disaster Preparedness: DEPO collaborates with ICIMOD

DEPO collaborated with ICIMOD on a three-day disaster preparedness education program in Dhankuta Municipality, Koshi Province, for 40 high-school teachers. The program focused on strengthening teachers' practical understanding of disaster risk reduction (DRR) and early warning systems.

During the first two days, ICIMOD specialists covered local disaster risks, a contextual curriculum framework, teaching approaches for high-school learners, municipal-level DRR education materials, and the use of early warning systems through ICIMOD's Prakop Alert App. DEPO then conducted activity-based training using disaster drills, Dodgeball, first aid, stretcher-making, injured-person carrying techniques, a landslide cause-effect-mitigation chain, a musical chair fire-safety game, and emergency kit activities.

The program was carried out in collaboration with ICIMOD, with ICIMOD specialists leading the first two days and DEPO leading the practical workshop. DEPO's activity-based methods draw on approaches borrowed from Plus Arts NPO, Kobe, Japan, while the program supported teachers in exploring experiential approaches to DRR education.