Creating a Culture of Disaster Preparedness. A Monograph on Experience of Oxfam GB in Building a Culture of Disaster Preparedness in Andhra Pradesh

Oxfam’s initiative, with support from HIVOS, ECHO (European Commissions Humanitarian
Of?ce) and DRA (Dutch Relief Agency) was unique in India when it started in 1997. It was a
deliberate move from a situation of responding to recurring disasters with short-term relief
and rehabilitation to a long-term strategy of mitigating the effects of the disaster. This
was proposed to be achieved by a two pronged strategy of, (i) creating a culture of disaster
preparedness at the community and family level and, (ii) strengthening the livelihood base of the communities to reduce their physical socio economic vulnerability to disasters.