Ponte Alerta - Be Alert

During the month of July 2010, 447 children from nine schools in the provinces of Barahona and Pedernales in the southwestern region of the Dominican Republic spent their summer vacation taking part in Risk Management educational activities. The children, aged nine through 12, attended one of nine camps implemented by Plan Dominican Republic to teach them about risk prevention. They learned through fun activities how to act before, during and after the hazards faced by their communities.

In November of that same year, when Hurricane Tomas threatened their homes, their knowledge was put to the test. The result: not only did they know where the shelters were located and what the best evacuation routes were, but their parents and families knew as well. The camp's strategy had proven effective: through the training of children and adolescents and participatory activities targeted at their parents, the six communities where these summer school camps were held were prepared to confront the disaster.