18–20 February 2026, Ainaro – The Cruz Vermelha de Timor-Leste (CVTL), through its Disaster Response Manager, Mr. Filomino de Araujo, successfully conducted a two-day Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Refresher Training for community volunteers (Volkom) in Ernaro Sub-Village, Manelobas Village, Ainaro Municipality.
The refresher training aimed to strengthen the knowledge and practical skills of village volunteers in disaster preparedness and response. According to Mr. Filomino de Araujo, the sessions covered key topics including disaster introduction, community mobilization, early warning systems and climate change, emergency response, evacuation procedures, coordination, rapid assessment, operational planning, aid distribution, reporting, and simulation exercises for various storm-related hazards.
In addition to the classroom sessions, volunteers actively participated in environmental protection activities by planting 600 trees in landslide-prone areas. The planting included 450 coconut trees and 150 kiar trees to help mitigate disaster risks and strengthen community resilience. The team also installed eight warning boards providing information about wind, storm, and landslide hazards.
A total of 26 volunteers participated in the training, comprising 14 women and 12 men, demonstrating strong community engagement and gender inclusion in disaster preparedness efforts.
This activity was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (MOFA) through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), reinforcing continued collaboration to enhance community resilience in Timor-Leste.
