INTERVIEW
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Help in a crisis
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ESPONDING to people at a time of crisis is right at the heart of how The Salvation Army works. Corps and centres around the world have responded to their communities’ needs during the coronavirus pandemic. Emergency response work also continues in other areas too. Jason Emmett explains more about the emergency projects supported by the territory’s International Projects Office. WHERE ARE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROJECTS TAKING PLACE? We are currently supporting projects in Ghana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Kenya, Mexico and Pakistan, most of which are working with communities that have immediate needs – for example, the provision of food, water and sanitary items. There are also projects raising awareness about Covid-19 and how communities can prevent the spread of the virus. WHAT IS INVOLVED IN INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROJECTS? We work closely with the International Emergency Services Department based at International Headquarters to respond to communities on two fronts. First, there are rapid response projects that meet immediate needs. Second, longer-term intervention. This might be the provision of a mobile health clinic, which could run out of an established Salvation Army hospital, or the building
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International Projects Office Team Leader Ben Gilbert concludes a series exploring the UKI Territory’s international development work by discussing emergency response with Project Adviser Jason Emmett
Rohingya refugee camp
of shelters. Sometimes it involves a unique response, such as providing solar panels for Rohingya refugees. WHAT IS YOUR ROLE? My role is to oversee projects that are happening around the world and, where donors have kindly given funds, see where the money could best be used. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THE ARMY TO INVEST IN INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE? When an emergency or disaster takes place, these projects are usually the first phase within a community of response. That transitions into a recovery phase, which we hope will lead to longer-term intervention within the community. We see that happening where we already have community development projects, such as anti-trafficking or safe water. Investment in emergency response gives us the ability to protect and build resilience within the work that we’re already doing, but also helps us to connect with new communities. In some emergency situations our rapid response projects lead us to more
Fixing solar panels for refugees
remote communities that need help. As a result, good community connections begin to develop in a new area where the Army doesn’t have any established programmes, and a risk response can become a long-term project.
O Episodes of the Develop podcast are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud and Google Podcasts O Find more information and resources at salvationarmy.org.uk/internationaldevelopment Salvationist 9 January 2021
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