Cahaya Quran Bogor SLB Students Learn Disaster Response Steps for Disabilities with IPB University Students  

Surviving natural disasters is not an easy matter for persons with disabilities. Natural disasters create conditions that threaten the safety of the lives of persons with disabilities twofold. For this reason, the IPB University Tansana team held a Knowledge Session as an educational effort to mitigate natural disasters for students with disabilities at the Cahaya Quran Bogor Special Education School (SLB).

Citing the Accessible Society page belonging to the United States disaster mitigation partnership organization, there are seven natural disaster mitigation steps for persons with disabilities. Among the seven steps are disaster preparation, education and training.

“This Knowledge Session contains several series of events that focus on a basic introduction to the types of natural disasters, the negative impacts they cause as well as a brief explanation regarding the meaning of mitigating potential disasters. “We designed the series of events using varied methods to attract the enthusiasm of participants who are relatively young,” said Silvia Zalda Putri as head of the organizing team.

The activity began with a prayer session and watching together an animated video introducing the types of disasters which was also equipped with sign language. The next session continued with reviewing the material that had been presented in writing using braille with the help of reglet writing tools and pens that had been provided by the team. The series of Knowledge Session activities related to disaster recognition and mitigation actions were also interspersed with playing crossword games.

“We arrange each series of programs in such a way as to be able to facilitate effective learning methods, both for the deaf and the blind. We try to be able to balance the reception of information and a sense of fairness for the younger members of the Tansana program by modifying the learning method of the material that we convey,” she said further.

Arief, one of the caretakers of SLB Cahaya Quran added his hope that in the future this activity can motivate and provide additional insight to younger students with disabilities to continue studying hard and be able to protect themselves. The event was also attended by teachers and volunteers who helped implement the program. (*/Rz) (IAAS/RZL)