By GEORGINA MICHAEL
Caritas Papua New Guinea has officially launched the Integral Human Development and Disaster Response Manual.
The manual consists of three key publications: Integral Human Development (IHD) Resource Book: IHD Manual; and Disaster Response Manual (DROM). The IHD Manual and DROM are for internal use while the IHD Resource Book is for the public circulation.
The IHD Resource Book and Manual were developed to provide accessible guidance on promoting Integral Human Development in communities, simplifying and contextualizing core IHD concepts for anyone who wishes to promote IHD.
Whist the Disaster Response Manual (DROM) was developed to strengthen the Catholic Church’s disaster response in Papua New Guinea. The manual provides clear procedures, tools and guidance for assessing and responding to emergencies at local and national levels, ensuring coherence and effectiveness in disaster operations.
The Acting National Director for Caritas PNG, Charlotte Vada, while reflecting and appreciating the collaborative effort of the Caritas PG staff, Diocesan Caritas coordinators (DCCs), church workers and trainer across the country to get the books officially published said: “These are not just books on the shelves, they are already helping our teams to plan better, respond faster and support communities more effectively even before being published.”
“In true caritas spirit, they reflect the heart of catholic social teaching especially the principals of human dignity, solidarity, subsidiarity and the common good.
“Each page reminds us that development is to just about projects or outputs, at but accompanying people on their journey towards fullness of life,” Ms Vada said.
The Archbishop of Wabag Justin Ain Soongie said: “On behalf of the PNG Caritas Board, I extended my sincere appreciation to the challenging team that have put this together as the booklets will provide and guide our coordinators with the proper insights on the processes of applying and responding to the needs when faced with natural disasters in terms of seeking for assistance for funding or other necessary needs from the church.”
As a member of Caritas Oceania and the Caritas Internationalis Confederation, Caritas PNG aligned the DROM with the CI emergency Response Toolkit(2016) and the Caritas Oceania Regional Disaster Management Arrangement (CORDMA 2022) to reflect Regional and lobal Best Practices.
Caritas PNG acknowledges the leadership and dedication of all committees members, drafting teams, trainers and past contributors whose work has made these publications possible.
The launch of the manuals represents a significant milestone, equipping Caritas PNG staff, volunteers and communities with essential resources to continue promoting human divinity, justice peace and effective disaster response across Papua New Guinea.