All Mods Introductions

[Chris Piper Keymaster]

[Chris Piper Keymaster]

Greetings everyone. Feel free to introduce yourselves, including those from the 2020 PDRM program who are contining this year.

[Eddy Ruble Participant]

Hi all, I am Eddy Ruble, working with a faith-based NGO from the U.S. I am the coordinator for our International Disaster Response programs. Grew up in Indonesia, from 1972 – 2007, with a few years back in the U.S. for various education endeavors. I have been based in Penang, Malaysia the last 14 years. I network and coordinate with Baptist Conventions throughout Asia for disaster relief and community development programs.

[Eddy Ruble Participant]

Chis asked me to share a press release I wrote for my organization. Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Sunday evening, as real-time engagement with in disaster response management while we are going through Module 1. I sent along the DRMC chart to our colleagues in Haiti.

7.2 Earthquake strikes Haiti, 6 miles depth, 14 August, 2021, 8:30 am local time.
Early Saturday morning Haiti was struck by a powerful 7.2 earthquake, just 75 miles west of the 2010 earthquake region. This earthquake was twice as powerful as the magnitude 7.0 quake in 2010. This quake was shallow, at only 6 miles deep, which makes the shake impact even greater on the earth’s surface than deeper fault-line ruptures. Media reports at least 307 were killed and over 1,800 injured, but those figures will likely climb dramatically in the days ahead.

CBF Field Personnel, Jenny Jenkins, felt the quake quite strongly at her ministry site in Grand Guave, Haiti, but she reports that there is not significant damage in her region, almost 60 miles from the epicenter. Sunday morning, an assessment team from a coalition of ministry partners will travel to the region to bring water filtration systems and emergency food supplies to the survivors. The team will also assess the damage and needs as they meet with church-based partners in the area. This is an evolving situation. After such events, it generally takes days and weeks to accurately assess the number of casualties and property destruction. Tropical storm Grace threatens to pass over the impacted area Tuesday morning, bringing high winds and heavy rain, which could cause flooding and trigger landslides. This could become a quadruple disaster, as Haiti is already reeling in political and security disarray following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise just over a month ago. Haiti only received its first batch of Covid vaccines on July 14th as the pandemic spreads unabated.

Jenny, an oncology nurse, was commissioned by CBF in 2010 to assist CBF’s partnership with the Haiti Baptist Convention (Fall 2018 Fellowship Magazine) to address the urgent medical and housing needs of earthquake survivors in the highly impacted Grand Guave region. The surrounding mountainous region of subsistence farmers has very little access to essential health care services. Jenny’s eleven-year commitment in Haiti is a testament to CBF’s disaster response model, which is one of deep commitment to communities and building relationships through a long-term presence that leads to sustainable transformational development. Through these relationships built over the past decade with her staff and national partners, Jenny is uniquely positioned to assist the Haiti Baptist Convention and help coordinate a relief effort in this latest disaster to strike Haiti. Due to the pandemic and a tenuously unsafe security climate in Port-au-Prince, CBF will not facilitate volunteer teams to assist in Haiti, but will work with and empower the local church and Haitians to respond to these critical needs in their country. Funds are essential for the immediate needs of water filtration, food, and shelter, for those who have survived this disaster, but also for the long-term rebuilding of communities and livelihoods. Please give generously to CBF’s disaster response fund.

[Chris Piper Keymaster]

Thanks for putting this up, Eddy, very interesting (and pertinent to the PDRM program). Feel free to keep us informed on how things develop.

[Chris Piper Keymaster]

Welcome everone. You’ll hear a little bit about my humanitarian background when we have our Zoom teaching session on the 18th August, and I’ll be sharing about a few of my experiences in Bangladesh, Somalia, Afghanistan, Myanmar & Australian bushfires.

[Inactive]

Hi all,
My name is Brianna. I’ve just finished my double degree in international aid and development and sustainable development at Murdoch University. I am currently looking for work and volunteer opportunities and completing this program which I am really really enjoying. I have had a slight experience with humanitarian work when I went with my family to Chile in 2011 after the earth quakes in 2010 to help rebuild a church. We were there for three months and this was the start of my interest in humanitarian work.

Thank you Eddy for sharing, really interested to hear about your history, and the situation of Haiti and how the CBF church organisation is responding in this disaster, especially through Jenny’s key position after already having had a long term relationship with the communities through long term development.

[Meisha Bull Participant]

Hello everyone,

My name is Meisha, and I’m studying the Masters of Sustainable Development at Murdoch. Previously I studied a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Accounting. However, towards the end of my undergraduate degree I became more interested in contributing towards sustainability and social issues, and decided to change my course of studies.

Similar to Brianna, I also have a small amount of overseas humanitarian experience. In 2019, I lived in India for a month working for a social enterprise that empowers women as leaders of change to distribute household products, such as solar lights and cooking appliances, that improve health, save time and save money. We spent a lot of time surveying in vulnerable communities, and the experience really confirmed my passion for working within aid and humanitarian work.

I really enjoyed the first zoom workshop last week, and am looking forward to learning more about everyone’s backgrounds, experiences, and stories!

[Kaspars Germanis Participant]

Hi, everyone,

My name is Kaspars Germanis, I grew up in Latvia and at this very moment, I am based in Latvia.
My professional background is around 18 years long experience in journalism and 10 years in advisory (a lot of years I worked in both fields simultaneously). As a journalist, I was focused on domestic affairs (politics and economics) and international issues. As an advisor, I have worked both as a freelancer and as an employee in advisory companies in Latvia.
However, at the same time, I have been interested and, if possible, I have participated in projects and training dedicated to humanitarian issues, like migrants’ rights, migration, ethnic minority’s rights, and environmental issues.

[Inactive]

Hi all,

Sorry that i’m a bit late to the party here. My name’s Chloe, I’m currently studying a Bach of Commerce in International Development & Aid and International Business. I live in Melbourne and have worked at an International Development NGO, AVI, for the past 3 years. Very interested to learn from all of your experiences, and particularly interested in the humanitarian aspects of this course, as the organisation I work for is in the development sector.

Thanks everyone – have a lovely week, see some of you tomorrow!

[Inactive]

Hi everyone,

I’m John and I’m undertaking a Sustainable Development and International Aid & Development double with Murdoch Uni. I’m currently in Ballarat, where I grew up, although previous to covid I lived in Moscow where I taught ESL. I have previously taught ESL in Hanoi also. My goals are to look for volunteering and work opportunities in International aid with a particular focus on disaster response and assistance for displaced people. I’ll also have an interest in environmental and wildlife protection.

My previous experience with an aid organisation includes liaising with Caritas International when I worked as a teacher aide at a high school about 10 or so years ago. I helped coordinate the fundraising at the school and was involved in the school’s social justice program. Beyond that, my experience with international aid work is limited, so I have been enjoying learning from everyone’s experiences in the field.

I look forward to seeing you all again tonight, John

[Author]

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