Regional All-Partner Meeting | Johannesburg, South Africa | 19–20 September 2024
A project can look fine on paper and still fall short where it matters. According to a consensus reached by delegates at a DiDRR partner meeting, that is often true in communities where persons with disabilities face disaster risk every day.
This is why SAFOD brought everyone into one room.
On 19 and 20 September 2024, SAFOD held its two-day DiDRR partner meeting in Johannesburg. It brought together organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), government officials, implementing partners and representatives of CBM. They came from Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Who Attended the DiDRR Partner Meeting?
The meeting aimed for 15 participants:
- Five SAFOD staff from Botswana.
- Three OPD representatives from each country.
- One implementing partner from each country.
- One government representative from each country.
CBM, a key funder of the DiDRR project, also sent staff.
This was not a reporting event. It was a working meeting. Its aim was to bring real problems to light and agree on fixes.
Day One: Honest Progress Reports
Partners shared progress on the DiDRR project. They also spoke openly about technical and money challenges.
This is rare. It takes trust to name problems in front of a funder. That it happened shows how seriously partners take the work.
CBM used the session to learn what must change to keep the project on track.
Day Two: Government and OPDs on One Panel
Day two centred on a panel. The theme was “Promoting exchange on inclusive disaster risk reduction between project partners, governmental and non-governmental actors in Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.”
Government and OPD speakers sat side by side. They faced the same challenges. This kind of talk is what disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction needs. It links those who write policy with those who live with its effects.
Why the DiDRR Partner Meeting Mattered
Multi-country projects are hard to run. Each partner works in a different setting, with different limits and skills. Without regular, honest checks, small problems grow.
The meeting let the project correct its course. It built trust across sectors and borders. It also reminded everyone of the real goal. That goal is not to run a project. It is to include persons with disabilities in disaster planning at every level.
The meeting came right after a three-day advocacy skills course. Read more in building the case for disability inclusion in disaster risk reduction.
What Followed the DiDRR Partner Meeting
The work continues. In April 2026, partners met again to review results and plan the next phase. See the 2026 DiDRR regional meeting and a field visit to Gwembe, Zambia. For global guidance, see the Sendai Framework.