Mollyn Nakabea 
Fiji Red Cross Society is strengthening community-led disaster preparedness.
The focus is on helping people understand risks and develop their own safe shelter solutions before disasters strike.
The organisation has completed its Participatory Approach for Safe Shelter Awareness Training of Trainers programme.
More than 20 participants took part. They included staff, volunteers, and branch representatives.
Representatives from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies were part of the training.
The PASSA program is built on facilitation, not direct delivery. It helps communities map risks and assess vulnerabilities. It also guides them to design their own solutions. Officials say this approach builds stronger long-term resilience.
Participants visited Wailotua Village as part of the training. The community has already taken action on flood risks. They have built stronger homes and adjusted housing designs. They have also identified safer shelter areas during floods.
Trainees said the visit was about learning from the community. It showed how local knowledge drives real resilience. It also highlighted the role of facilitators in supporting, not directing, action.
Fiji Red Cross Society said trained participants will now return to their branches. They will act as facilitators in their communities. They will help guide discussions on shelter safety and preparedness.
The organisation said the program builds capacity that stays within communities. It is part of wider disaster risk reduction work across Fiji.
The training also had regional support.
