"On this day, we must consider the role of volunteers in disaster risk management, and how the generation of knowledge, innovation for development and collaboration between different sectors are fundamental to respond to situations of crisis, build resilient communities, and leave no one behind," says Mariana Iturrizaga. A UN Volunteer specialized in Multi-stakeholder Partnerships and Sustainable Development, Mariana serves in Peru. On the occasion of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, 13 October, Mariana shares her experience there.
On 29 March 2017, Peru woke up with a state-declared National Emergency in the northern part of the country. The coast had been severely affected due to the floods caused by the phenomenon ‘El Niño Costero’, where more than 1,000,000 people were affected and 200,000 people fell victim at a national level, leading to one of the most serious crises the country has faced in the last few years.