Views from the Frontline 2019 program has moved to the next phase, after the putting in place of the National Advisory Committee, it was time to train Partner’s Organization in order for the project to continue. This training was done from the 14 to 16 February 2019 at the Maison Provincial in Mvolye. The three day workshop funded by the European Union through the Global Network of Civil Society Organization for Disaster Reduction (GNDR), was organized by Geotechnology, Enviromental Assessment and Disaster Risk Reduction (GEADIRR) acting as the National Coordination Organization for VFL 2019 program. Present at the workshop was Mr Buh Gaston and Dr Festus Aka, all members of the National Coordination Committee and civil society organizations drawn from the North West, South West, Littoral, Centre and Adamaoua Regions of Cameroon.
The general objective of the workshop was to train Partner Organizations to conduct community surveys and consultation as well as facilitate development and implementation of local action plans in collaboration with communities’ members and local government officers. During the three days, participants were made to understand about VFL 2019 program, its approach, tools and methods, which enumerators and community facilitators need to apply. The training thus focused on; why the implementation of the VFL 2019 program, the data collection approach, the role of Partner Organizations, local facilitators and enumerators; how to conduct surveys, local adaptation of the surveys and their facilitation; how to input data collected and upload into a Survey Gizmo and project management.
Opening the workshop, Mr. Buh Gaston welcomed the participants and explained to them the purpose of the workshop. He also called on the participants the need to work towards effective collaboration not only within CSOs but with government members from the communities at-risk, the private sector and everyone. In so doing, we shall be making a contribution in ensuring no one is left behind, not only in word but in action as well.
After the plenary session of the first day, the participants were taken to the field for practice. The site chosen was the Akokndoe 1 at the Mendong Neighborhood. There the participants were tested on the data collecting methods they have learnt during the first day of the workshop. The type of questionnaire administered during this test was that of community consultation. Members of this community were brought together and asked questions concerning the different threats/risks in the community, the consequences or impact of the threats on the environment or human, ongoing actions and any barrier limiting progress at the moment.
The third day of the workshop concentrated on fine-turning the knowledge of the participants and preparing them on other practical approaches to the work. After these three days of training, the Partners Organization at the end of the workshop signed a memorandum of understanding, MOU, and contract with GEADIRR. This laid down the principles of collaboration between the National Coordinating Organization and the Partner Organizations for the effective implementation of VFL 2019 in Cameroon.
The workshop was closed by the GEADIRR Coordinator while thanking the Partner Organizations for their commitments, and equally asking them to be result oriented as we all work towards making our contribution in building coherences of these different global frameworks at the frontline through making use of evidence based information.

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