A very interesting DIPECHO funded programme was reaching maturity in Nepal at the end of 2016 – a multi-partner, multi-component process to strengthen disaster preparedness. It had been determined that a national level simulation exercise was the best way to test out how the new components would interact with existing systems, and I was asked to design and lead it.
The simulation had national and district level elements, and included several government ministries, three branches of the security forces, and the Nepal Red Cross Society at national, district chapter, and VDC levels. It lasted two days, with an additional half day for reflection and learning. It was attended by around 100 participants, observers and monitors.