Cáritas Chile organized the workshop "Resilient Communities: Good Practices in Disaster Risk Reduction" in Santiago, Chile. The event had the active participation of representatives from 12 Latin American and Caribbean Cáritas countries, including Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Peru, Chile, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Colombia and Argentina.

The director of Cáritas Chile, Lorenzo Figueroa, together with Catherine Mella, in charge of the MAGRE program, welcomed the attendees, marking the beginning of an enriching day. The workshop addressed crucial topics on community resilience in the face of disasters, highlighting good practices and valuable experiences.

One of the highlights was the presentation by Luisa Alfaro, thematic consultant for the "Comprehensive Fire Management" component of USAID, who addressed the importance of building resilient communities adapted to fire.

In the second panel, Rolando Pardo and Jorge Flores from CONAF shared valuable insights on management and participation in the risk of forest fires. They analyzed statistics, numbers of fires and affected areas in Chile, highlighting the effective collaboration between CONAF and Cáritas Chile in this crucial area.

María Paz Lillo of Cáritas Chile presented an innovative model of territorial and participatory management for disaster risk reduction. Based on community participation and community support, this model seeks to strengthen community resilience and contribute to sustainable territorial development.

The day culminated with a Community Fair where Pedro Contreras and Andalucía Corvalán from Cáritas Chile presented tools and instruments for community management, specifically the project "Territorial and Participatory Management for Forest Fire Risk Reduction."

This workshop not only promoted the exchange of knowledge, good practices and experiences, but also strengthened collaboration between Latin American and Caribbean Caritas in the search for effective solutions for disaster risk reduction. Cáritas Chile thanked the active participation of all those involved and hopes to continue working together towards safer and more resilient communities.

Photography: SELACC Team