Integrated Community Resilience through Disaster Risk Reduction and Mental-Oral Health Promotion

Integrated Community Resilience through Disaster Risk Reduction and Mental-Oral Health Promotion

This program seeks to strengthen community resilience in vulnerable areas by integrating Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) strategies with the promotion of mental and oral health. Disasters—whether natural or man-made—often have a profound impact not only on physical infrastructure but also on the psychological and health well-being of affected populations.
In Burundi and similar contexts, affected individuals—especially women, children, and displaced persons—face increased risks of trauma, stress disorders, depression, and neglect of oral hygiene during and after crises. RECOVI’s program recognizes that true resilience goes beyond rebuilding homes; it includes restoring minds, ensuring dignity, and promoting holistic health. Thus, we aim to address these dimensions simultaneously.
Main Goal
To build resilient and healthy communities by reducing disaster risks while promoting mental wellness and oral hygiene, particularly among vulnerable and marginalized populations.

3. Oral Health Promotion:
• Mobile dental clinics in rural or disaster-affected areas.
• Community workshops on oral hygiene (especially for children and pregnant women).
• Distribution of dental hygiene kits (toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc.).
• Partnership with health centers to integrate oral health in primary care.
• School-based oral health programs with monitoring and screening.

4. Cross-Cutting Interventions:
• Training of community health workers on DRR, mental health, and oral health.
• Development of IEC (Information, Education, Communication) materials combining DRR and health messages.
• Inclusion of people with disabilities and older persons in planning and implementation.
• Gender-sensitive approaches in all interventions.
• Collaboration with local authorities, health institutions, and humanitarian agencies.