Four representative staff from the YAKKUM Emergency Unit, Briant Nino Aditya, Brigita Ra Sekar Laras, Dhinar Rizki Linggar Kinkin, and Otniel Nahoga Christa, left for the Philippines to take part in emergency response training organized by HelpAge International from 14-19 August 2023. Other HelpAge International partners in Asia, COSE (Coalition of Service of the Elderly) from the Philippines, HelpAge Sri Lanka, FAYA (Forum for Awareness and Youth Activity) from Nepal, CSG (Community Support Group) from Nepal, and Gravis (Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti) from India as well join this training.

For 6 days, 22 participants from 6 countries were provided with material to build understanding and exchange learning regarding effective humanitarian response, especially for older people through discussions, exercises, group works and 24-hour simulation exercises. The material discussed were disaster preparedness, individual-organizational and environmental capacity management, humanitarian coordination system, rapid needs assessment, humanitarian principles of CHS and HIS, resource mobilization, media communication and advocacy, MEAL (monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning), response plan development, and partnership management. At the end of the training, participants were divided into teams to apply the results of discussions in a humanitarian response simulation mission that focused on 24-hour coordination management.

This emergency response training was part of the capacity strengthening under project SHAPE which are supported by HelpAge International and facilitated by Emma Roberts, Elisa Marcon, Bikash Manna and Mazen Alhousseiny. The training in Asia is the first training carried out by the SHAPE team and will be continued in other regional areas. It doesn't end here, as a result of the training, HelpAge International continues to support and facilitate its partners by activating emergency response practitioner forums or Emergency Response Community of Practice in Asia to connect and exchange learning regularly.

The lessons learned during the training were shared with YEU staff in a capacity building session attended by 35 staff in the celebration of the 23rd anniversary of the YAKKUM Emergency Unit at Disaster Oasis on 14 September 2023. A simulation method was adopted to practice the coordination system in humanitarian response. Both staff who had never been involved in disaster emergency response and those who had participated in YEU disaster emergency response were very enthusiastic during the training and simulation process. This training has equipped and increased the capacity of all staff to carry out emergency response and provided input in developing emergency response procedures and coordination mechanisms so that YEU can realize its mandate for effective disaster emergency response, especially for the elderly and other at-risk groups.