Caritas Athens, in collaboration with Caritas Hellas and with the funding of CRS, is implementing in the region of Northern Evia the project titled “Evia Wildfire Community Resilience Initiative”. This pilot program is a groundbreaking attempt to reduce disaster risk through the empowerment of local communities, bringing them to the forefront of developments. The main objectives of the project are the strengthening of the cooperation efforts between at-risk communities and local authorities, as well as the formation of a sustainable model of disaster risk management, capable of being implemented in other regions of Greece.
The selection of said region was not by accident. Northen Evia was brought to the center of the national media’s attention because of the extended damage caused by the wildfires of August 2021. The initial assessment of the disaster counted more than 500.000 acres of burnt forest land. As a result of the unprecedented loss of woodland, the region was rendered vulnerable to extreme weather conditions, particularly flood phenomena, which affected regions of the municipalities of Istiaia – Aidipsos and Mantoudi – Limni – Agia Anna during storm “Daniel” in 2023. At the same time, Northen Evia is no exception to the known issues of Greek province: population is aged, infrastructure is deficient and mountainous areas not easily accessible, leading to social exclusion and leaving the permanent residents particularly vulnerable to natural disaster phenomena.
The program will last for almost a year, from October 2024 to September 2025. During the initial stage of the project, the field team proceeded with the mapping of the communities of Northern Evia, coming to contact with local authorities and residents of the area. Through this mapping, the team settled into four communities in which the CLDRM+ (Community-Led Disaster Risk Management) methodology will be piloted, which promotes community participation through a series of interactive activities. The goal is to form Disaster Risk Committees and to create community action plans against natural disasters, enhancing community resilience and ensuring their preparedness against future hazards, with particular focus on vulnerable groups.
The project is rooted in the values and vision of Caritas Athens and Caritas Hellas for solidarity, support and service to every person or group in need. Through the initiative, the aim is to highlight local communities as key actors in the protection of the environment and themselves, striving for a, inclusive participatory model of crisis response. Our main goal is the strengthening of long-term resilience of rural Greece and to ensure that no one will be left alone in the event of a disaster.
