On 23rd & 24th January, 2014 17 seafarers’ welfare providers from seven countries in the Gulf of Guinea, and one each from Morocco and South Africa, are participating in a course devised by MPHRP and its partners ICMA and ISWAN. The Welfare Responders Course focuses on guidance for the support of seafarers and families affected by piracy. The Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme supports the professional development of welfare personnel responding to incidents of piracy. Welfare personnel are crucial in delivering the MPHRP’s commitment to care for seafarers.
In depth discussions took place on subjects such as seafarer’s reactions, the fear of piracy, reassuring interaction, crisis preparedness and how to reach out to families. One participant said, “This course is necessary for me to get enough skill in order to understand, prevent and meet the needs of seafarers who are, or may become, involved in an incident of piracy”.
The participants in Accra represent seafarers centres, religious organisations, welfare societies and unions, and have daily face to face contact with seafarers in the following countries: Benin, Côte D’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Morocco, Nigeria, Togo, Sierra Leone and South Africa. MPHRP was able to sponsor some participants through the kind donations of the ITF Seafarer’s Trust, the TK Foundation and Seafarers UK.
Via: http://www.mphrp.org/
