CRS is committed to a comprehensive approach to emergency response that addresses urgent lifesaving assistance with a view to facilitating full recovery. Our goal is to help people survive with dignity, get back on their feet, rebuild their homes and lives, and strengthen their long-term stability and resilience. In its range of disaster responses tailored to local contexts and needs, CRS follows the community’s lead for their meaningful engagement and ownership of programs.

Across Asia and the Middle East, CRS has strengthened the emergency response capacity of local faith-based organizations in its Preparing to Excel in Emergency Response, or PEER, project. Given the reach of faith-based institutions in areas of critical emergency contexts, CRS recognizes the impact of improved scale and efficiency in emergency response in the lives of the most vulnerable.

PEER combined critical best practices with technical expertise to professionalize knowledge, skills and attitudes of local emergency first responders. Program participants included more than 40 diverse local Christian and Muslim and Druze organizations partnering with CRS in India, Indonesia, Lebanon and Jordan.

 PEER PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

PEER offered a range of activities, skills and resources to improve institutional and staff capacity, for more efficient and effective emergency responses. Some activities included:

•         Accompaniment and on-the-job support for improved operations and systems.
•         Trainings by technical experts on core emergency response modules.
•         Online resources through CRS’ Institute for Capacity Strengthening website, www.ics.crs.org.
•         Partner-to-partner learning through exchange visits and networking events.
•         Webinars on relevant topics, including CRS’ Partnership and Capacity Strengthening Principles, Approaches and Tools.

For more information, view the initial PEER Summary;  the Full Report or Executive Summary of the PEER Project Evaluation ; a documentary video featuring PEER Project Partners from CRS Lebanon, or the PEER Policy Report Leading the Way.