Aton Edwards - International Preparedness Network

International Preparedness Network

The International Preparedness Network grew in 1999 to operate as a non-traditional, non-governmental organization to accommodate the rapidly growing body of members. It's mission also expanded to include the development of a new program he called LIFE-O.N.E. (now called Ikhaya-Eco) is a project Edwards was inspired to create after the birth of his son Amen Shepsu Adio, the purpose of Ikhaya-Eco is to design and create disaster-resistant emergency shelters and homes for impoverished communities, along with other emergency

preparedness/response equipment. Most of the homes used in the Ikhaya-Eco program are designed by Edwards, such as his "Ikhayatat" (formerly Gaiatat)

a portable, disaster-resistant, floating structure constructed from scrap metal and plastic. In late 2005, after witnessing the hurricane Katrina disaster, Edwards began to design another program that would provide civilians with a community controlled disaster preparedness/response/self-reliance mechanism and infrastructure. He called it the National Urban Self-Reliance and Preparedness Program. (N.U.S.R.P) In the late fall of the same year, Edwards and a friend R.J. Cote created the Global Meltdown Survival Clinic, a special free public preparedness/self-reliance sustainable living workshop that utilized some of the ideas and techniques Edwards developed for the N.U.S.R.P. program. After a successful run, Edwards added improvements and new ideas that helped him to complete the program and begin to apply it.