Finding a new way of life in the camps of Cox’s Bazar

Sayedul was thirty-five-years-old when he and his wife Setara fled violence in Rakhine State, Myanmar and took shelter in the camps of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, carrying nothing but fear and a newborn in his arms.The journey was long and painful, walking through forests, surviving on nothing, and constantly worrying about what awaited them.When they finally found refuge in what is now known as Camp 13 in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, Sayedul thought the worst was over. But life in Camp 13 proved otherwise.The shelter was cramped, the surroundings were unhygienic. Common diseases like diarrhea and scabies spread fast. With his health deteriorating, Sayedul was unable to work. Moreover, there was no work to be had.With two little children to care for, the couple lived in fear, uncertainty and hopelessness.“I would just sit in front of our shelter and stare at nothing. I had no strength, no purpose. Everything felt like it was falling apart,” Sayedul recalls.But that despair has now been transformed. Over years of living in the camp — it’s now been eight years since the crisis began — Sayedul Amin is a respected figure, a source of inspiration and a role model for the community.Neighbours come to him with questions about health, hygiene or even family planning, and he loves using his time to talk to neighbours. His story inspires many others who are still struggling with life in the camp.“I tell them—look at me. I was once sick and hopeless. But someone believed in me, and I decided to change,” he says.Today, Setara and Sayedul’s home stands as a quiet example of healthy, dignified living. Their shelter is clean and organized, with a small homestead garden where fresh vegetables grow.Their two sons practice the habit of handwashing and cleanliness as their parents had regularly taught these practices to them.According to Sayedul and Setara, the turnaround was due in large part to the diligence of a volunteer from the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society named Marijan. Also a resident of the camp, Marijan came by regularly to talk about how to maintain good hygiene practices in a camp setting.As a result, Sayedul then began cleaning the surroundings of the family shelter regularly, ensuring his wife and children followed hygiene routines. The benefits have been apparent: during the last scabies outbreak in Camp 13, for example, Sayedul’s household remained incredibly unaffected.Setara herself found purpose as well—she started to work as a volunteer for a local non-governmental organization in the camp. Every day, she goes out to help others.“She puts on her volunteer vest with pride,” Sayedul stated proudly. “And while she’s away, I take care of the kids and make sure they don’t skip their school.”The family finally found a rhythm. Their two sons, now old enough to attend the learning center, are picking up reading, writing, and even basic life skills.‘What could a stranger do?’The new life of Sayedul and Setara did not come about overnight. It was a gradual journey. And, this happened because of the persistence and dedication of Marijan, who works on something called evidence-based Community-Based Health and First Aid.The flagship health initiative of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, this approach is designed to put communities — and the detailed information they share about their collective health — at the centre of health initiatives.When Marijan first visited Sayedul Amin’s shelter in the camps of Ukhiya, he was doubtful.“What could a stranger do for us?” he thought. But Marijan kept returning, encouraging and sharing small tips about health and hygiene.Gradually, her presence became familiar and comforting. She helped Sayedul understand how small changes could make a big difference. She taught Setara about handwashing with soap, safe drinking water, and how to keep their children clean and healthy. Marijan also introduced them to the idea of family planning—a concept that was entirely new to them.“It wasn’t easy to talk about such personal matters with someone outside the family,” Setara says with a smile. “But Marijan made us feel respected and comfortable.”The couple began to discuss their future openly for the first time in months. They decided together to use family planning methods and focus on raising their two sons in a healthier, more stable environment.A journey from despair to refound dignityHis journey from despair to dignity was not easy, Marijan’s regular visits, gentle counseling, and tireless support were a turning point in Sayedul’s life.In this way, organizations like the IFRC and Bangladesh Red Crescent Society are redefining what it means to support the displaced people in their population movement operation.By focusing on health, hygiene, family planning, and community mobilization, they are helping individuals take control of their lives, one visit, one conversation at a time.“We didn’t just survive; we learned to live again,” Sayedul says with quiet pride.There are many stories of hope like this in the camps of Coxs Bazar. But many also continue to face tremendous hardship and challenges as the crisis now enters its eighth year. With the support of the IFRC's Population Movement Operation, and an international appeal for support, the Bangladesh Red Crescent continues to work every day in the displaced camps, bringing a wide range of support and services.Through this operation, more than 650,000 people in the camps of Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar have been supported so far with shelter, health care, wash and hygiene, livelihoods, as well as other initiatives aimed at ensuring protection and inclusion of all people impacted by the crisis, as well as ongoing community, engagement and accountability.

Climate-related disasters force millions from their homes in Asia Pacific, but local action offers hope

Across Asia Pacific, disasters and the impacts of climate change continue to force millions from their homes. According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, in 2024 alone, there were 24 million disaster displacements across the region – more than half of the global total.From floods to supercharged storms, the Asia Pacific region is one of the most significantly impacted by disaster displacement. However, a new report from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reveals not only how the scale of the crisis affects communities in the region, but also the power of local action in supporting people to adapt, prepare and become more resilient.“For millions of people across Asia Pacific this is not a distant possibility, it is a daily reality,” says Alexander Matheou, IFRC Regional Director for Asia Pacific. “Whether on a tiny island or in a sprawling city, the stories are the same: disasters, driven and amplified by climate change, are uprooting lives and erasing the familiar.”The report, Forced to Flee in a Changing Climate, collates 39 stories from 21 National Societies that are supporting communities through every stage of displacement – from preparedness, early warning and evacuation, to recovery and rebuilding.While the impacts are devastating, there is hope.“Hope is found in the strength of communities and in the tireless work of those who stand with them,” said Matheou. “This report is a call to see what is at stake – and to recognise the possibilities for change.”Quick factsIn 2024, Asia Pacific experienced more displacement linked to disasters than any other region in the world.Hazards like storms, floods, heatwaves, and droughts are becoming more intense and frequent and people are experiencing repeat displacement.People are displaced for longer periods, as disasters overlap with conflict, poverty and food, water and resource insecurity.Marginalised groups – including women, children, older people and those experiencing poverty – are disproportionately affected.How are we addressing these challenges?National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are not just responding after disasters – they’re working with communities before risks worsen and disasters strike, supporting people to adapt, prepare and stay in their homes or move in safety and with dignity when and if they decide to do so."The impacts of displacement do not end with the decision to move,” said Matheou. “Risks and uncertainties follow people into new, and often precarious places, testing their ability to rebuild and find stability.”This is why the ways people and communities respond takes many forms. In many cases, people who have themselves experienced displacement are taking the lead in preparedness and response, often with support of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.Better forecasting, anticipatory action and community-driven early warning systems are also playing a critical role, among other things.Here are just three of the many examples cited in the report.Cyclone preparedness powered by refugees - BangladeshIn Cox’s Bazar, home to the world’s largest refugee camp, the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society has trained more than 3,300 camp volunteers to deliver early warnings and help their communities evacuate before disasters strike. The national Cyclone Preparedness Programme helps to ensure that early action saves lives – even in the most fragile settings.Forecast-based support for fisherfolk and farmers to reduce losses – FijiThrough the Pacific’s first Anticipatory Action Framework, the Fiji Red Cross Society is providing early warning messages, kits for securing boats, and crop storage materials before cyclones hit. By activating assistance based on forecasts, they’re helping remote communities safeguard their livelihoods in advance and reduce risks of displacement.Psychosocial support for herder communities– MongoliaMongolia is facing harsh winters, with dzud – a combination of summer drought and extreme winter temperatures – impacting herder families.To strengthen resilience and support traditional livelihoods, movements, and ways of life, the Mongolian Red Cross Society provides cash assistance and livestock nutrition kits, constructs animal shelters, and promotes alternative livelihoods.The message at the heart of the report is clear: as displacement linked to disasters and climate change affects millions of people, communities across Asia Pacific are not standing still. With support from National Red Cross and Red Crescent teams, they are preparing, adapting, and leading the way toward a safer, more resilient future.Explore the full report: Forced to Flee in a Changing Climate – Displacement in Asia PacificRead more about climate-related displacement:IFRC report: Forced to flee in a changing climate - AfricaRead about IFRC's approach to migration and displacement

Cape Verde: Thousands of people devastated by sudden, severe floods

For many inhabitants of the Cape Verde archipelago, the night of 10-11 August 2025 will never be forgotten. Never before had they faced such devastation. In just a few hours, torrential rains brought by Tropical Storm Erin turned streets into raging torrents, triggered landslides, and destroyed vital infrastructure.Countless homes were destroyed or severely damaged, and the livelihoods of hundreds of families were wiped out. At least nine people lost their lives, and thousands were forced to seek refuge with relatives, neighbours, or in temporary shelters after losing everything.“My house collapsed in just a few hours. My children lost everything… and so did I,” says Alcídia dos Reis Fortes, a mother of five now sheltering in a school converted into a reception centre managed by the Red Cross.In the face of such destruction, the government declared a state of emergency and two days of national mourning. The islands of São Vicente and São Antão have been the hardest hit.Red Cross volunteers in Cape Verde were mobilized as soon as the first warnings were issued.“We immediately informed communities and helped evacuate families at risk,” explains Jamilson José Dos Santos Rodrigues, a volunteer, youth representative and currently head of operations for the local committee in São Vicente. He has been on the ground with a Red Cross team since the first hours of the disaster.The floods also caused the collapse of the central water supply system, leaving thousands without access to safe drinking water. In a country already weakened by drought and food insecurity, this disruption poses a serious additional threat: the spread of waterborne diseases.“Many families have nothing left to drink or cook with. We are distributing emergency kits, drinking water, and clothing, as well as providing psychosocial support. But the needs are far greater than what we can cover,” says Jamilson.“Today, every vital sector is affected—shelter, water, health, and food. International support is essential to meet the scale of this crisis,” stresses Sadrack Matanda, an emergency preparedness and response specialist deployed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Cape Verde Red Cross.As an initial response, the IFRC plans to release emergency funds to assist affected families by providing shelter, water and sanitation services, and livelihood support. Shelter and water and sanitation specialists will also be deployed to strengthen the response.“We are continuing our assessments and do not rule out launching an emergency appeal to help communities overcome this unprecedented crisis,” Sadrack added.On 13 August, the Cape Verde Red Cross launched the national campaign #ReconstruirComEsperança to support affected.

Statement: IFRC mourns the loss of Ethiopian RC staff member

The IFRC is deeply saddened by the tragic death ofAto (Mr.) Honelegn Fentahun, a dedicated staff member with the Ethiopian Red Cross Society and stands in solidarity with the Ethiopian Red Cross (ERCS) during this difficult time.Ato Honelegn Fentahun was on duty when he lost his life.On 14 August, a security incident occurred in the Cheneq area of Janamora Woreda, North Gondar Zone, Amhara Region. Three ERCS staff members including Ato Honelegn Fentahun, were abducted by unidentified armed individuals while returning from delivering an ambulance. They were released on 15 August, but upon release, Ato Honelegn Fentahun required immediate medical attention and was transported to hospital, where he tragically passed away shortly after arrival.Today marks World Humanitarian Day, and this heartbreaking loss highlights once again the dangers faced by humanitarian workers who put themselves at risk serving vulnerable communities. Since the beginning of 2025, 18 Red Cross and Red Crescent staff and volunteers from across the globe have lost their lives while carrying out their humanitarian duties.Any attack, abduction, or obstruction targeting humanitarian personnel compromises the ability of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to deliver life-saving assistance. The Movement strongly condemns such incidents and calls on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of humanitarian workers, who dedicate their lives to helping those in need.Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of Ato Honelegn Fentahun, as well as with our colleagues at the Ethiopian Red Cross Society during this very difficult time.For more information or to request an interview, please contact:[email protected]

IFRC statement about the incident on the Ocean Viking

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is deeply concerned by the incident that occurred on Sunday afternoon (24 August 2025), when the humanitarian rescue vessel Ocean Viking was struck by multiple gunshots.Thankfully, no individuals were physically harmed. However, this serious event has jeopardized the safety and well-being of both our humanitarian personnel and the rescued individuals on board.The IFRC is actively working to support all those affected and to look into the circumstances surrounding this violent act.Today, humanitarian workers operate in increasingly perilous environments, often putting their own lives at risk to save others. Their mission must be respected and protected at all times. Humanitarian operations must always be respectedandprotected.

Confronting alarming food insecurity trends in Africa: An expert’s view

Africa faces its most severe hunger crisis in decades. As of July 2025, over 282 million people, more than one in five, are affected, with entire regions pushed to the brink by climate shocks, economic instability, and conflict. From drought-stricken Southern Africa to famine-threatened communities in the East, the challenge is vast, but not insurmountable.As Gilbert Phiri, senior coordinator for the Africa region Zero Hunger Initiative at IFRC, explains, ending hunger will take more than emergency aid. It will require durable, community-led solutions designed to withstand future crises and empower people to feed themselves for generations to come.In this conversation, Gilbert shares the latest hunger trends across Africa, what makes a solution durable, and why community ownership is essential for scaling sustainable change.Understanding the crisisQ: What are the most critical hunger and malnutrition trends you’re seeing across Africa in 2025?A: Africa’s hunger and malnutrition crisis is growing more acute in 2025, propelled by interlinked climate, economic, and conflict-related shocks. Without immediate and coordinated global action, including investment in resilient food systems and targeted humanitarian aid, millions more are at risk of chronic hunger and life-threatening malnutrition.The most critical hunger and malnutrition trends across Africa in 2025 are deeply concerning, with indicators worsening in multiple regions despite some global improvements.Q: Could you highlight regional differences or hotspots?A: Almost no region is untouched:InWestandCentral Africa, over 52 million people face hunger during the 2025 lean season—an all-time high.Southern Africa: Countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, and Namibia are seeing up to 40 per cent of their populations in acute food insecurity due to drought, floods, and economic shocks.East Africa: Over 69 million people face acute food insecurity, half of the continent’s total undernourished population, according to the March 2025 update of the Food Security and Nutrition Working Group (FSNWG).Two other key Africa-wide analyses, from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification and the Global Report on Food Crises 2025 add that over 85 million people are highly food insecure in the East and Horn of Africa (including Sudan and South Sudan).In some countries, one in three children is malnourished. Somalia has the highest rates, but Chad, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, and Guinea-Bissau also exceed 30 per cent undernourishment.Q: What do recent statistics reveal about the scale of the crisis?A: As of July 2025, more than 307 million Africans—over 20 per cent of the continent’s population—are affected by hunger. Childhood stunting averages 30.7 per cent across Africa, with wasting (insufficient weight relative to a child’s age) at 6 per cent.In some countries, one in three children is malnourished. Somalia has the highest rates, but Chad, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, and Guinea-Bissau also exceed 30 per cent undernourishment.But addressing this crisis isn’t just about recognizing the scale of the need. A core aspect of the Zero Hunger Campaign is rethinking the way we respond to food insecurity.Defining durable solutionsQ: Durable solutions to addressing hunger can mean different things in different contexts. From your perspective, what are some of the core characteristics or principles that make a food security intervention ‘durable’?A: Durable solutions are those that are sustainable, systemic, and capable of withstanding future shocks induced by either conflict, climate change, or economic instability.Durable solutions require coordination, innovation, and inclusivity when addressing the root causes of hunger. They also build individual, community and agency resilience to food insecurity.Durable solutions must be:Sustainable and systemic – able to withstand future climate, conflict, and economic shocks.Locally led and scalable – driven by communities, designed for replication.Integrated – combining agriculture, social protection, and market access.Focused on livelihoods – diversifying income and building resilience.Q: How do these differ from short-term aid?A: Short-term aid saves lives in emergencies, but it’s temporary. Durable solutions tackle root causes, empower communities, and build systems that last. They combine health, education, agriculture, and economic development so that people can feed themselves year after year.An example of a project we’ve successfully replicated is the Village Model. In this project, households work together with support from the IFRC to improve food security, livelihoods, and resilience through shared resources, skills, and mutual support.Q: What makes durable solutions so impactful in these contexts?A: The attributes of a durable solution make it possible to transfer core methodologies and principles from one setting to another, adapting as needed for local success.An example of a project we’ve successfully replicated is the Village Model. In this project, households work together with support from the IFRC to improve food security, livelihoods, and resilience through shared resources, skills, and mutual support.By combining sustainable agriculture, savings groups, and social cohesion, it creates self-reliant villages capable of withstanding future shocks.Q: How important is community ownership when it comes to the success of these interventions?A: Community ownership and involvement are absolutely central to making zero hunger solutions both durable and scalable. When people design, manage, and adapt solutions themselves, they last longer and spread faster.In Rwanda, community-managed livestock schemes flourished because members reinvested in each other. In Nigeria, men began supporting mothers’ clubs after seeing tangible benefits for their households.Community-led approaches naturally foster replication and scale because they build confidence, local skills, and social structures that can extend successful models to new groups or regions. Strong community buy-in ensures that innovations are embraced, adapted, and promoted by local champions, creating a multiplier effect.What needs to happen nextQ: What support is most urgently needed to scale durable, community-led solutions?A:There is a significant financing gap—estimates indicate an additional $21–77 billion per year from public sources and much more from private sector investment is needed for food systems transformation in Africa.Current financial flows are insufficient to bridge this gap and reach all communities in need. Community-led models need multi-year, stable funding—not just short-term, crisis-driven aid—to allow them to take root, expand, and demonstrate impact over time.Other than that, we need enabling regulations, stronger government–community coordination, and expanded social protection programs, as well as training in climate-smart agriculture, organizational strengthening, and access to innovation and technology.The shift in thinking we hope to inspire all partners and stakeholders should move from asking: 'How can we feed people today?' to asking: 'How can we ensure people can feed themselves next year—and every year thereafter?'Q: If there’s one message for donors and partners, what is it?A: Sustainable, community-led solutions—not short-term fixes—are the only way to end hunger, and they require long-term, flexible investment and enabling policies to thrive.Too often, hunger responses rely on crisis-driven, one-off aid. While essential in emergencies, these don’t dismantle the root causes—poverty, fragile food systems, inequitable access to resources, and climate shocks.Durable, locally rooted approaches have already proven they can work, but they remain under-resourced and constrained by rigid funding cycles or policy barriers.The shift in thinking we hope to inspire all partners and stakeholders should move from asking:“How can we feed people today?”to asking:“How can we ensure people can feed themselves next year—and every year thereafter?”Join us in ending food insecurity in Africa. Explore the Africa Zero Hunger Campaign, share our stories, and be part of building resilient, self-reliant communities.

From seeds to strength: How Rwanda’s Model Villages offer a pathway to resilience

On any given morning in Rwanda’s Mukindo Sector, Gisagara District, you’ll hear goats bleating from their pens, while chickens peck at the dusty paths between homes.Just beyond the fields, a group of women gather beneath a tree. They have come together to record the latest births in the village’s livestock-sharing programme — a system where each family that receives an animal passes its first offspring to a neighbour in need.Moments like these reflect a growing movement in Rwanda: the “Model Village”, an ambitious Rwanda Red Cross programme that empowers vulnerable communities to work together to become more resilient to chronic poverty and increasingly severe bouts of food insecurity.The goal is to help local towns and villages become replicable models for sustainable, local development, food production, and livelihoods.For Emmanuel Ntakirutimana, head of the Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (PMER) Department, Rwanda Red Cross, the model villages represent a much-needed holistic approach to Africa’s food insecurity crisis.“In general, you see that developmental programmes are lacking substantial funding,” he said. “People will fund things like emergency response, rather than supporting communities to meet their needs consistently, which strengthens their capacities to mitigate risk.”The risk Ntakirutimana mentions here is growing. Across Africa, climate change is disrupting planting seasons and shrinking harvests. Conflict displaces millions from their land. Rising prices make even basic staples unaffordable for vulnerable families. And while emergency food aid can save lives in the short term, it often leaves the underlying causes of food insecurity untouched, meaning communities remain just one disaster event away from crisis.As it stands, Africa faces its most severe hunger crisis in decades. Over 282 million people, more than one in five, are affected. From drought-stricken Southern Africa to famine-threatened communities in the East, the challenge is vast, but not insurmountable.Established in 2008, the Model Village is one of the initiatives through which the Rwanda Red Cross provides support to vulnerable communities, aiming to help them lift themselves out of poverty through collective participation under the slogan, “Duhuze Imbaraga Twiyubaka,” or “Our Strength, Our Development.”It involves partnership with community leaders and local authorities who work together to plan and implement interventions like livestock sharing, improved housing, and clean water access, while also educating families on hygiene and equipping them to sustain these practices themselves.“This approach is key to ensuring that communities are given not only ownership of the solution, but the self-confidence to face challenges head-on,” explains Ntakirutimana.“We want to build people’s capacity to withstand the hazards affecting them as they sustain themselves,” he said. “So when you invest in preparedness, as you build this within the community, there will be fewer response needs. By the time a disaster hits, people will already have ways to respond effectively to the risk.”Rooted in community, designed for scaleA Model Village begins with spotting potential opportunities within a vulnerable community, whether it’s a reliable water source, proximity to a connecting road, or the drive of a committed local leader.From there, Red Cross Society volunteers, already trusted members of the community, step in to provide targeted support. For instance, Béatrice, a 42-year-old farmer and mother to six children in Gihombo Sector, Nyamasheke District, was able to learn better hygiene practices through the programme, access to safe drinking water, and an opportunity to earn an income.“I received a pig which reproduced well and provided me with a source of income. I rented a plot of land where I grow vegetables. I also do other small income-generating activities,” said Béatrice.“The increase in our income and savings, as well as everything the Red Cross has implemented in our community, is just the visible part of the iceberg. What really matters to us is that we have regained our dignity.”According to Ntakirutimana, one of the most important parts of a Model Village is ensuring communities gain the self-confidence to lead their own development. The Red Cross’ role is temporary: to support until local skills and resilience are strong enough for the community to sustain and grow its own solutions.“We want to see the role of the community increase as we support them,” added Ntakirutimana. “Up to where we can say that the ownership of the activities is 90 per cent in the hands of the community. Once they’re in the driving seat, it means you have built the sustainability of the intervention.”In successful Model Villages, community leaders become role models, and community members spread their resilience strategies to their neighbours. This strong sense of ownership is what makes the Model Village approach so easy to replicate. It builds on values already central to African life, particularly the tradition of solidarity.Working together on shared goals strengthens bonds of trust and mutual support, while creating a culture of problem-solving that lasts well beyond the initial project.Just as importantly, success in one village is usually shared with neighbouring communities, sparking a ripple effect of change. In this way, each Model Village becomes both a blueprint and a source of inspiration, helping others adapt the model to their own realities and accelerating the spread of durable, locally-led solutions.Across Rwanda, the Model Village approach is already transforming lives in tangible ways. Like Béatrice, who, along with her village co-operative, has learned how to produce and sellbriquettes made from organic waste.Hygiene has also improved dramatically, with villages adopting safe water practices and better sanitation facilities, reducing the spread of disease. Young people are stepping forward as active participants, contributing energy and fresh ideas to community projects. Women, too, are taking on greater leadership roles, driving initiatives such as communal gardening, savings groups, farming associations or cooperatives, and small-scale enterprises.These successes don’t just improve day-to-day life; they build the skills, confidence, and structures needed to keep progress growing long after the initial support has ended.“Listen to the communities. Listen to their wishes,” Ntakirutimana advised. “We listen to what they see as priorities, and then facilitate the process.”Securing the next chapter of the Model Village initiativeThe Model Village initiative is just one of the locally driven, lasting solutions supported by the recently launched Zero Hunger campaign. Driven by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the campaign calls for urgent investment in sustainable, community-led programmes that address the root causes of food insecurity across the continent.By amplifying proven approaches like Rwanda’s Model Villages, the Africa Zero Hunger campaign aims to inspire governments, partners, and donors to shift from short-term relief to long-term resilience, ensuring that communities are equipped to withstand future crises and thrive.Get involved:Join the Zero Hunger Campaign and help vulnerable communities on a path to resilience.More articles about the Africa Zero Hunger campaign:Confronting alarming food insecurity trends in Africa: An expert’s viewFrom short-term aid to long-term strength: Launching Africa Zero Hunger

Fighting fire with humanity: Syrian Arab Red Crescent responds as wildfires ravage villages

Wildfires in Chile: Red Cross leads new way of managing wildfires, well before the crisis hits

Marion Sandoval began her career at the Chilean Red Cross 15 years ago as a volunteer so she knows how crisis can turn peoples’ lives upside down. Now, as national disaster risk management director for the Chilean Red Cross, she uses that experience in helping to build a new way of managing emergencies, one that starts well before the crisis hits.Following several years of devastating wildfires around the country, the National Society engaged numerous communities to develop what is known as an “early action protocol.”It may sound somewhat technical, but the basic concept is fairly simple: give people the tools and knowledge they need before a crisis hits so they can minimize the impact that fires or other emergencies might have on their community. We wanted to know more so we talked to Marion Sandoval about this novel approach.Why did the Chilean Red Cross develop this early action protocol for wildfires?For about the last 15 years, we have had a significant recurrence of forest fires. We have gone through mega fires like the one in 2017 that affected the Maule region and that had a significant impact on homes and also claimed many lives. These losses are being lamented to this day.The problem is that many people lack sufficient knowledge about fire behavior and the actions they need to take to stay safe. This is especially critical in communities located near forestry lands, or where timber companies are operating and where wildfire risk is high.That’s why it’s essential to support these communities—so they can better understand how fire behaves and how to reduce its impact and protect their lives, belongings, and livelihoods.What are some of the key actions in the protocols that help the people get ahead of the fires?One of the first ones is to know their environment, so that they can know where they should make firebreaks (places cleared of trees that can slow or stop a fire from spreading further) and how and where to evacuate safely.During the spring season, for example, the fields near people’s houses are filled with grass or, as summer arrives, dry plantations. So the houses are surrounded by vegetation that becomes a real risk factor.So in the first stage, we deliver a firebreak kit consisting of tools to make ditches or firewalls and to clean out the areas surrounding their homes. Along with this, people will receive an evacuation kit that includes a backpack with items to protect from smoke, plus a first-aid kit that contains eye medication and items to protect lungs and eyes from smoke and particulate matter. All this will be accompanied by the training of volunteers and community members.What we are hoping for is to encourage communities to evacuateas soon as we have the declaration of what we call “the red button” – a warning system that that is activated by the National Forestry Corporation, based on real-time monitoring of the fire’s movement. The red button activation means the community is likely to be exposed – in 2 or 3 days -- to the impact of the fire.One of the big problems in Chile is that communities often do not evacuate because of the fear of losing their belongings and their homes. So, in this case, the early action protocol promotes safe evacuations because people feel more assured that their belongings and their homes will be protected.This protection is also critical for recovery afterwards because these households are also what allow people to have electricity, hot water, a shower, a refrigerator or cooked food – things that also help prevent diseases. After fires, forest water sources are lost or contaminated, which could lead to diseases.At the same time, local authorities are encouraging people to build and improve their homes with more solid, fire-resistant materials such as concrete, bricks, blocks, rather than wood or other lightweight materials.In this way, we are also ensuring the subsequent recovery of people’s livelihoods. When these fires strike, not only is the housing lost, but also the plantations people have made for personal consumption and for animal fodder are lost. This means byproducts such as milk, cheese, poultry and eggs –which people sell or consume – are also lost.All the work you are doing in response to forest fires connects with the high temperatures and heatwaves. How are the these two phenomena connected?Clearly, if we have fires in an area and a heat wave happening at the same time, we are going to have a greater impact and, in turn, a greater advance of the fire. So, we have now started to review heat waves. We also want to advance in a protocol for heat waves.We are now entering winter, but in the last summer we had a heat wave alert almost once a week d uring the months of February, March, even December last year. So, the dynamics of heat waves is happening a lot in the southern part of our country and here in the big cities because of the buildings.So we also want to look for key messages for our community and work on delivering recommendations that are feasible and that can be foreseen. For example, if we have heat waves, there is the issue of hydration, sunscreen, of walking in the shade, doing sports. There a lot of recommendations that we could be delivering to our community to prevent the impact of heat waves.Are there any other actions being carried out by the Chilean Red Cross to prevent fires, or threats related to extreme temperatures?We have a program in which schools, communities, neighborhood councils, the community itself knows its risks and can identify the needs, not only for forest fires and heat waves, but also for floods, tsunami effect, landslides and other emergencies.The key to any situation is to be prepared, to have contingency plans, to have family emergency plans, to be clear about what we are going to do when we have a heat wave or when we have a forest fire or any other event that could affect us.

New podcast episode: Lost and found at sea — Saving lives, coping with loss aboard the Ocean Viking rescue vessel.

From short-term aid to long-term strength: Launching Africa Zero Hunger

On 19 August 2025, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) officially launched the Africa Zero Hunger: United for Durable Solutionscampaign — a bold, Africa-wide movement to change the way we respond to food insecurity.Moderated by award-winning journalist Victoria Rubadiri, the virtual launch brought together policymakers, humanitarian leaders, grassroots innovators, and partners who share a common vision: a future where the communities hardest hit by food security can become part of the solution. Click here to watch the official launch of the Africa Zero Hunger campaign and hear experts discuss what durable, community-led solutions look like in action.Why Now?The numbers are staggering. Over 282 million people are undernourished in Sub-Saharan Africa, almost one-third of the world’s food-insecure population. In 2024 alone, 173 million people faced acute food insecurity or worse, with women and children disproportionately affected.This is not simply the result of bad harvests or temporary crises. It is the outcome of deep-rooted, structural challenges: climate shocks, violent conflict, displacement, and fragile food and social protection systems.But the crisis also presents an opportunity. It’s a chance to reset the humanitarian approach. Traditional aid models are struggling to leave a lasting impact, yet across Africa, communities are already designing, leading, and scaling solutions that work. The Zero Hunger Campaign aims to accelerate and replicate those efforts.Watch this video to learn more about the ongoing hunger emergency unfolding across AfricaWhat makes this campaign differentThe IFRC and its network of 191 National Societies, including more than 16 million volunteers globally, are uniquely positioned to bridge local knowledge and large-scale impact."It represents a turning point,” said Pierre Kremer, Deputy Regional Director, IFRC Africa. “It’s moving from short-term food aid to lasting, community-driven change. For Africa, it’s a rallying call to end hunger by harnessing local ingenuity, climate-smart practices, and sustainable livelihoods."From mothers’ clubs in Nigeria that reduce malnutrition at a fraction of the cost of traditional aid programs, to integrated food and livelihoods initiatives in Kenya that combine climate-smart farming with savings and health programs — the proof is already on the ground.The launch of the Zero Hunger Campaign is just the first step. Over the coming months, we will be publishing a regular newsletter that will bring you:Progress updates from the six launch countries: Kenya, Ethiopia, DRC, Mali, Nigeria, and ZimbabweSpotlights on local innovators — from women farmers to youth climate activists to volunteers on the groundEvidence and impact stories, showing how durable solutions are transforming livesOpportunities to get involvedSign up for the newsletter by clicking here.Our goal? To reach 60 million vulnerable people in 15 countries by 2030 and to prove that durable, locally-led solutions can be scaled sustainably.This is Africa’s moment to lead, but durable change requires collective action from governments, donors, private sector investors, civil society, media, and the African diaspora.Join us. Share the vision. Invest in durable solutions.Visit the campaign website to learn more, explore stories, and get involved.

For the Dominican Red Cross every day is first aid day

When Walexi Castillo Reyes was a young volunteer at the age of 18, he responded to an emergency on a crowded beach in the Dominican Republic.A man in severe respiratory distress needed urgent help. Luckily, Castillo had recently completed a first aid training, so he was able to administer oxygen and emergency medication. He was able to stabilise the patient and get him to hospital. Years later, the man recognised him in a public place and approached him to thank him for saving his life and to tell him that he had joined the Red Cross in his community. This is just one of the stories that reflect the transformative power of first aid, not only in saving lives, but in creating connections that spread the principle of humanity. National Training Centre The "Centro Nacional de Capacitación Doctora Ligia Leroux de Ramírez", named in honour of a medical and humanitarian figure in the Dominican Republic, is the heart of first aid training in the country. For the past five years, Castillo has directed the school, combining his experience as an emergency physician with more than three decades as a member of the Red Cross. This initiative has allowed the Dominican Red Cross to multiply its reach and capacity to save lives throughout the Dominican Republic.It offers a full range of courses, from basic first aid (BAP), basic life support (BLS) and pediatric first aid (PAP) to advanced technical training in pre-hospital care, water rescue, risk management and other disciplines.Joining forces to multiply the impactThe centre offers both internal and external training. Internal training is aimed at staff and volunteers from all Red Cross branches throughout the country. External training is offered to companies, mainly in the tourism sector. "At the moment, the centre gives up to ten courses a month, both internally and externally (...) We recently had our first meeting with more than 50 instructors in the different disciplines we work in," says Castillo.First aid training is not limited to the classroom. The Red Cross also manages the national 9-1-1 emergency service, so training staff and volunteers in the branches is crucial to ensuring a fast and effective local response."In September, which is First Aid Month, we go to the media to provide basic first aid information and show the community how to activate the 9-1-1 emergency system". The centre has also established important partnerships with public institutions such as the National Institute of Technical and Vocational Education (INFOTEP), the National Institute of Teacher Training and Education (INAFOCAM) and the National Institute of Integrated Childcare (INAIPI). In collaboration with INFOTEP, the centre offers the Emergency Medical Technician course. There are currently 50 students in training.The partnership with INAFOCAM has enabled all INAIPI staff to be trained in pediatric first aid."We created a pediatric first aid manual to train all INAIPI staff. It was a wonderful experience. We saw that the course was very satisfactory for all the people who took part, and for the Dominican Red Cross it is a very important achievement", said the centre's director. Innovative facilities and resourcesMedicine and emergency techniques are constantly evolving. The National Training Centre is committed to keeping its training programmes up to date with the latest practices and technologies. The centre is equipped with modern facilities, including classrooms, laboratories and a recently opened advanced simulation centre. These resources enable effective hands-on training with simulators for techniques such as intubation, tracheotomy and basic electrocardiogram, among others. "Our goal is to be a leading first aid and pre-hospital care centre that trains all volunteers in the Caribbean," concluded the doctor.The impact of first aid training goes beyond the immediate response to an emergency. The knowledge and skills acquired in these courses can save lives and also increase the ability to act in critical situations.As the story of Dr Castillo Reyes - and the Dominican Red Cross First Aid Training Centre - shows, every person trained in first aid has the potential to save lives and pass that knowledge on to those around them. This creates a powerful multiplier effect, making the whole community stronger and safer.Read more about the IFRC's approach to first aid:First Aid in the IFRC NetworkGlobal First Aid Reference Centre

Republic of Congo: Congolese Red Cross at the forefront of fighting the mpox outbreak

Along the southern banks of the Congo River lies a group of villages in the Mpouya district.This is where Roch Boetou-Kadilamio, Disaster Management Coordinator for the Congolese Red Cross (CRC), noticed a woman displaying possible signs of mpox in early february.“She was interacting with other community members as she waited for her turn to receive household items distributed by CRC to families displacedby recent floods,” Roch explains.Many African states, including the Republic of Congo, have weak health care systems characterized by inadequate surveillance, diagnostics and patient-care facilities to effectively and efficiently control the spread of diseases, including the recent sharp increase in mpox cases in many countries.The Republic of Congo shares a more than 1.700-kilometer-long border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – the current epicenter of the mpox – leaving it at very high risk of imported cases.For this reason, the IFRC has taken a regional approach, launching an emergency appeal in August 2024 to fund operations across numerous countries already impacted by Mpox, or that are stepping up prevention measures in hopes of limiting the disease's spread.Early warning allows early actionBeing on the ground in the village and trained to monitor risks allowed Roch to identify the suspected mpox case and report it forward to health authorities for follow up and mitigation efforts. This was possible due to a Disaster Risk Reduction programme, implemented by CRC in partnership with the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), which aims to strengthen the capacity of communities to anticipate, respond to and quickly recover from disasters.“We train communities to be aware of potential risks including health risks, detect them early, and seek help timely to reduce further spread of disease and deaths,” said Dr. Lambert Boteya Djoke, Head of Health and Social Actionfor the CRC.Through a network of local and trusted community volunteers, with support from the CRC staff, volunteers send alerts to national health information systems via local health centers. Alerts can also be sent to the Congolese Red Crossheadquartersusing a toll-free telephone number.“For the woman at the distribution center who was suspected to have mpox, we quickly alerted the nearest health center but also the health authorities, including the Ministry of Health,”explains Dr. Lambert. “They swiftly visited the site together with a team from the World Health Organization, took samples for testing and once confirmed positive, followed up with other measures.”Accessing even the most remote villages with critical public health informationThe Congolese Red Cross, as an auxiliary to the government, is actively supporting authorities in preparing for and responding to the mpox outbreak. Given its extensive volunteer network of more than 30,000 community volunteers across the country, of which 15,000 can be rapidly mobilized, CRC supports in reaching the most vulnerable and remote communities with critical information to mitigate and prevent the spread of mpox.“We have communities who live in the forests who cannot easily access public information," saysNadège Blandine Mabika, the CRC’s focal point Community Engagement and Accountability, Gender and Inclusion, and National Society Development. "We also have communities by the river who routinely cross the border into DRC for trade, medical care and other essential services unchecked. All these communities need to be reached if we are to control the spread of mpox."Facing a surging outbreak of a disease with patterns are evolving and not yet adequately understood, the Congolese Red Cross, along with the entire IFRC regional network, remains committed to preventing, controlling and responding to the mpox outbreak for as long as needed.Learn more about Mpox:What is Mpox: Your questions answeredHow volunteers are making the difference in the DRC

International Volunteer Day: Every day, volunteers like Ange bring ‘a first, life-saving response’

In the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ange Mulanga and a team of fellow volunteers from the North Kivu Red Cross Branch deliver a rapid emergency response to a range of ongoing crises on a near daily basis.No matter what the emergency, they are there. They come to provide first-aid, water and shelter services, like they did for peopledisplaced by a volcanic eruption as happened in 2021. Or to help stop the spread ofMpox, Covid-19 or other infectious diseases, as they did multiple times in recent years.These days, Ange and her team are most often bringing critical support to some of the nearly 1.7 million people in her region that have been displaced by the ongoing, internal conflict.“After going out in the communities to make an assessment, we work rapidly to bring a first, life-saving response,” says Mulanga, a volunteer for the Red Cross of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (RCDRC) North Kivu Branch.“Generally, it’s a question of essential items. Household goods and bedding and medicine for the health centers, which are in the midst of receiving the displaced people.”But doing this job is rarely easy.In the area where Ange works, there is on-going fighting between government and armed groups, and tensions along ethnic and tribal lines. The places where people are most in need are often the very places where violence between these groups erupts. Humanitarian workers and other civilians are often caught in the crossfire.To bring humanitarian services to people living in these areas, Red Cross teams liaise with both government authorities and armed groups to ensure safe passage, and they communicate with local leaders so that everyone understands the Red Cross mission is purely humanitarian, independent and neutral.“It becomes a bit complicated,” says Ange.“Not only because one must prepare the response very quickly with the authorizations [of the government and armed groups], but one must also keep a positive relationship with community leaders and groups that can either facilitate or hinder relief efforts.“Sometimes it feels like we are going from one country to another,” she adds, referring to the work of gaining authorizations to pass roadblocks and enter areas controlled by different groups.One of manyAnge is not alone. She is just one of many dedicated volunteers in the DRC – and around the world – who take on critical jobs of helping people in very difficult situations. As the humanitarian world marks International Volunteer Day on Dec 5, the IFRC pays tribute to volunteers such as Ange who employ incredible professionalism, persistence and compassion as they bring humanity to people in exteremely vulnerable situations.In the case of North Kivu, the region has long been impacted by humanitarian crises, including violence, in neighboring Rwanda and nearby Burundi.In February 2024, the IFRC launched an emergency appeal following an increasing number of attacks in eastern DRC that led to a new round of large scale displacement. The appeal seeks 50 million Swiss Francs to support the DRC Red Cross in its provision of food assistance, health services, water, sanitation and hygiene and protection services to 500,000 displaced people and their host communities in North and South Kivu.Fighting in this area has severely hindered people's ability to access and cultivate crop lands, get supplies and deliver goods. Inflation has been further aggravated by the depreciation of the Congolese franc, leading to substantial price increases for food.Overcrowded camps for the people who have been displaced have left people in extremely desparate conditions. Women represent some 60 per cent of the total displaced population, and children under 5 account about 18 per cent.Sadly, volunteers such as Ange don’t always get the full support they need to carry out their work. The emergency appeal remains significantly underfunded, putting much of the planned emergency response in jeopardy, while various factors continue to get in the way of the volunteers’ work.Thanks to the reputation of the Red Cross, the power of the Red Cross brand and the dedications of the people like Ange, the branch volunteers do manage to make their response.“But it’s not always easy because unfortunately, on the ground, there are people who don’t understand that we are there just to help the displaced people,” Ange notes. In a situation in which nearly everyone is on one side or another, it is hard for many to believe that there are some people who remain independent, impartial and neutral.“Sometimes they ask us, ‘Are you really neutral?’ ” Ange continues.‘We couldn't touch the children’In addition to negotiating their way past roadblocks, doing the hard work of delivering relief supplies, setting up water stations or delivering health messages, they must also work constantly to battle the constant flow of misinformation.A case in point was the Covid-19 pandemic. “In my part of the world, people thought COVID-19 came because of Western people,” Ange noted. “So when we went to the villages to talk about COVID-19, and how to avoid it, and people saw our cars, they thought we were bringing them COVID.”This perception is somewhat understandable. Each time there is an outbreak, health and humanitarian workers arrive, often in rugged, white utility vehicles emblazoned with logos (including the Red Cross, to deliver vaccines, hygiene services and other interventions.Ange recalls when Red Cross teams went to one community to address malnutrition, some parents were wary of the Red Cross workers.“We couldn't touch the children,” Ange recalled. “Even the children started crying. We understood that to them, us touching the children was meaning us bringing COVID and other diseases including Ebola. Because even when Ebola struck, we were among the organizations that were very active in responding to that epidemic.”Addressing this challenge is not easy. A good portion of Red Cross and IFRC actions in situations like this one falls under something calledCommunity Engagement and Accountability, or CEA, in which volunteers listen to community concerns and develop regular feedback mechanisms to show people their concerns are being heard and addressed.The volunteers also take the time necessary to explain to people, through door-to-door visits, community gatherings and radio programmes, what the Red Cross is all about.“Communications is key,” Ange says. “But because there are no cell phone connections, no internet in many parts of North Kivu, getting the message out is difficult.”With these and other challenges that face volunteers every day, it is critical that they get the support, respect and protection they need and deserve.To learn more about volunteering within the IFRC network and our efforts to ensure respect for impartial, neutral humanitarian work please visit the following links:#ProtectHumanityInMemoriam: A list of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers killed in the line of duty.International Volunteers Day

Palestine Red Crescent: Supporting Gaza through winter cold, sudden floods and a crisis of mental health

“We received more than 22,000 aid trucks before the closure of Rafah crossing in May 2024. Since the closure, the Palestine Red Crescent Society only received 58 aid trucks, which is absolutely nothing.”This is how Nebal Farsakh, Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS)’s spokesperson, summed up the tragic humanitarian situation in Gaza, which is now aggravated by harsh winter conditions.Overwhelmed by cold temperatures, heavy rain and flooding, hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza are further at risk of diseases and death. Many are living in tents, open spaces or even on the streets, with almost no protection.“Many families in displaced camps don’t have the clothing and equipment needed to protect them from the harsh weather,”Farsakh continued. “Moreover, recent reports say only 20 per cent of shelter needs are being addressed, leaving more than one million people without adequate places to stay.”Displaced people lacking proper winterization for their shelters face serious threats. Severe weather can damage their shelters, and flooding can contaminate water sources, increasing the spread of diseases.Severe winter conditions, compounded with insufficient aid, have severely hampered the ability of PRCS teams to provide essential support. Yet, the challenges don’t end there.Fuel shortages have crippled ambulance services, forcing evacuations to be often conducted on foot in treacherous weather conditions. This places a severe burden on not only PRCS crews but also on the elderly and people with disabilities who must endure long journeys.The impact of displacement, physical hardship, and the constant fear for their safety and well-being has had devastating consequences on the mental health of everyone in Gaza, especially children.“There is ongoing concern for the mental health of everybody in Gaza, and particularly for children who are so deeply traumatized,” Farsakh emphasized. “There are at least 17,000 unaccompanied children or separated from their parents. Most children are not able to go to school; they live under constant bombing and don’t have access to food.”PRCS mental health and psychosocial support teams are working tirelessly to provide a sense of relief. In shelters across South and central Gaza, they’ve organized events featuring performances, games, and other activities to bring moments of joy to children. But the scale of the crisis is overwhelming.A staggering 1.2 million children in Gaza face a heightened risk of long-term mental health consequences if they do not receive the urgent and critical support they require. The psychological impact of this conflict will likely be profound and lifelong for these children unless they are adequately protected and supported.Without a dramatic improvement in humanitarian access and the flow of supplies, people in Gaza will continue to endure significant physical and mental suffering.Meanwhile, food aid and supplies mobilized by the IFRC network are sitting on the tarmac and in warehousesas the challenges in getting the supplies into Gaza continue.“The aid we have received since the closure of the Rafah crossing is negligible, and this is significantly impacting our relief services. We are unable to do our work. People in Gaza are dying of hunger, cold and diseases because they’re not getting the aid they need.”“This cannot go on.”concluded Farsakh.