Greece: “I’m halfway to reaching my dreams”
By Georgia Trismpioti, IFRC
Somaya dreams of becoming a medical doctor and bringing relief to those who are suffering. Somaya and her family had to flee war-torn Afghanistan and sought refuge in Iran. She and her family have had a difficult life, but Somaya continues to chase her dreams of making a meaningful contribution to society.
Somaya and her husband fled their home country - war-torn Afghanistan - in search of safety. "I left Afghanistan because there was always a feeling of being unsafe, anything could happen at any time," she says. ”For women in Afghanistan, there is no possibility for personal and professional growth.”
Happy when helping others
In early March 2020, Somaya and her family arrived on the Greek island of Lesvos after enduring more than 12 hours at sea in an unmanned dinghy. Two weeks later they were transferred to the Malakasa refugee camp in mainland Greece.
“It is not what you might expect when you hear the words ‘refugee camp’, but life here is a privilege compared to Lesvos. I’m halfway to reaching my dreams for a better life,” she says with a radiant smile.
Despite their uncertain situation, this optimistic and resilient woman is not one to sit idle. Somaya is volunteering as an interpreter with the Hellenic Red Cross at the Malakasa camp.
“I want to help people and I’m happy when I am able to make people's life easier. It is gratifying work I’m doing here every day and when I sleep at nights I’m having sweet dreams,” Somaya says with a laugh.
“We not only heal with medication, but also with listening to them”
“Medicine has been my passion since I was in high school” says Damarys Solano on the phone, while she's preparing to go out. Today she'll be giving medical attention at a shelter in Tumbes, where many migrants are following the mandatory isolation given in Peru due to the emergency of COVID-19.
Damarys was born in Tumbes, a city in the north of Peru, next to the frontier with Ecuador, and since she was very young she realized that there were many people with limitations to access to health services, and she wanted to do something about it, that is why she decided to study medicine. She completed her university studies in Cuba, and while at university she took part of the Student Health Brigade, to help people that didn't have easy access to the health system. And that passion continues with her today.
Dr. Solano works at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) since September 2018, at the Red Cross Care Center at the Binational Border Assistance Center (CEBAF), in the border with Ecuador, placed in response to the increase in the number of migrants entering the country.
“The needs of migrants were increasing constantly, I had to think daily about what methods to use to not only alleviate their pain with medication, but also the emotional aspect, because sometimes just listening to them would take away their pain. For them, doing their journey by foot was very difficult, but they have been brave”, remark Dr. Solano, for whom helping anyone in need, regardless their nationality, race, religion, social condition or political beliefs, is one of the principles of her work, a principle she shares with IFRC and is one of the reasons why she decided to work here.
She remembers in a bittersweet way the different people she has seen through CEBAF, such as elderly patients who had made their journey on foot hoping to meet their family in Peru, or mothers who were traveling alone and that have gave birth shortly before, in one of the transit countries. “The Red Cross principle of humanity is something that you live and apply in the day-to-day work, with your patients. That makes a big difference.”, adds Damarys.
The migratory context changed over time, although migrants continued to enter trough CEBAF, the number of people who stayed in Tumbes city increased. The Care Center at CEBAF wasn't enough to meet the health needs of the vulnerable population, and this is how the Community Health Campaigns began to be implemented. Damarys remembers with great satisfaction the active participation of the population, both migrant and local, at the health campaigns which brought medical attention to more than 650 patients.
Today, in the context of COVID-19, many of the migrants who were waiting for a response at CEBAF have been transferred to shelters. That doesn't mean that Damarys rests; she, along with the rest of the team, continue to work, visiting the shelters, providing health care and treatment, ensuring that the patients are well, and monitoring their situation.
“I feel that all this experience has reinforced my feelings for medicine, since sometimes you think that you sit at a desk prescribing recipes to those in pain, and is not only that; is to relieve with the art of healing those who need us. To value life and to give them hope that not all is lost”, concludes Damarys.
5 ways that cash assistance has transformed humanitarian response to refugees in Turkey
Many people affected by humanitarian crises think their priority needs are not being met by humanitarian aid.
Cash assistance is one critical approach that is helping responders better put the needs and capacities of affected people at the heart of humanitarian action.For the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, it has become an integral part of our work.
Most recently, with funding from the European Union, the Turkish Red Crescent and IFRC are implementing a unique cash-assistance programme in Turkey. It enables more than 1.7 million most vulnerable refugees to meet their basic needs and rebuild their lives. The Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) programme provides a blueprint for how cash assistance can be better used in the future.
1. It is people-centred
According to a Ground Truth Solutions survey, almost half of the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh sold in-kind assistance offered to them so that they could use the money to purchase goods and services they need.
Cash puts an end to aid being limited to the goods and services that humanitarian organizations deliver and gives people the freedom to spend the cash on what they need most.
Providing affected populations with cash means more than addressing their true needs, it also means dignity. Having an option to buy the things they need in a shop rather than waiting in a queue for goods also gives the aid recipients a sense of normality that has been lacking from their lives due to conflict.
“The cash assistance is granting us freedom of choice and returning a degree of dignity to our lives.” -A refugee receiving cash support from ESSN (WFP report from 2018).
Cash assistance also offers them the most important opportunity, having control over their own recovery. Refugees who take ESSN cash assistance are less likely to consult to negative coping strategies like reducing the quality and quantity of the food consumption, getting into debt and taking their children out of school.
2. It’s more cost-effective and can ultimately, reach more people
Delivering cash assistance often costs less than delivering in-kind assistance thus reaching more people in need. How much money is required to manage an operation? How much money is required to transport and store aid in a warehouse?
By taking advantage of digital payment systems (like debit cards and SMS) cash-based assistance can greatly reduce costs spent on logistics, transportation and human resources.
Compared to the previous humanitarian basic needs assistance provided, the ESSN resulted in significant reductions in administrative costs, leading to at least 90 per cent of all ESSN funding going into the hands of those in need and reaching as many as 1.7 million people.
3. It empowers local economies and communities
Supporting people in need with cash also means supporting the host population. As the migration deeply affects those seeking safety, it also creates a completely new situation for the hosting community.
Use of cash-based assistance can help people in need to support local markets. This can greatly reduce possible tensions, increase support for humanitarian aid from locals and spark the first steps of integration.
Although there is room for development, the ESSN has the potential to influence social cohesion between refugees and host communities, according to a WFP study. About half of the refugees who attended focus group discussions said that they had established good relations with their Turkish neighbours.
4. It is easy to deliver
Conflicts, natural disasters or health emergencies - each bring with them difficult conditions to work in, including challenges in access. If markets are not too weak or supply is sufficient, cash enables assistance to vulnerable people in extraordinary times.
Operating under the current conditions of COVID-19 poses many challenges, particularly with restricted or forbidden movement of goods and resources. Sending cash to refugees digitally limits the risk of infection to those we serve as well as host communities and our frontline workers.
5. It enables a more effective, efficient, and transparent humanitarian sector
Cash assistance ensures humanitarian organizations are more accountable to both donors and affected people. It increases the transparency of operations by showing how much aid actually reaches the target population. It also addresses people’s true needs as it gives them the ability to decide what they require.
In April, Turkish Red Crescent’s ESSN hotline answered 1.2 million calls, sent more than 1.3 million SMSs and reached out to more than 85,000 refugees thorough its multilingual Facebook page. ESSN monitoring data indicates that the awareness amongst refugees of the ESSN and its application procedures is very high and only a small proportion of refugees lack information on the ESSN at any point in time.
The use of easily verifiable demographic criteria satisfies the donors need for transparency and accountability, while also ensuring that refugees themselves have full information on why they are (not) included in the ESSN program.
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As ESSN’s unique approach and scale shows cash is people-centric, makes the most out of limited budgets, increases the speed and flexibility of the humanitarian response, improves local economies, reaches the most vulnerable even in insecure environments and enables us all to be more accountable to the people we serve.
Cash doesn’t replace all humanitarian services. However, under the right circumstances, cash offers a massive opportunity for us to put communities’ at the centre of our response.
This article covers humanitarian aid activities implemented with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of the European Union, and the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
Pacific National Societies respond to Cyclone Harold in the time of COVID-19
Following the recent battering of several Pacific nations by Tropical Cyclone (TC) Harold, vulnerable communities are still recovering in an increasing complex disaster environment. The storm hit the Solomon Islands on 3 April, before passing through Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga, causing significant damage to buildings and communities, destruction of crops, roads and contaminated water supplies. Some areas, such as Luganville, Vanuatu’s second largest city, reported almost 90% destruction.
In the days following the Cyclone, more than 1,000 Red Cross volunteers mobilised across Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga and the Solomon Islands to offer physical and emotional support, including delivering essential items.
Daniell Cowley, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) COVID-19 Pacific Operations Manager, says: “the challenge in several areas is compounded by the risk of Coronavirus [COVID-19] and the potential impacts on already vulnerable, and often geographically isolated, communities.”
“The aim is to help Pacific communities and individuals best prepare, and ultimate reduce their risk of infection,” Mr Cowley says. “We are focused on all Pacific Islanders, but in particular the most at risk and vulnerable groups, including the elderly, people with existing medical conditions or disabilities and other vulnerable groups. There are many challenges, and we are also very aware of the broader social and economic impacts of COVID-19 outbreak.”
Pacific Red Cross Societies have been working underneath their Ministry of Health COVID19 incident management structures since March. Their role includes Red Cross volunteers visiting communities across the islands, offering advice and handouts about reducing the risk of infection, promoting correct handwashing practices and giving advice on physical distancing.
IFRC is also working closely in partnership with other lead agencies supporting Pacific ministries of health, including WHO, UNICEF and Pacific regional organisations.
“Getting simple and accurate information to communities is crucial to prevent rumour mills, and ultimately provide the information that might help save lives,” Mr Cowley says. “We already have Red Cross active networks and trained responders through the National Societies in many islands, who can mobilise quickly to support communities to take early actions prior to the onset of a disaster and to take life-saving actions after an event, like TC Harold.”
The distances between islands can mean it can take longer to reach all the communities that need provisions and support. Travel between islands is restricted and any sea freight takes longer to reach the Islands and is required to be fumigated and disinfected and often quarantined for many days.
Red Cross staff and volunteers are having to overcome new challenges to access to the people that need them most. For example, where once, five people in one car with kits would have sufficed. Now, because of social distancing, multiple cars are required with fewer people per car, and each car needs to be disinfected before use.
“Our strong community volunteer network across Vanuatu is well trained to provide COVID-19 information,” Suzanna Gislapno,Logistics Officer for the Vanuatu Red Cross, says.
“We have integrated community awareness on prevention options into the distribution of hygiene and household kits in response to TC Harold to the most affected communities.
“Because of COVID-19, the Vanuatu Red Cross has had to apply a new approach, as restrictions have meant fewer support staff being able to get to the Islands. Therefore, we have used the capacity and ground resources we have on the Islands – in a sense applying true localisation, while using technical remote support from other Islands, New Zealand and Australia.”
Some aid items are taking longer to arrive because of COVID19 restrictions.
“It’s been uplifting to see how communities are finding their own solutions,” Ms Gislapno says. “Although there has also been positive feedback from people about the good work that Vanuatu Red Cross is doing in the community, as we were the first organisation on the ground to offer support and assistance to the affected population by mobilising the community through our volunteer networks.”
“Knowing the local context is vital in the fight against COVID19,” Mr Cowley adds. “We are here to support the national authority by reaching communities and preventing the spread of COVID-19, for as long as it is needed.”
IFRC’s COVID-19 appeal in the Pacific is being supported by the Japanese Government, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, United States Agency for International Development, Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Red Cross and New Zealand Red Cross.
How a local response can halt this global crisis
Geneva, 4 March 2020 -Borders are closed. International travel is restricted or forbidden. And the clock is ticking to contain the spread of the coronavirus. How are we to touch – and save – the lives of people most affected when we in the humanitarian sector face countless barriers in no-touch zones?
In living memory, there has not been such a truly global crisis.
Humanitarian organisations are rushing to support the most vulnerable people: the elderly, communities in overcrowded urban slums, people living in fragile states and poverty, marginalised groups, and people on the move.
Our traditional methods of support have had to be either reinventedor tossed out the window altogether.
Despite these changes, we’re relying on our strongest advantages as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). We know the key to stopping this crisis lies in a fully localised response.
This means adapting our model of global solidarity, where resources, equipment, and personnel have been quickly moved into position to support a Red Cross or Red Crescent Society that is responding to a major disaster or crisis.
We have been striving for a model that is “as local as possible and as global as necessary” in line with our localisation commitments made at the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016. And the value of strong local and national humanitarian response – backed by global resources where they are needed – has never been more evident than it is today.
Fortunately, the IFRC didn’t have to start from scratch: the Red Cross and Red Crescent has always been a collection of hyper-local units and branches.
This community presence means that our experts in health and care, disaster response and risk reduction, and humanitarian logistics were already on the ground when the pandemic took hold months ago. Our network of humanitarian workers in 192 countries will stand alongside their communities for as long as the pandemic continues, and they will still be there long after the crisis has passed.
This is how we’ve always worked: at community level. The IFRC was founded in 1919, just one year after the deadly influenza pandemic that killed an estimated 50 million people and infected at least 500 million worldwide. The Red Cross Societies of France, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States created our federation so that the medical expertise gained during the 1918 pandemic, and the World War that had preceded it, could be shared across the world.
For now, our priority lies in health and care services. This includes pre-hospital and medical services, community health and care, risk communication, and community engagement.
We are also providing the mental health and psychosocial support that will continue to be desperately needed as individuals and communities come to terms with the threat to the people they love, and the frightening changes to the world they have always known.
While responding to immediate needs, we cannot lose sight of the ongoing challenges that COVID-19 will cause in communities large and small across the world.
People are losing their jobs, incomes are vanishing overnight, and people are scared – not only for their health, but for their ability to care for and provide for their families. In many urban slums, there is growing fear that the restrictions placed on people’s lives during lockdown, together with loss of income and associated fears of not being able to afford food and rent, could lead to mental health crises or even civil unrest in some settings.
Further, natural disasters, climate-related extreme weather events and other health crises – such as malaria, tuberculosis, measles, and cholera – will not stop while the COVID-19 pandemic has the world’s full attention. Our everyday work to reduce the risks of these events, and to help prepare for and recover from them, must continue.
Disease outbreaks begin and end inside local communities. Today, 14 million Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers and 165,000 local branches across the world are already supporting theirs. Every volunteer plays an important role connecting directly with their communities. This ongoing commitment will be key to slowing – and eventually halting – this pandemic.
To help make all of this possible, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement – IFRC, the ICRC, and the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies – have appealed for funding for community-level healthcare, critical health supplies, the mobilisation of local volunteers, emergency cash grants for families, and the mitigation of the pandemic’s social and economic impacts.
Individually and collectively, our volunteers represent hope. Let’s work to ensure that they have the global support they need to work safely and effectively at the local level, where lives will be saved and communities will be protected.
This crisis has already made history. Our actions now will shape the future.
By Jagan Chapagain, IFRC Secretary General
View the opinion piece in the New Humanitarian
IFRC network mourns the loss of former President Astrid Heiberg
The international Red Cross and Red Crescent family is in mourning following news of the death of Dr Astrid Nøklebye Heiberg, who served as President of the Norwegian Red Cross and also of the IFRC.
The death of the influential humanitarian, at the age of 83, was announced on Thursday 2 April by her Norwegian Red Cross colleagues.
IFRC President Francesco Rocca said: “On this sad day, the whole IFRC stands with our sisters and brothers in the Norwegian Red Cross. Astrid always led by example. Her vision and her compassion will be greatly missed, but she will continue to inspire us.”
As well as having a long and distinguished career with her National Society, Dr Heiberg was the first - and to date only - woman to be elected as President of the IFRC, serving from 1997 to 2001.
In 2011, she was awarded the Henry Dunant Medal, the highest honour given by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, for “her integrity, professionalism and unwavering commitment, [and] steadfast determination in her efforts to achieve agreed humanitarian goals.”
Mr Jagan Chapagain, IFRC’s Secretary General, said: “Astrid blazed a trail as the first woman to serve as President of IFRC, and she was a principled defender of equality, anti-discrimination and human dignity in all areas of her life. We will miss her very much.”
Community action against Dengue
In the courtyard of a health centre in Managua, Nicaragua, a mother and daughter share a supportive smile. Their expressions convey joy and confidence. They have just shared with us a story of survival and empowerment. Having had a very hard personal experience with dengue fever, both are now community volunteers in a Nicaraguan Red Cross vector control operation.
In 2019, the Central American region suffered the most extensive dengue epidemic of the decade. More than one million people have been affected by the outbreak, with the highest numbers of cases reported in Honduras and Nicaragua. The Red Cross is working in these two countries, as well as in Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala, to empower local communities to cope with both the current crisis and possible future outbreaks.
With the support of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), National Societies are working alongside communities in the most affected areas to equip them with the information and materials necessary to control and mitigate the effects of the current outbreak, and prevent future ones. This community-based approach is known as Community-Based Epidemiological Surveillance (CBES), and has been used in the region before with positive results in other epidemic crises, such as zika in 2016. This strategy allows community members themselves to identify risks in their environment and take action to eliminate or mitigate them, empowering them to become active agents of change.
The first step of CBES is to identify social leaders who, working together with National Societies, organize community groups. Once these groups are formed, the Red Cross provides them with information on the outbreak so that they can identify warning signs and know what referral routes to health care are available if a potential dengue case is identified, as well as what hygiene and sanitation measures should be taken to prevent and mitigate outbreaks. Based on this information, communities create risk maps and plans to implement preventive and mitigation measures. The final step of CBES is the implementation of these plans through breeding site identification and elimination campaigns, home visits in which they replicate the information learned about dengue prevention, and outreach activities in schools.
A life-changing disease
At a recent activity with community volunteers in Managua, Karen Rodriguez, a Nicaraguan Red Cross volunteer, shared her experience with dengue fever. Her daughter, Jade Gámez, had suffered from dengue three times, at the age of 11, 12 and 13. The last of those times, Jade had been diagnosed with severe dengue, and the girl suffered kidney and liver damage as well as a preinfarction.
Children under the age of 15 are a particularly vulnerable group. In August 2019, 66% of the deaths reported in Honduras as part of the current outbreak were under 15 years of age, and in Guatemala, 52% of the severe dengue cases reported were also in this age group.
Having survived such a serious illness, mother and daughter are now volunteers with the Nicaraguan Red Cross. As part of the current operation, their work consists on replicating the information received among their neighbors, as well as carrying out clean-up campaigns to eliminate breeding grounds in their community. "We both do the same thing - when one can't go to the clean-up activities, the other one goes," says Karen. For them, this is an opportunity to help their neighbors avoid going through the same experience they went through years ago. "Now that I am supporting the Red Cross and I can help people, I feel calm, I feel happy," says Karen. "More than anything, so that people don’t go through the same experience I went through," adds Jade.
Dengue fever outbreaks are cyclical and peaks occur around the world every year during rainy seasons, with extensive epidemics occurring at a frequency of every four to five years. In 2019, the World Health Organization recognized dengue as one of the top ten threats to global health, with an estimated 40% of the world’s population currently at risk. Epidemics can have a devastating effect on the most vulnerable groups, such as children. That is why it is important for National Societies to work on advocacy and capacity building to continue to empower communities in preparing for and responding to dengue and other vector-borne diseases such as zika and chikungunya.
Indonesia: Red Cross continues to support as further rains are forecast
Volunteers and staff from Palang Merah Indonesia are continuing to support flood-affected communities as the country braces for further heavy rains and storms forecast in the coming days and weeks.
Flash floods, flooding and landslides have killed 67 people and injured a further 110 since the crisis began on 28 December. Since then, more than 100,700 people have been displaced from their homes and communities in 255 sites across North Sumatra, West Java, Bengkulu and Jakarta. At the height of the crisis, some 300,000 people were displaced in the greater Jakarta metropolitan area alone.
Palang Merah Indonesia has deployed 455 volunteers and staff, 15 ambulances, 13 water tankers, 12 rubber boats and nine trucks in support of the affected communities, and has provided more than 90,000 food packages in the Central Jakarta and West Java areas.
The teams are responding on several fronts: helping people to evacuate and supporting them in centres; helping people to return home when it is safe to do so; providing first aid, health services and emotional support; and distributing clean water and running public kitchens. Volunteers and staff are also helping people clean the mud and debris left behind and spraying disinfectant to reduce the risk of diseases such as dengue and leptospirosis.
The heavy rains that caused the disaster were the most intense since records began in 1966, with Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency measuring 377 mm of rainfall on New Year’s Eve at an airport in East Jakarta. Rainfall above 150mm per day is considered extreme.
The flooding and landslides have caused extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure, including hundreds of homes and 20 bridges. A state of emergency is still in place in several flood-affected areas.
Yemen’s healthcare system on the brink of collapse
Text and photos: Julie Lorenzen, Danish Red Cross
His brown eyes look tired – almost absent – and the skin is way too pale. He speaks with a voice that is difficult to hear.
Nine-year-old Luai and his mother are visiting a primary health clinic, run by Yemen Red Crescent Society in Yemen’s capital Sanaa.
Luai has been sick for a while with a fever that shows no sign of abating.
“His body is weak. He was fine, when he was little, but then his body started to weaken. I am worried, he cannot fight diseases,” says his mother Fatima.
Doctor Anisha examines the little boy and it does not take her long to conclude that he is malnourished and has anemia. There is also a risk that Luai is suffering from internal parasites, a condition common in many Yemeni children.
Doctor Anisha prescribes iron and multivitamins. That is all she can do.
But this visit to the clinic is a short-term solution. When Luai goes home, his parents can only afford to buy rice and bread because of the sky rocketing food prices in Sanaa. Vegetables are a luxury the family can only afford once a month - like so many other Yemeni families who suffer from the impacts of the 5-year long conflict.
Lack of medicine and doctors
According to doctor Anisha who has worked in the clinic for 17 years, Luai’s story is sadly familiar.
“Five years ago, we did not see many cases of malnutrition”, she says.
“But now there are cases in all health clinics around the country. I am worried because it affects their ability to learn in school. We only see the mild cases in this clinic.”
Doctor Anisha also sees many malnourished pregnant women which can lead to complications like low birth weight and premature births.
According to UN OCHA 3,2 million women and children in Yemen are acutely malnourished - the number of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition has increased by 90% in the last three years.
And it is not only malnutrition the children suffer from.
“We see that diseases like measles, diphtheria and chicken pox have returned. They were not present before the conflict,” says doctor Anisha.
She used to vaccinate the children, but the clinic can no longer provide this vital service. The vaccinations need to be stored in a cold place, but because of the lack of electricity and fuel, this is no longer an option.
It is the same story with the X-ray machine which has not been working since the beginning of the conflict. And the ultrasound scanner has been silent for the last year, since the clinic cannot afford to pay salary to an ultrasound doctor who can operate it.
Doctor Anisha is the only doctor to help the approximately 40 patients who come to the clinic every day.
“We need more doctors and nurses in the clinic,” she says, adding:
“And we need medicine to treat patients with hypertension and diabetes. We can check their blood pressure and blood sugar, but we cannot give them medicine. Medicine is the most important.”
The clinic has a laboratory, but currently they cannot carry out liver, kidney and cholesterol tests because of lack of equipment. Today it is free for the patients to get tests done in the laboratory, but in the future, the clinic might be forced to demand payment.
It is not going to be easy for the patients.
“Our patients are poor,” says doctor Anisha.
Stay and risk your own life
Many doctors and nurses have fled from the conflict in Yemen. But not Doctor Anisha.
“The future is horrible. If you stay here, you are killing yourself. But I stay and do my best. I cannot leave my patients here. I would feel bad, if they came and asked for me, and I wasn’t there.”
“We help people the best we can.”
According to UN OCHA an estimated 19.7 million people in Yemen lack access to basic healthcare.
But only 51% of the health facilities are functioning.
The Yemen Red Crescent Society currently runs 22 health facilities around the country.
Afghanistan: Three months after Herat earthquake, an urgent need for shelter
By Mir Abdul Tawab Razavy and Rachel Punitha
The earthquakes that struck the western Afghan state of Herat in October 2023 destroyed homes and claimed lives over a wide swath of mountainous terrain — from the state’s main city, Herat, all the way to mountain villages miles away.
The epicentre was recorded near a mountain range just west of Herat state, resulting in widespread destruction in more than 380 villages.
Many of the lives lost were women and children. Surviving family members found themselves thrust into the harsh reality of loss and despair, with winter approaching and their homes in ruins.
Once the proud caretakers of small flocks of sheep, families now face the daunting challenge of rebuilding their lives and livelihoods. But their most immediate plea is for safe, warm shelter as temperatures continue to drop.
“We need help with rebuilding our homes,” villagers consistently tell Afghanistan Red Crescent and IFRC teams that visit the villages and offer a wide range of support.
More support urgently needed
The Afghan Red Crescent, along with the IFRC, have been working together to help the people rebuild their homes and make sense of what has happened. Afghan Red Crescent has deployed over 200 staff and volunteers, reaching more than 112,000 people across 40 villages with emergency shelter, household items, food, health services, and WASH items.
The food assistance they’ve provided has reached over 7,300 households, whille cash assistance valued at more than $US 22,000 (AFN 1,568,000) has been provided to 410 families. Health services, including mental health and psychosocial support, have been extended to over 12,000 people, supported by the Danish Red Cross, Norwegian Red Cross, and IFRC.
At the early onset of the earthquakes, more than 15,000 emergency shelter items (tarpaulins or tents) were distributed, while Red Cross Red Crescent teams’ staff and volunteers work round the clock to work out proper permanent shelter solutions. Since then, shelter engineers have been deployed to the areas and are assessing their shelter needs for immediate procurement.
In collaboration with ARCS, the IFRC has mobilized additional financial support for Herat through its network and the larger Emergency Appeal for the Afghanistan Humanitarian Crisis. Meanwhile, IFRC-DREFhas increased its contribution to the emergency appeal by an additional CHF 750,000, raising the total IFRC-DREF contribution to the Afghanistan crisis to CHF 2,500,000.
But more is still needed to meet the needs identified by the appeal and to ensure people in Herat state have what they need to get through nights of bitter cold.
Digging to stay warm
In one mountainside village, Abdul Qayoum, is grappling with the responsibility of four children, including two very young toddlers. As their tent offered little defense against the biting cold and relentless winds, especially during the night, his children have been shivering night after night.
With no other options, Abdul Qayoum began laboring tirelessly, digging into the unforgiving ground in a desperate attempt to create a more secure space, into which he could settle in with his children so that the winds howl past them. His eyes reflected a mixture of determination and despair while he explained his family’s plight.
In this village, IFRC teams also witnessed a group of mothers and grandmothers who were attempting to put up a tent with their bare hands in the cold. They were hoping that it would withstand the fierce, night winds.
More resilient shelter
Afghan Red Crescent and IFRC shelter teams have been working urgently along with other humanitarian organisations to approve a shelter design that can be constructed locally and will be able to withstand further shocks.
“We will be including volunteers from villages and local masons from the cities in our training sessions on how to mount proper bracing for the walls of their new shelters,” says an IFRC Shelter specialist deployed to Herat.
“The homes that were destroyed in the earthquake were all made of mud or clay and were built by hand. Unfortunately, that is why they were reduced to rubble so fast.
“Now we want to make sure that they know how to include metal or even wood bracings in their walls and roofs so that their homes can withstand a greater degree of shock.”
‘My only hope’
In the meantime, people are trying to maintain hope even as they grieve for what they have lost. 45-year-old Halima [not her real name], says she is able to enjoy some warmth for a short while, when she cooks in her tent as a means to keep warm. She admits this is not very safe, but she has no other option.
Halima had adopted a young boy from her community as she did not have any children of her own. This is one of the many ways that people look out for each other in the community, she says.
Sadly, her adopted son lost his life in the earthquake.
“He was my only hope,” she says, with an expression of deep anguish.
IFRC's Global Climate Resilience Platform channels CHF 100 million for locally-led climate action in 33 countries in 2023
The IFRC launched its Global Climate Resilience Platform (GCRP) last year at COP27 with the objective of raising CHF 1 billion in next five years to boost locally-led climate action.
In its first year, the Platform has mobilized CHF 100 million, providing programming on three focus areas – anticipatory action and early warning, nature-based solutions and shock- responsive social protection – in 33 of the world’s most climate vulnerable countries.
Increased investments in anticipatory action and early warning, nature-based solutions and shock-responsive social protection have the potential for transformational change if coupled with unprecedented levels of investment at the local level.
Anticipatory action and early action means taking steps to protect peoplebeforea crisis hits, based on forecasts or predictions, to prevent or reduce potential disaster impacts.These types of actions vary from evacuation plans, cash distribution or reinforcement of homes.
Nature-based solutions are actions to protect, sustainably manage or restore ecosystems — such as forests, mangroves, coral reefs or urban green spaces — in ways that addresses societal challenges, such as disaster risk, climate change or food security.
The role of shock-responsive social protection or safety nets is to reduce vulnerability to poverty and reliance on negative coping strategies. Such measures include adaptative livelihoods, health and social support and inclusive disaster preparedness and response.
“This is exactly the kind of solidarity we need to have with communities and organizations like National Societies that locally rooted, in their efforts to prevent and reduce risks so everyone has the chance to thrive, instead of only working to recover from great losses,” said IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain, who announced additional funding pledge while at COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai, UAE today.
“Just as we must mobilize on the global level to address the causes of climate change, we must also help communities adapt,” he continued. “The Global Climate Resilience Platform offers a great opportunity to do something very concrete and positive that will save lives, livelihoods and even entire communities from the worsening impacts of the climate crisis.”
Approach adapted to local threats
While the platforms prioritizes early action, nature-based solutions and shock-responsive social protection, the activities will vary depending on the particular climate risks communities face.
In some cases, early action means planned evacuations or reinforcing homes. In others, it may mean distributing health protection kits, or in the case of heatwaves, setting up mobile cooling centres.
In the Americas, where climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of extreme weather related events – from tropical storms to mudslides, floods and wildfires – the GCRP helps National Societies develop or improve solutions that address those particular risks.
In drought-impacted countries in eastern Africa, the GCRP supports National Societies working to help communities adapt through the development integrated water systems and participate in multi-partner initiatives such as The Water at the Heart of Climate Action programme.
Across the globe, in countries including Kenya and Nepal, shock responsive social protection has meant including anticipatory work into the national government’s social protection system. This means more people get access to timely information and support.
National Societies that participate will integrate these approaches into their institutional planning, priorities and funding strategies. The GCRP will back up these efforts by reinforcing National Society technical expertise through training and operational support.
The countries benefitting from GCRP funding thus far include :
Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somali, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda
Americas: Colombia, Dominican Republic and Jamaica
Asia-Pacific: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines and Vietnam
MENA: Iraq, Palestine, Syria and Yemen.
With the exception of Rwanda, all the participating countries are considered the 100 most climate vulnerable countries according to ND-GAIN Index, an initiative by the University of Notre Dame, in the United States, aimed at helping people understand ways communities are adapting to climate change.
For more information,read our technical explainer.
You can also visit ourearly action pageand theAnticipation Hub- our anticipatory action platform hosted by the German Red Cross.
IFRC on three Palestine Red Crescent members killed: 'Unacceptable'.
Geneva, 02 February 2024:The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is shocked and deeply saddened by the killing of three members of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in the Gaza Strip - one staff member and one volunteer on 31 January 2024 and one staff member on 2 February 2024.In the first incident, two colleagues, Naeem Hasan Al-Jabali and Khalid Kulab, were both near the gate of the PRCS Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis when they were killed. Today, Hedaya Hamad was killed at the PRCS headquarters, which is in the same compound as the Al-Amal hospital.These deaths came after several days of shelling and fighting around the hospital which hindered access to the premises and created panic and distress among patients and thousands of displaced people.The IFRC sends its deepest condolences to the families of those killed and to their friends and colleagues at the Palestine Red Crescent Society.Under International Humanitarian Law, hospitals, ambulances, healthcare workers, and their patients must be respected and protected in every situation.Any attack on healthcare workers, ambulances, and medical facilities is unacceptable.We strongly reiterate our call for unwavering respect for the Red Cross, Red Crescent and Red Crystal emblems and the crucial humanitarian services they represent.The IFRC stands with the PRCS, urging protection for all medical facilities and workers. We commend the dedication of PRCS volunteers and paramedics, many of whom have lost family members or been affected yet continue to respond.Since the beginning of the conflict, the IFRC network has lost 14 members. Eleven PRCS staff and volunteers have been killed, and three from Israel’s Magen David Adom. This is unacceptable.For more information or to request an interview, contact:[email protected] Beirut:Mey Al Sayegh: +961 761 74468In Geneva:Tommaso Della Longa +41797084367Mrinalini Santhanam +41 76 381 5006Andrew Thomas +41 76 367 6587
World Radio Day: How radio helps keep communities healthy and safe
Though we’re living in an increasingly digital world, radio remains an important source of information, entertainment, and connection in countries across the globe.This is especially true among rural communities, for whom radio is often the most trusted—or sometimes only—source of news and information for miles around.Imagine you’re living in one of these communities, far from the nearest health centre. You notice people are falling sick and you don’t know why. Seeking answers, you tune into your local radio station.The presenter is talking about the ‘mystery illness’ in a panicked way, saying how gruesome the symptoms are, how many people have died, and how you should avoid infected people at all costs. He’s heard the illness could be some kind of curse, and that apparently drinking salty water can protect you.Hearing this report, and with no other sources to turn to, you’d probably feel scared and unsure of what to do.But imagine you tuned in and heard a totally different show. The presenter calmly offers practical information about the disease—its name, symptoms, how it spreads, and measures you can take to protect yourself. He interviews a local doctor you know and trust who responds to common questions and concerns.You’d feel reassured and have the information you need to keep you and your family safe.In several countries, the IFRC and our National Societies are partnering with local media to do exactly this: provide life-saving information before, during, and after health outbreaks.As part of the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3), we’ve been working with the charity BBC Media Action to train journalists and Red Cross Societies from seven countries in Lifeline Programming: special media programming that provides accurate, practical, and timely information in a health or humanitarian crisis.National Societies regularly partner with media outlets to broadcast helpful information that keeps communities healthy and safe from a wide range of diseases. Let’s look at some examples.KenyaIn Bomet and Tharaka Nithi counties, Kenya Red Cross teams up with local radio stations and county health services, reaching hundreds of thousands of people with useful health messages on how to prevent diseases such as anthrax, rabies and cholera.Information is shared in simple language. And listeners can call in to ask questions or suggest health topics for discussion.“At first, media was known for reporting two things, maybe: politics, and bad things that have happened in society. But the Red Cross helped us […] use the media in educating the people about disease,” explains Sylvester Rono, a journalist with Kass FM trained in Lifeline programming.“I am now proud to say that this has really helped our communities. Our people are now appreciating why we should vaccinate our pets, why we should go to the hospital when we have a bite, why we should report any [health] incident, and when you see any sign of diseases, be it rabies, be it anthrax, be it cholera […] the importance of reporting it earlier,” he adds.CameroonIn late 2021, a cholera outbreak threatened the lives of communities in the North region of Cameroon—a rural part of the country where communities are widely dispersed.As part of its response, the Cameroon Red Cross teamed up with local radio stations—launching a series of community radio programmes to share information on how people could protect themselves, what symptoms to look out for, and where to access help if they fell sick.Themes for the programmes were selected in partnership with community leaders. And after the shows broadcast, Red Cross volunteers headed out into their communities to reinforce the messages shared on air through door-to-door visits.“The radio programme is very good, because it has given me practical information. I had a cholera case in my family, but based on the measures I heard on the radio, I was able to save my sister’s child who was sick,” explained Talaga Joseph, a listener who called into FM Bénoué—one of the participating radio stations.Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)In DRC, harmful rumours and misinformation about COVID-19 and other diseases have spread across the country in recent years. For example, some people believed the COVID-19 vaccine was a source of income for the government and had no benefit to society, while others believed the measles vaccine was less effective than traditional remedies involving cassava leaves.To address these rumours, DRC Red Cross volunteers went door-to-door to collect community feedback and record common myths and misconceptions. After analysing the feedback, DRC Red Cross staff took to the airwaves—launching interactive radio shows to directly address and debunk health misinformation and provide trusted advice.For example, in Kongo Central province, the DRC Red Cross partners with Radio Bangu to produce a show called ‘Red Cross School’. Listeners call in to check information on different diseases, ask questions, and discover what support they can access from the Red Cross.“The collaboration with the Red Cross is very good and has enabled listeners to learn more about its activities and how they can prevent different illnesses and epidemics. The Red Cross broadcasts are so popular they have increased our overall number of listeners in the area we cover,” says Rigobert Malalako, Station Manager at Radio Bangu.--The activities with local radio featured in this article are just a few examples of media partnerships developed through the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3).Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), CP3 supports communities, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and other partners to prevent, detect and respond to disease threats.If you enjoyed this story and would like to learn more, sign up to the IFRC’s Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Newsletter.You can also access the following resources:BBC Media Action’s Guide for the media on communicating in public health emergencies (available in multiple languages)BBC Media Action’s Lifeline programming websiteIFRC Epidemic Control Toolkit
Gaza: His job is to tell their story. Now their pain is his story too.
The people next door: An ongoing series about people helping others even as they face the very same strugglesEvery day, Amr would normally wake up knowing he first must secure food and water for himself and his family. Then, he heads to work.Amr Ali is a media officer at the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS). Much like every other citizen in Gaza, he also struggles to protect his family and make decisions regarding what to do next, or how to act, in the ongoing armed violence.As part of his job, Amr documents PRCS’s activities, such as the emergency response and the distribution of food, water, and relief items.“I was talking to some people who are currently taking shelter in the PRCS building,” said Amr via WhatsApp messages.“They asked me ‘what should we do? where should we go and how can we protect our children?’ I couldn’t answer them because I have the same questions.”Stories of lossAs part of his work, Amr tries to highlight rights violations and the suffering of people in Gaza; he listens to the staff and displaced people staying at PRCS headquarters – stories of loss, injury, evacuation and displacement.“There are so many tragic stories that have been engraved in my memory, from scenes that I’ve witnessed during my response to injured people in need, the dead and their families; these scenes will never be erased from my memory. I’m struggling with insomnia because I fear that my loved ones may suffer the same fate,” he said.Amr has heard stories from friends, of them forced to walk for hours from Gaza City, in the north, to the south of the Gaza Strip, of how there were explosions along the way, and how they had to turn back the first time they tried to flee.“My friend’s sister was terrified and she unable to move at the time. He had to help her walk while also helping his three young children,” Amr said. The whole family eventually made it.On the moveDue to the conflict, Amr also left the north with his family, and temporarily moved to his brother’s house in Khan Yunis, where 30 other people were also staying.He doesn’t know anything about the current state of his home, and the last update he received was a picture showing that his house was partially damaged. However, it’s not his house he’s most concerned about, it’s the children.“It’s very bad for the children.” he said. “They are afraid and don’t know what is happening or why it’s happening. I try to play with them, and I make loud noises to distract them from what’s happening outside.”“A few days ago, my kid asked me to make him a sandwich, because he was starving. I couldn’t make him anything because we had no flour, no bread, and no biscuits” he said.“I feel like a useless father who cannot do the simplest thing for his son.”Falling off the radarAs the situation worsened, Amr and his family had to travel further south, where they don’t know anyone and have nowhere to stay. The family is currently living in a tent.And like many caught up in the crisis, Amr has fallen out of touch. The destruction of infrastructure and the ensuing communications blackouts has made communication nearly impossible — even for a communications specialist like Amr. Recent attempts to reach out to Amr to check up on him and request some of his photographic work in Gaza were unsuccessful.Amr’s situation is playing out in homes across Gaza Strip, as food and water become scarcer, and infections are on the rise. Ongoing fighting has left families struggling with what to do next.The Palestine Red Crescent Society staff and volunteers are providing medical care in hospitals and medical posts, ambulance services, public health messaging, and psychosocial support to people in Gaza. Teams are also coordinating the reception and distribution of life-saving aid, such as food, water, medicine, and other emergency items. They do this despite worrying for the suffering of their families and living in the difficult conditions themselves.
For these two humanitarians in Madagascar, investing in women means breaking gender barriers and stigmas
At just 23 years old, Valisoa Liesse Razafisalama is already making a significant impact as a third-year communication student at the Madagascar’s National Tele-Education Center and a dedicated volunteer with the Malagasy Red Cross.Through her involvement in the National Disaster Response Team (NDRT), Valisoa has gained valuable experience raising awareness and providing training following recent tropical storms.However, it has been her initiative to challenge societal norms surrounding menstruation that truly showcased her dedication to breaking down barriers.“As members of the Red Cross movement, active in the humanitarian sector, we advocate for greater recognition of the role of women,” says Valisoa, who is among the roughly 42 percent of Malagasy Red Cross NDRT staff who are women.“We encourage the equitable inclusion of women in community decision-making, breaking with the trend of prioritizing men. We persist in our efforts because as women volunteers, we make significant contributions to the well-being of the communities where we operate.” Not just a women’s issueValisoa observed a prevailing trend where men in her community showed disinterest in discussions about menstruation, viewing it solely as a women's issue. Determined to change this perspective, she organised awareness sessions for both men and women, emphasising the natural and normal aspects of menstruation.By fostering a shared understanding within the community, Valisoa contributed to eliminating the stigmas associated with menstruation and promoting gender equality.In many post disaster situations, fear of talking about menstruation or other health issues can mean that women simply do not get full attention and care they need to stay healthy.Challenging cultural stereotypes With a background in biodiversity and the environment, and extensive experience in humanitarian work, 33-year-old Lova Arsène Linà Ravelohasindrazana exemplifies resilience and determination in challenging gender stereotypes.Working as a project manager for the Malagasy Red Cross, Lova oversees interventions in the Anosy region, were cultural barriers often hinder women's participation in leadership roles.Despite facing resistance, Lova actively promotes women's empowerment, ensuring their involvement in decision-making and community initiatives.Seven percent of decision makers on the National Society’s management team are women and Lova is among them."During interventions, whether it's in the communities or among the people I supervise, the culture still makes it difficult for them to accept women that lead,” she says. “As a project manager, there are times when I can feel it most.“But I also try to understand how these communities in which I work function. How I can make them more aware of what I and others can bring, how to better approach things and what are the approaches to avoid offending people's sensitivities in relation to their culture.” Lova's dedication to advocating for women's rights extends beyond her professional life. She also educates women about their rights and encourages their active participation in various initiatives, contributing to a more equitable society.