World Mental Health Day: New IFRC report reveals why mental health must be part of any emergency response.

Courage in crisis: How one volunteer saved dozens of lives after Myanmar’s March 2025 earthquake

Just more than six months ago, two powerful earthquakes struck central Myanmar, impacting more than 1.35 million people and devastating thousands of homes, schools, and hospitals.In this moment of chaos, many found hope in the Red Cross uniform. May Tha Gyan, a dedicated female volunteer from Pubbathiri Township in Naypyitaw, one of the earthquake hardest-hit areas, was among them.On that fateful day, the 31-year-old May was on duty at the Red Cross Headquarters in Naypyitaw, donned in her uniform. The disaster hit close to home: her two older children were at Sunday school while her youngest daughter was with her husband.With phone lines immediately down and roads destroyed, she couldn’t reach them. Yet, her sense of duty guided her forward without hesitation.‘No time to think’The first person May helped was a woman with a severe head injury. Drawing on her training from the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS), she stopped the bleeding, bandaged the wound, and arranged for an ambulance. As she transported the injured, her journey transformed into a mobile first aid station.“In an emergency, there’s no time to think too much,”May recalls. “As soon as people were rescued, I had to make quick decisions on how to give first aid.”Only later did she learn from her husband that her family was safe, allowing her to focus entirely on the overwhelmed hospital.“It was extremely chaotic: people with amputations, head injuries, and blood everywhere,”she described, detailing how she helped doctors determine who needed urgent care‘I broke down’The most challenging moment arrived when a grieving mother placed her lifeless child in May’s arms. “As a mother myself, I broke down,”she admitted, grappling with thoughts of her own children and questioning her husband’s assurances.Still, May persevered. By 4 PM that same day, she had taken on the role of first id team leader, guiding four volunteers into collapsed buildings to search for survivors.For 15 days, they worked tirelessly, making critical decisions. May found strength in knowing her husband and parents cared for her children, allowing her the peace of mind to fulfill her mission.‘Every household needs first-aid knowledge’In her neighborhood, nearly all 200 buildings had collapsed. Although her house remained, it leaned precariously against a ruin, forcing her family to sleep on the street with 700 others for 20 days. During that time, she emerged as a pillar of strength, providing care and comfort to around 200 households.Her message is clear: “First aid is critical. It saves lives in the crucial moments before reaching a hospital or clinic.”Passionate about teaching these skills to young people, she emphasizes that “In disasters, every household needs first aid knowledge to save lives.”She also stresses self-care for those, like her, who are giving everything they have to help their neighbors. “Volunteers must keep themselves safe first. Only by staying healthy can we save others,”she says.She saved more than 75 livesMay’s unwavering dedication has been recognized. On 13 September 2025, World First Aid Day, she received the First Aid Excellence Award for saving more than 75 lives through first aid in just two years. She has also rescued over 200 people during floods and provided aid in a serious bus accident.These earthquakes struck amid existing floods, conflict, economic struggles, and extreme heat, pushing communities to their limits. Six months later, the IFRC and its membership transitioned from supporting the Myanmar Red Cross with emergency relief to early recovery, providing shelter, cash, healthcare, and clean water.May remains tirelessly involved, distributing aid and training over 20 young people in first aid. And she is not alone. She is just one of many Myanmar Red Cross volunteers who have responded courageously and tirelessly from the moment the quake struck, through today’s on-going recovery efforts.While some families have begun rebuilding, many still live in temporary shelters. The road to recovery is long, but individuals like May ensure that no one is left behind.Learn more about the IFRC and Myanmar Red Cross response:As of 30 September 2025, with support of theIFRC Emergency Appealand other International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement partners, as well as other donors, the Myanmar Red Cross Society has reached more than 200,000 people across 30 townships. This includes:More than 99,359 people have received health care, and more than 1.3 million liters of safe drinking water have been distributed.Sanitation and hygiene services have reached 170,961 people through the clean water supply, construction of latrines, distribution of water tanks and water filters, distribution of hygiene kits and cleaning materials, and hygiene awareness sessions.More than 157,904 people have received household items such as shelter kits, mosquito nets, and kitchen sets. MPCA reached more than 15,015 households. This is in addition to 23,424 householdsreached through Complementary Cash Assistance. In addition, 150 households received cash assistance for latrines.More than 126,922 people have received food and livelihood assistance, mainly mobilized locally from individuals and non-Movement partners of MRCS.Considering protection, gender and inclusion (PGI), more than 19,220 people have been reached with gender and age-specific items such as dignity kits, infant kits, and delivery kits.300 metric tonnes of relief and goods arrived in country from the IFRC Network, other partners, and donor governments.32 National Societies globally have, to date, supported MRCS in this operation (financially, with in-kind donations, or with technical support).MRCS has deployed over 698 volunteers from its network of trained and experienced volunteers countrywide.You can support volunteers like May Tha Gyan by donating to the Myanmar Earthquake Emergency Appeal.

Jordan Red Crescent Hospital brings hope, safety and new life to Gaza’s children

On the first floor of the Jordan Red Crescent Hospital in Amman, the shy smiles of Gaza’s children—who were evacuated for medical reasons last September from the Gaza Strip—intersect with pain beyond their years.Their timid smiles conceal memories of a brutal conflict ongoing for two years, leaving them with invisible and unforgettable wounds. Loss, hunger, bombing, and repeated displacement have made childhood a deferred dream, and even the simplest right to education a rare luxury.The pain is not just a story from the past; it is a daily reality for these children, who suffer from spinal injuries, loss of sight, physical disabilities, and chronic illnesses that weigh down their small bodies that have barely begun to grow."We received several children from Gaza suffering from severe spinal cord and spine injuries,” saysDr. Qasim Sallam, a general practitioner at the Jordan Red Crescent Hospital. “We conducted the necessary examinations under specialist supervision and also provided social care to their companions.""Once the children feel they are in a safe place, their psychological condition begins to improve. We notice a big difference between the moment they arrive and today."Asmaa Abu Ghosh, the psychosocial support officer at the Jordan Red Crescent Hospital.Stories of injury, recovery and resilienceYahya, a 9-year-old boy, is one of 13 children received by the Jordan Red Crescent Hospital for treatment after their medical evacuation from Gaza. His mother, Norhan, recounts that his injury occurred during the second truce on February 27, 2025, while he was playing in front of their house. He was hit by shrapnel, affecting his spinal cord."Yahya began his treatment at the European Hospital, then received two months of physical therapy in Khan Younis at the Palestine Red Crescent Hospital," she says.Although doctors reassure the possibility that he may be able to walk again using an assistive device, Yahya still suffers from pain in his diaphragm, which nearly caused him to choke, along with problems in his intestines and stomach.Hassan is another child injured on June 8, 2025, while playing in front of his house in an area categorized to be safe. He lost his sight due to bombing shrapnel. He underwent two abdominal surgeries, during which a part of his intestines was removed. The shrapnel also injured his toes."Hassan was studying in first grade when the conflict broke out, and at the start of second grade, schools stopped,” says his grandmother, who accompanies him today at the Jordan Red Crescent Hospital.“We moved from Sheikh Radwan in Gaza to Rafah, then to Al-Mawasi in Khan Younis. We thought we would return in two days, but it turned into a year and a half of displacement in tents under indescribable conditions."The grandmother recalls the hardships: "We returned home during the first truce, but it had been bombed, and some belongings were stolen, while others were left in the street. During the second escalation, we stayed despite the fear and hunger. A few days before leaving Gaza for Jordan, we prepared to relocate again to the south; we rented a piece of land, where we set up a tent."About daily life in Gaza, she says: "Hunger is deadly. A kilo of flour reached 180 shekels ($US 55), so how can a family of seven live without income? Surgeons were amputating limbs without anaesthesia due to a lack of resources."She expresses sorrow that Hassan's father couldn’t accompany him to Jordan. He is still in Gaza, hoping his parents will be allowed to join her, as Hassan needs advanced treatment available at a hospital in Britain.Compounded suffering and the struggle for survivalThe stories of complex medical needs and family separation continue. Khadija also arrived in Jordan with two of her children, one of whom suffers from lung, heart, and kidney problems that began during the conflict that erupted in 2008, while four of her other children remain in Gaza.“I don’t want my daughter to lose her future,” she says. “I want her to continue her education in better conditions.” She also calls for the opportunity to bring her other son to Jordan for treatment that is unavailable in Gaza.A safe place for psychological recoveryThe role of the Jordan Red Crescent Hospital is not limited to providing medical treatment for sick children from Gaza and their companions, but also extends to psychosocial support, attempting to mend what the conflict has broken inside them.Asmaa Abu Ghosh, the psychosocial support officer at the hospital, says: "Once the children feel they are in a safe place, their psychological condition begins to improve. We notice a big difference between the moment they arrive and today."But the care here goes beyond therapeutic and psychosocial support aspects to gently touch hearts with rare humanity. The medical, nursing staff, and volunteers work to bring back the features of childhood stolen by the conflict. They do this by creating moments of joy, celebrating children’s birthdays, organizing entertainment sessions and other activities such as hair styling that fill empty days and give them space for laughter and play.In late September, Jordan Red Crescent staff celebrated the birthdays of two girls, Tala and Alma. Alma had a very particular birthday wish:"I want to become a doctor… to treat people just like the doctors at the Jordan Red Crescent Hospital."Mothers' plight and the journey to safetyMothers also face compounded suffering from malnutrition, pregnancy complications, harsh displacement, and constant anxiety for their children. This is especially the case with families split between Gaza and Jordan, where some children were evacuated for treatment under King Abdullah’s initiative to treat around 2,000 children."I am pregnant and need a C-section,” says one mother. “I left my two young children with their father and their disabled grandfather in Deir al-Balah. We rely on the kindness of people there."She continues tearfully: "They destroyed our house, and we moved from Al-Baraka to Deir al-Balah. No food, no vitamins, only lentils and beans. I have not tasted eggs or fruit for months. I leave bread for my children while anemia and malnutrition wear me down."Despite depression and psychological pressures, she affirms that the medical staff at the Jordan Red Crescent Hospital did not neglect her and provided care "like family."Another woman from Khan Younis recounts her struggle with her daughters’ illnesses, one suffering from neurological seizures since childhood, with a condition stable before deteriorating due to theconflict, and the other unable to balance and falling while walking or sitting.Families recount the hardship of accessing medical care amid transport cuts and high costs. One woman describes her daughter collapsing before evacuation, receiving urgent help from the Palestine Red Crescent.Another mother, in Jordan with four children, seeks advanced treatment for her son’s liver disease and she is urging authorities to let her 15-year-old son still in Gaza join them."We spent a year and nine months in a tent, living on aid amid daily suffering," she says. "A hot lentil dish fell on Amir’s back while he tried to get food from humanitarian aid centers that do not meet humanitarian standards, and he got burned. The children competed to fill water and food amid chaos and violence under continuous bombing. Some days, we did not even have a loaf of bread."Her son, Odai, adds: "I am happy in Jordan, but I miss my brother Amir. I witnessed scenes of tension and fear at the distribution centers, where overcrowding and scarcity created extremely unsafe conditions." He hopes to have laser eye surgery to improve his vision, as he has worn glasses since being injured in the 2008 conflict.Despite the painful experiences they endured, the children and their mothers do not lose feelings of gratitude for leaving Gaza and starting a treatment journey that gives them a glimmer of hope. While some families dream of reunion after losing everything, others still demand saving those remaining under the bombing and hunger.About this arduous mission, Zeina Al-Masri, head of the Protection Family Links unit at the Jordan Red Crescent, says: "What always strikes me is the joy in the children’s eyes the moment they enter Jordanian territory. The electricity lights amaze them; they have not seen them for a long time, and their bodies are exhausted from hunger. When we distribute food and light drinks to them, I feel as if something from heaven has descended upon them."A call for continued supportThe life-saving and life-changing work of the Jordan Red Crescent is supported in part by an international Emergency Appeal by the IFRC for the ongoing Middle East crisis. Among many other things, it aims to support patients medically evacuated from Gaza to Jordan, along with their companions, as part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ efforts to save lives and preserve the dignity of the sick and wounded, in cooperation with the Jordan Red Crescent.These efforts go beyond receiving patients; the Jordan Red Crescent continues to provide essential medical check-ups for Gazans and Palestinians of various nationalities within the framework of a family reunification program, coordinated with 18 accredited embassies in Jordan. The Jordan Red Crescent also sends humanitarian assistance—food and medicines—into Gaza whenever the crossings are opened.Dr. Sallam concludes by stressing the “need for greater financial support to enable us to provide the necessary health and psychosocial support for these children and their companions,” amid expectations of receiving new groups soon.Story by Mey Al Sayegh, IFRC Head of Communications for the Middle East and North Africa Region

IFRC-DREF Stories

Delivering vaccines under fire: Palestine Red Crescent teams risk their lives to protect children’s health in Gaza

Editor’s note: This article was written prior to the latest ceasefire coming into effect on 10 October, which IFRC welcomes and hopes will lead to lasting peace.We call for a massive scaling up of aid and international support for Gaza to alleviate the catastrophic conditions people have endured for the past two years. --It’s April 2023 in the Gaza Strip. Parents are forming an orderly queue outside their neighbourhood health clinic, waiting to get their babies their life-saving immunizations. Demand is high, but the system is running smoothly and vaccines are readily available. The jabs prompt tears here and there, but parents calmly comfort their children and get their records stamped—heading home knowing that their little ones have been gifted the hope of a healthier future.Fast forward two years and the picture could not be more different.It’s April 2025 in the Gaza Strip. The neighbourhood health clinic has been destroyed. Families have been forced to flee multiple times due to the ongoing hostilities. Parents are exhausted and weak from malnutrition, giving the precious little food they can get hold of to their children. They desperately want to get them vaccinated, but the journey to the nearest functioning clinic is fraught with danger. Mothers and fathers find themselves asking: do we risk diseases today, or bombs? They try their best to soothe their children’s tears, but they are constant now.It's in this stark new reality that Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) medical teams and volunteers have been striving to keep their communities healthy and safe.Since April 2025, they’ve been working against all odds to set up and run routine immunization services aiming to protect some of the hardest-to-reach children in Gaza from entirely preventable diseases such as polio, measles and rubella. This work is carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Health, with support from IFRC, and with financial support from Gavi, which isproviding vaccines procured through UNICEF and contributing to operational costs.Here’s what two Palestine Red Crescent doctors involved in the project have to say.My name is Dr Bashar Murad, Director of the Primary Health Care Department. I’m originally from northern Gaza, but I’m now living with my family in Khan Younis. We’ve been displaced eight times since the start of the conflict.I’ve worked for the Palestine Red Crescent since 2000, and I’m currently running our immunization programme in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Gavi and UNICEF.Since the start of the conflict, around 80% of health clinics in Gaza have been forced to close—either due to evacuation orders or because they’ve been damaged. Our mission is to continue childhood immunization and keep protecting children from preventable diseases, even as our health system collapses around us.Currently, Palestine Red Crescent is offering childhood vaccination through five of our 15 medical clinics which are still managing to operate even under incredibly difficult circumstances.Families here face immense challenges accessing health services. Clinics are closing. People are displaced. There’s the constant threat of bombs, sometimes we are forced to evacuate at short notice, and regular power outages severely hinder our work. There’s a severe shortage of medicines and medical supplies, especially for chronic diseases. And with fuel supplies scarce, it can be difficult to transport the limited medical supplies we do have to where they are needed.Recently, famine was officially declared in Gaza—something we had already seen firsthand for some time, with more and more people coming to us severely malnourished. Young children, new and expectant mothers and the elderly are the hardest hit. What is especially cruel is that when children are malnourished, it makes the vaccines less effective.Despite the massive destruction, we must go on. Our staff and volunteers are putting themselves on the line every day to provide health services. We really feel our communities’ appreciation. We are still able to run some of our health facilities, but for how long?We’ve already lost so much: lives, hospitals, schools. We constantly fear for people’s safety. My message is simply this: end the conflict.Dr Bashar Murad, Palestine Red Crescent SocietyMy name is Dr Rami Abu Hamad and I’m from northern Gaza.I began working for the Palestine Red Crescent in 2016. I was working at Al-Quds Hospital until the early weeks of the conflict, then moved to the field hospital in Rafah until the city was evacuated. Since July 2024, I’ve been working at the Dr. Fathi Arafat Medical Centre in Deir al-BalahMy family and I have been forced to flee three times during the conflict. We now live together in a small apartment here in Deir al-Balah. My three children (16, 14, 12) used to be star pupils, but their education has ground to a halt these past two years, which brings me so much pain.We vaccinate around 60-70 children every day at our centre, and we also have outreach teams which head out into camps to reach families who can’t come to us. Access here is incredibly challenging due to the security situation: it’s so difficult to travel anywhere. Many of the children we are trying to help can’t get vaccines because their parents are either injured or killed.The health and living conditions of children in Gaza is extremely poor. A combination of malnutrition, a lack of safe drinking water and poor hygiene has led to outbreaks of skin, digestive and respiratory diseases. Parents here really want to get their children vaccinated, but there are so many competing priorities. Right now, food is the most important thing amid famine and food shortages.I keep going out of pure humanitarian commitment to my community. Despite the extremely difficult and dangerous conditions, I keep serving our people.Dr Rami Abu Hamad, Palestine Red Crescent SocietyIn the midst of conflict, displacement and uncertainty, 60 Palestine Red Crescent Society volunteers are walking from one displacement shelter to another, speaking with families about the importance of childhood vaccination. With empathy and determination, they guide parents on where and how to get their children vaccinated through nearby PRCS health facilities and medical points. Along the way, they identify ‘zero-dose’ children (kids who haven’t received a single vaccine dose), helping ensure that even in the hardest-hit areas, no child is left behind.Gaza used to have extremely high vaccination coverage, but the conflict risks leaving this in tatters. Palestine Red Crescent medical teams are working tirelessly alongside partners to maintain vaccination coverage as best they can and protect children from entirely preventable diseases. As of August 2025, they've vaccinated 20,468 children in Gaza with at least one vaccinedose.To protect these children’s lives, medical staff, like Dr Bashar and Dr Rami, and volunteers are risking their own. Just a few months ago, Palestine Red Crescent nurse, Haitham Abu Issa, who was immunizing children at their Deir al-Balah clinic was tragically killed while off duty. Haitham is one of 51 Palestine Red Crescent staff and volunteers whose lives have been cruelly claimed since the start of the conflict.Every child deserves the chance to grow up healthy and safe. And every humanitarian should be protected and able to carry out their life-saving work without fear. But in Gaza, these basic rights are under siege.For parents and medical staff alike, vaccinating children used to be a part of normal life. Now, it has become an act of courage.We welcome the ceasefire agreed and hope it leads to lasting peace. And we commend the efforts of the Palestine Red Crescent Society to make sure that no child in Gaza is left vulnerable to diseases—because for every child vaccinated, there is hope for life beyond the conflict.

Mauritania: Vital aid strengthening solidarity between people on the move and the families who host them

In Rosso, Mauritania, on the banks of the Senegal River, the constant back and forth of pirogues and ferries shapes daily life. Every day, hundreds of people cross the river, linking this Mauritanian city to its Senegalese twin of the same name on the opposite bank.Rosso’s strategic position makes it a major economic and migratory crossroads between Mauritania and Senegal—a gateway to the south and a transit point for sub-Saharan migrants heading towards the Maghreb and Europe.In recent months, the city has faced a growing influx of people on the move. Many arrive exhausted from long journeys, lacking access to drinking water, sufficient food, or safe shelter.Humanitarian service points: Lifelines in transitTo respond to these urgent needs, the Mauritanian Red Crescent has established two Humanitarian Service Points (HSPs)—one at the Rosso pier and another at the local committee headquarters. For many migrants in transit, these spaces have become lifelines offering essential services.“We provide them with food, water, hygiene kits, psychosocial support, and phone services for those seeking to contact loved ones,” explains Mohamed Ould Lemine, Head of Volunteer and Migration Programmes at the Mauritanian Red Crescent. “But the daily increase in arrivals quickly overwhelmed our capacity.” Host families: The front line of solidarityBehind this visible humanitarian emergency lies another, quieter strain—that faced by host families in Rosso. These households, already struggling with limited resources, are often the first to extend a helping hand to migrants and displaced people, embodying the spirit of solidarity.To support both migrants and the communities that welcome them, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) mobilized 375,000 Swiss francs through its Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF). This assistance aims to reach 4,500 migrants and 600 vulnerable host families, thereby strengthening local mutual aid capacities and social cohesion.A more equitable and inclusive responseFar from the bustle of the river crossing, dozens of Mauritanian Red Crescent volunteers are at work across several neighborhoods of Rosso-ville, distributing cash assistance to 600 vulnerable host families. This financial support helps households meet their most urgent needs and regain a sense of stability.“It was time for humanitarian actors to think of us too. This is the first aid we have received,” says Mohamed Tahet Ould Sidi, head of the Haye Nezaha 1 neighborhood in the outskirts of Rosso, expressing a long-felt sense of neglect.In the courtyard of his home, temporarily transformed into a distribution site, hope flickers anew. Under the scorching sun, women—many of them the sole breadwinners for their families—line up to receive support that can make a world of difference.“Before, we lived simply but managed to get by,” says Salma Hemet, 54, a mother of seven from the Jadida neighborhood. “Then everything became difficult: the prices of rice and sugar went up, and our income disappeared.”Building shared resilienceFor the IFRC and the Mauritanian Red Crescent, this integrated approach reflects a long-term vision—one that sees assistance not as charity, but as an investment in shared resilience.“By supporting both migrants and host families, we recognize their crucial role,” explains Makan Boubacar Sissao, IFRC Migration Programme Officer, referring to the support that host families provide.“We are not just distributing aid; we are strengthening social cohesion and helping communities build resilience together.”

15 days of action: Well before Hurricane Melissa struck, the Red Cross was on full alert, helping people get ready. Now, they’re at the heart of the response

For the people who lived through Hurricane Melissa, it was a storm like no other they had ever experienced.Melissa made landfall in southwestern Jamaica on 28 October as a Category 5 hurricane, with winds exceeding 160 mph, making it the most severe storm to hit the island in known history. Then, itmoved eastward towards Cuba, where it struck twelve hours later as a Category 3 hurricane.Fortunately, the severity of the hurricane was not entirely unexpected. Thanks to forecasts, the Red Cross network in the region had already begun preparing for the storm. A week before landfall, when the first weather forecasts showed the formation of Hurricane Melissa and its possible paths in the central Caribbean, the Red Cross was already active, coordinating with local groups and agencies, warning the communities and helping them prepare, and placing critical supplies in places where they were likely to be needed most. Local Red Cross teams in Cuba, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, activated their contingency plans and began preparing communities for what would become one of the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic. The damage in Jamaica was devastating. The government estimates that losses amount to around 30 percent of the national GDP. Flooding destroyed roads and damaged crops, leaving more than 70 percent of the population without electricity. Around 7,200 people sought shelter in the 881shelters that were opened across the country, eight of which are still being managed by the Jamaican Red Cross.“It was very traumatic. I lost my storeroom, my shed down there, and the water in the gully was rising. When I peeped through the window and saw the kind of breeze along with the rain, it was very traumatic,” says Mr. Lawrence, Doctor, former Emergency Chair for the Red Cross St Elizabeth branch. “As you can see, all my fruit trees have died. The fish that I feed every morning they turned over, they all swam away.”In Cuba, winds of up to 195 km/h and heavy rainfall caused rivers to overflow and triggered landslides, interrupting basic services. It is estimated that 2.2 million people have been severely affected.“We were not able to arrive to Santiago because the road is blocked by what is full of water,” said Nicolás Segura, IFRC’s Disaster Response Coordinator for the Latin Caribbean.“We were able to see a lot of damage, a lot of devastation, a lot of dead animals on the road and also a couple of road accidents and people trying to get to their houses, trying to recover everything.”Anticipatory action saves livesIn Jamaica, the Red Cross launched preventive measures in eight high-risk parishes, supported by the IFRC’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF). Volunteers visited at-risk communities to disseminate early warning messages, prepared shelters and distributed essential items.. Thanks to these measures, more than 300 people and five institutions received essential non-food items and preparedness support well before the storm made landfall.Meanwhile, the Cuban Red Cross activated its contingency plan for hydrometeorological events, deploying staff and volunteers to vulnerable areas. They reinforced community communications, checked evacuation centres and pre-positioned humanitarian aid kits and rescue equipment in provinces such as Granma, Santiago de Cuba and Holguín. This advance preparation meant that, when Melissa finally made landfall, both National Societies were ready to respond immediately without wasting any critical time. From day one, teams on both islands have been working tirelessly. The Jamaica Red Cross mobilised 400 volunteers and immediately distributed 750 blankets, 250 cleaning kits, 250 hygiene kits, 250 shelter tool kits and 500 tarpaulins. In Cuba, specialised brigades have supported evacuations, rescued over 500 people, and provided psychosocial support to families in crisis.International appeals for recovery supportThe scale of the disaster has prompted the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to launch two emergency appeals to strengthen operations in both countries. The emergency appeal in Jamaica aims to raise 19 million Swiss francs (US$23 million) to assist 180,000 people over the next two years. The operation will provide shelter, livelihoods, and cashassistance, helping families rebuild safely and recover with dignity.Special attention will be given to single mothers, families with young children or older adults, and people with disabilities. All interventions will be guided by protection, gender inclusion and community engagement and accountability, ensuring that assistance is fair and transparent, and helping communities prepare for future climate crises. In Cuba, the emergency appeal aims to raise CHF 15 million (USD 18 million) to support 100,000 people in the worst-affected provinces. The operation combines emergency relief, early recovery, and long-term resilience, helping families rebuild homes, restore safe water, and recover their health and livelihoods.This two-year appeal invests in climate-resilient reconstruction. Families will receive roofing kits, tools, and training in safe, sustainable building techniques, along with solar-powered water systems to secure clean water even when power fails. The goal: help communities recover today and then have what they need to resist tomorrow’s storms.Active global networkIn the seven days following the storm, the Red Cross's global network delivered over 180 tonnes of humanitarian supplies to the Caribbean. These included shelter kits, cleaning kits, kitchen sets, hygiene kits, jerry cans, buckets and blankets. On Sunday, 2 November, an IFRC charter flight landed in Santiago de Cuba with the first 20 tons of humanitarian aid for those affected by Hurricane Melissa. 'We are in the warehouses where we have our 20-tonne load of humanitarian aid that arrived recently. Our objective is to check it and establish distribution guidelines', said Luis Enrique Calderón Rodríguez on 4 November. He is the Head of Operations and Rescue at the Cuban Red Cross. 'We have already verified that the loads are ready and that we can begin delivering to families today.'This shipmentenables the Cuban Red Cross to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to 1,500 people in the most affected areas, including kitchen kits, hygiene kits, bedding, blankets, mosquito nets, solar lamps, shelter tool kits and plastic sheeting.In Jamaica, 160 tons of Red Cross humanitarian aid arrived in the seven days following Melissa's landfall. Shipments reinforce local distribution, enabling thousands of families to receive hygiene, cleaning, and cooking items in the early days of the emergency. These actions were made possible by international solidarity. The Canadian Red Cross, the French Red Cross's Regional Intervention Platform of the Americas-Caribbean (PIRAC) and the IFRC's Regional Logistics Centre in Panama coordinated the shipment of supplies by air and sea to ensure aid reached those most in need quickly. Volunteers from the Cuban and Jamaican Red Cross Societies, meanwhile, are still extremely busy throughout the region, carrying out damage and needs assessments, distributing emergency supplies, cleaning up and providing emotional support.Helping people cope with shock and lossNot all the support being provided comes in the form of physical goods or supplies.There is a strong and widespread need for psychosocial support in the worst-affected communities, including among Red Cross members. Volunteers and staff have been working tirelessly for days. Some volunteers have seen their homes completely destroyed.“We recognise that there is a very real and strong need for health services, medical care, and psychosocial support,” said Ruth Howard to BBC on October 31, Howard is the Deputy Public Relations Chair for the Jamaica Red Cross. “The psychosocial support is essential, because this has been one of the most traumatic events that many of our people have ever experienced in their lives,” she continued.Yet they continue to support those most in need, demonstrating that Red Cross help begins in communities. Every kit delivered, every safe evacuation and every hug of support is made possible by these dedicated volunteers. Hurricane Melissa reminded us once again that preparedness saves lives. The anticipatory actions implemented before the storm made landfall proved their effectiveness, making the difference between total devastation and resilience. Over the next months, the IFRC and the National Societies of Jamaica and Cuba will continue to collaborate to bolster community resilience in the face of future climate events.

‘You can’t capture it in pictures’: Hurricane Melissa leaves path of destruction in Western Jamaica

In a residential part of Westmoreland, a parish on the western point of Jamaica, Maceo Sibbles stands amid a swath of broken branches and fallen trees. Behind him, the trees that still stand are bent, twisted and stripped of their leaves and branches.“The damage has been catastrophic,” says Sibbles, who serves as director of the Westmoreland Branch of the Jamaica Red Cross. Hurricane Melissa, the strongest Hurricane to ever hit Jamaica – and the third largest storm to ever be recorded in the Caribbean – has caused widespread destruction across the west of the country.“You can’t capture it in pictures, not even videos, you need to see it with your own two eyes,” he says. “It’s really horrific.”There are some areas of Westmoreland that are still completely inaccessible, ten days after the hurricane made landfall. People are desperately in need of the most basic amenities, having had their entire lives shattered, blown into the wind.“We’ve had areas where the only thing left standing is the bathroom, the concrete bathroom that the person built. If it’s not concrete, it’s not there, everything else is flat."Maceo Sibbles, director of the Westmoreland Branch of the Jamaica Red Cross.“We’ve had areas where houses are primarily built with board and zinc and most of those are completely devastated,” Maceo says.“We are trying our best to reach out and get out into the communities but haven’t even gotten to the hills yet. We are getting reports of a lot of people have passed away due to the storm."‘Everyone is hurting’Jamaica Red Cross staff and volunteers are currently facing immense challenges reaching affected areas due to downed power lines, flooding, and impassable roads. It took some volunteers several days to even reach their local Red Cross branch office to support with humanitarian aid distribution, because the areas surrounding their homes were so badly damaged.“It took a lot of volunteers days to come out from where they were, getting through trees, getting through the downed powerlines on the roads,” Maceo says. “You can’t drive out, you have to walk out and then you’re dealing with water that is chest or waist height.”“We have people who are marooned. We can’t get to them because of the distance to the closest driving point and it’s hard to go there and pass everybody on the way who can’t go out for themselves.”Watch this interview with hurricane survivor Dwayne Francis:Needs are vast: Emergency funding triggered and appeals launchedDespite the difficulties, Red Cross teams have started distributing goods to affected communities, including food packages, water and items like tarpaulins, shelter kits, hygiene kits, cleaning kits and jerry cans.The needs are so vast it is impossible to reach everyone who needs support right now, so Maceo and his team are focusing on individuals and communities who are most vulnerable.“We have started distributing to the elderly, people who have small children and people with disabilities, physical challenges or mental challenges,” he says. “We have also distributed from a location in Savanna La Mar for people who can actually reach there, to get some of their supplies.To support the response to Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, the IFRC has launched an emergency appeal for 19 million Swiss francs and allocated 80,000 Swiss francs from its Disaster Response Emergency Fund in advance of the storm's arrival in order to support emergency preparations.Working togetherThe scale of this disaster requires a coordinated response, with the many actors on the ground. Agencies need to ensure they are working together and pooling their resources to work as efficiently and effectively as possible.“This is not the Red Cross only, it’s not the Ministry of Labour and Social Security only,”Maceo adds. “We’ve had World Central Kitchen come with hot meals, but everyone is chipping in little by little by little.“I know some people are getting impatient and we can’t ask them to be patient; we just have to get to them as soon as we can. And that’s what we’re trying to do, day by day. We are going to keep pushing.”In total, 881 shelters were activated across the island and are providing support to over 7,200 people. These shelters have largely been community halls, schools and churches, buildings that managed to withstand the force of the hurricane. Now, roughly 88 of these shelters remain active, with the Jamaican Red Cross managing eight of them.Community ResilienceMany of Maceo’s volunteers who are working tirelessly each day to provide food, supplies and other forms of help have also been badly affected. Despite their exhaustion and personal loss, they continue to support their neighbours.“I know some of my volunteers have been working from 6 in the morning until twelve midnight and they are exhausted,” Maceo says. “We are trying to rotate through as much as possible, so there is no burn out, but on the ground, we are working as hard as we can, to get to people who need help.“We have volunteers who are homeless right now. They are with somebody who may have gotten damaged and has pitched up part of their home to accommodate them.”Maceo Sibbles, director of the Westmoreland Branch of the Jamaica Red Cross.“We have volunteers who are homeless right now. They are with somebody who may have gotten damaged and has pitched up part of their home to accommodate them.”“A lot of our volunteers, when they go home, they are going home to darkness, to no water, to mud, going through several feet of water just to get home. Our volunteers push, our volunteers work hard, they are volunteering from the heart.”While Jamaica Red Cross volunteers are providing psychological support to people who are still living through a traumatic experience, they volunteers are also in need of psychosocial support.“We are going to be doing a lot of psychosocial first aid, because this hurricane shook a lot of people,” says Maceo. “I was in it personally. It was terrifying. For me, I don’t panic but I know my daughter was scared. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”Another challenge communities worst hit by the Hurricane have been experiencing is telecommunication outages. There are many areas of the country that will be without power for weeks to come and so a network of satellite communication devices has started to emerge, spanning the length of the country. The Westmoreland branch has become a hub for one of these devices, called a Starlink.“We’ve had the Starlink here for two days,” Maceo explains. “It’s being used by the community. We run it on the generator. It has issues but we’re really thankful for it. With the Starlink people are able to reach out to family members but also get some entertainment, because you know psychosocial support and people’s wellbeing is important. People need to have time to decompress and breathe, to achieve some semblances of normal life. It’s really important.”Hopes and fearsThere are so many barriers to overcome and there will be bumps in the road to recovery. The true extent of the damage and secondary hazards are still being identified. One such area of concern for Maceo is waste management and sanitisation issues.“I am worried about the disposal of waste,” he says. “We already had a problem with garbage being picked pre-Melissa, but now you have human waste and bodily waste, where people are utilising public spaces because they don’t have anything else.“One of my greatest concerns is that it might turn into some kind of communicable disease. I think we need public education on the matter, and we need to figure out a way to help these people have better hygiene practices.“Right now, people are just surviving, and you can’t look at a person whose surviving and tell them they need to do something different. We need to come up with a better option.”In terms of his hopes, Maceo has faith that his country will recover. Jamaican people are resilient and if we can garner enough support from the international community, there will be a light at the end of the tunnel, he says.“My hope is that we can build better, that we can do what needs to be done, so everybody gets the help that they need. I believe that we can do it, but we must get a lot of support,” he says.

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From trust to toilets: Community-led change in Nepal's mountains

In a changing world, one thing remains constant: we will always need the toilet. As climate change intensifies, water and sanitation related disasters are becoming more frequent and severe.Floods destroy sanitation infrastructure, droughts make hygiene nearly impossible, and when toilet systems fail, untreated waste can spread diseases like diarrhoea and cholera.These are some of the reasons the IFRC and its network of National Societies around the world work alongside communities to enhance their access to safe, clean water, while also helping them to improve sanitation and hygiene. Here is the story of one, ongoing project unfolding in remote, hillside communities in Nepal.Building confidence, one household at a timePuri Lal Devkota, a 75-year-old farmer, lives with his wife Kalashi in a hillside house in Kalikot, Nepal. Previously they didn't have their own toilet and relied on their son's—a challenge, especially with age.That changed when a community health volunteer began visiting them regularly as part of the Enabling Action for Community Health (EACH) Project, implemented by the Nepal Red Cross Society in collaboration with the Swiss Red Cross and the British Red Cross.For about a year, the volunteer—a woman from the same community—came monthly to talk about how to store and use drinking water safely, and the importance of using a toilet that is clean, private and away from water sources so it does not harm people’s health or the environment. Through her respectful and consistent engagement, she built strong trust with the couple.Encouraged by these visits, Puri Lal and Kalashi felt confident to take action. Without financial or material support, they arranged the materials, hired workers, and had a toilet constructed near their home within seven days."I was convinced in a single day," Puri Lal says with a smile."At this age, the toilet should be close," he explains. They also began boiling their drinking water and using clean containers. These changes have brought a sense of security and well-being to their daily lives."She always came with respect and trust," Puri Lal says of the volunteer. The couple is now eager to pass their knowledge on to others in the community.Supari becomes a champion for change: 'We need models'Supari Luhar lives alone in her hillside home in the same community. For years, she faced the discomfort and shame of using the jungle or a dilapidated shelter for a toilet. Without running water, basic hygiene was a daily struggle.Eight months ago, after regular visits from the same behaviour change programme, Supari mobilized local workers to build her own toilet. With the new water tap provided by the project, she now filters and boils her drinking water and keeps her toilet clean—changes she calls "a pleasure."But Supari didn't stop there. She now visits neighbouring households, sharing what worked for her. Through her guidance, around ten households have improved their sanitation practices."We need models," Supari says—and she has become one, actively shaping change in her community.Working with communities to achieve sanitation systems that lastWhat was once daily hardship is now a story of empowerment and resilience. These stories highlight how the IFRC and National Societies build resilient sanitation systems that last: working through trusted volunteers who are from the communities, empowering people to take action themselves which creates genuine ownership and using community champions to multiply impact. Supari's transformation shows how change spreads organically, and how motivation can spread and lead to wider impact.Future-ready sanitation for allToday, 3.5 billion people still live without safely managed sanitation—nearly half of humanity. Stories like Supari's and Puri Lal's show that future-ready sanitation requires more than infrastructure—it requires investing in people, building community ownership, and creating systems that adapt to our changing climate.On 19 November, we renew our commitment to leaving no one behind in sanitation. We call on everyone to become a sanitation champion in their community! Because everyone, everywhere deserves access to a toilet they can use safely and with dignity—no matter what challenges our changing world brings.Stories shared by Nepal Red Cross Society and Swiss Red Cross.Want to learn more about the IFRC’s work in water, sanitation and hygiene? Visit the IFRC's Water Security/Water, Sanitattion and hygiene portal. Connect with National Society and IFRC colleagues working in community health and WASH onIFRC Communities

Turning the tide on cholera in Zambia: When communities lead, change lasts

“Our village has experienced cholera cases in the recent past, and at first the situation was very alarming. Thankfully, Zambia Red Cross stepped in to support us… Because of this support, we have seen a noticeable reduction in cholera cases in our area.”— Rodaness Chipesa, mother from Tonga Village, Mpulungu DistrictWhen cholera resurfaced in northern Zambia’s Mpulungu District in September 2025, there was no waiting for external teams or emergency deployments. The first responders were already there.Zambia Red Cross volunteers — neighbours, shopkeepers, teachers, fishermen — moved rapidly through their own communities. With megaphones slung over their shoulders and chlorine sprayers in their hands, they went from home to home, sharing lifesaving information, supporting the sick, disinfecting water sources, and helping families act before the disease could spread.There was urgency. But there was also familiarity.People knew these volunteers, and they trusted them.That trust made the difference.Response rooted in trustIn Mpulungu, Nsama, and Mbala, volunteers moved swiftly with local health teams. They were not strangers in reflective vests — they were familiar faces who understood the rhythm of daily life, the gathering spaces, the water sources, and the elders who needed checking on.“People listen to us because we are part of them,” one Mpulungu volunteer shared. “They know that when we knock on a door, it is because we want them to stay safe.”Where cholera once crossed districts in days, outbreaks slowed, then stopped. This same approach had already halted transmission in Lusaka, Kabwe, and Chililabombwe during the previous season — proof that when trust leads, containment is possible.Prevention begins at homeCholera isn’t defeated in treatment centres alone — it is prevented in kitchens, community wells, and conversations between neighbours. Across six provinces, Zambia Red Cross Society volunteers have been visiting households to share practical guidance on safe water storage, handwashing, food hygiene, and early treatment. Nearly 14,000 families have also received hygiene kits including soap, chlorine, zinc and oral rehydration salts — small items that make a powerful difference in cholera prevention.For families like those in Tonga Village, that shift has been life-changing. Rodaness explains how receiving chlorine, soap, water buckets and hygiene education helped protect her children and neighbours — evidence that when households understand both “why” and “how,” communities become safer.Systems strengthened for the futureZambia’s cholera success is rooted in strong national preparedness and community leadership. The country is the first in Africa to launch a National Simulation Exercise Framework — led by ZNPHI with support from Africa CDC, UKHSA, and IFRC — ensuring that outbreaks are met not with improvisation but with coordinated, well-practised action. As British High Commissioner Rebecca Terzeon noted, it is “a testament to what is possible when communities are trained, trusted, and empowered to lead.”This rapid response didn’t happen by chance. Months of preparation under the Case Area Targeted Interventions (CATI) approach — supported by IFRC’s Country Support Platform and funded by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — gave communities a head start. Volunteers had already drilled outbreak triggers, health facilities were linked with community watch points, and prevention messages reached families before the first case appeared.“The difference today is confidence,” says Dr Adive Seriki of the IFRC Country Support Platform for Africa. “Communities aren’t waiting for help — they are the help. This is what preparedness looks like when local action meets global solidarity.”Resilience begins and ends with peopleFrom canoe ports along Lake Tanganyika to the dense markets of Lusaka, Zambia’s cholera response tells a larger story — one of ordinary people stepping into extraordinary roles.Prepared volunteers. Engaged communities. Local health systems strengthened through partnership, not replacement.“This is the future of humanitarian response,” says Dr Seriki. “When communities lead, outbreaks don’t stand a chance.”The fight against cholera is far from over — but something fundamental has shifted. Fear has been replaced with readiness. Isolation has been replaced with partnership, and vulnerability has been replaced with agency. Across Zambia, homes are safer, communities are stronger, and the first line of response now begins where it matters most: With the people who live there.Learn more about the Country Support Platform

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