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"They are exposed to violence, exploitation, abuse, security risks, sexual and gender-based violence, and all kinds of dangers along their migratory routes; here we offer them hope, as well as protection, assistance, guidance and counselling”.
This is how Mariama Mballo, a social worker, sums up the work carried out at the Kolda Humanitarian Service Point (HSP) run by the Senegalese Red Cross and IFRC in southern Senegal.
"The Kolda HSP is a centre for listening, psychosocial support, counselling and assistance for migrants. It offers an anonymous, confidential and free space for reception and counselling", says the 30-year-old sociologist by training, who has been working there since February 2022.
Senegal, historically considered a destination country for migrants in West Africa, has become a transit country. Due to its geographical location, migrants, especially those coming from West Africa, pass through Senegal on their journey north to Maghreb countries or Europe in search of a better life.
The importance of psychosocial support
Travelling along perilous migration routes can have a profound impact on both the physical and mental health of migrants.
The aim of the psychosocial support provided in Kolda is to help people on the move regain a certain normality, mental balance and, above all, to encourage people to be active and committed to their own recovery—by finding defence and protection mechanisms that work for them.
When migrants in transit have needs that cannot be met at the HSP, they are referred to other external partner services.
"The key to the project is its volunteers, in fact, they are the 'front door', the ones who first receive the migrants, listen to them and then direct them to the social worker for an active and in-depth listening", stresses Mariama.
Staff working in Kolda can also sometimes become overwhelmed when listening to the experiences recounted to them by migrants during counselling sessions.
“Yes, there are stories that shock us, but we have the capacity to overcome them in order to offer migrants the guidance and support they need," says Mariama.
Meeting people’s wide-ranging needs
People on the move can access other vital assistance, such as food and water, in Kolda. Many migrants who arrive, including women and children, have gone days without food as they undertake their long journeys through often inhospitable areas.
Kolda's volunteers and staff also offer people useful advice and counselling on issues such as human trafficking, regaining contact with their families or the handling of important travel documents.
And, if necessary, migrants can also receive legal assistance, always with the utmost confidentiality and protection, as well as basic help with clothing and hygiene in order to ensure their health and well-being.
"The people who arrive at the HSP are often in a situation of advanced vulnerability, so we do everything we can to immediately meet their most pressing needs," says Mariama.
Volunteers don’t just support migrants. They also carry out intensive work with the local community to raise awareness and knowledge about respect for the rights and dignity of migrants.
This important work is carried out with the utmost confidentiality, always in line with our fundamental principles and the IFRC’s migration policy.
Assistance and protection of the most vulnerable migrants in West Africa
Kolda is just one example of the more than 600 Humanitarian Service Points run by National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies along the world’s main migration routes. They are neutral spaces that provide a welcoming and safe environment for migrants to access essential services, regardless of their status and without fear of being detained or reported to the authorities.
Since the launch of the Kolda HSP en 2020, wich includes other small posts in Tanaff, Salikégné, Diaobé and Pata, volunteers have welcomed and supported more than 1,500 migrants.
It was set up as part of the 'Assistance and protection of the most vulnerable migrants in West Africa' project. Funded by the European Union, the project covers different busy migratory routes through Burkina Faso, Gambia, Mali, Niger and Senegal. In addition to the National Societies of these countries, the project also involves the IFRC, Spanish Red Cross, Danish Red Cross and Luxembourg Red Cross.
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For more information, visit our migration and displacement webpage to learn more about the IFRC’s migration policies, programmes and operations
Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers are everywhere.You’ll find them in your street, in your local community, in every corner of the world.You may even be one of them.
Every day, our millions of volunteers bring kindness to those who need it—no matter who or where they are.
Whether it’s by offering a hot drink or food,
Listening to someone and supporting their mental wellbeing,
Delivering essential supplies or cash to remote communities,
Giving or teaching lifesaving first aid,
Offering people on the move a safe space to rest,
Or helping communities adapt to climate change.
Acts of kindness like these, even if they sometimes feel small, make a huge difference to the lives of people in crisis.
Because kindness is powerful.And kindness is contagious—one small act can lead to another, and another, and another.
"Throughout the year, our millions of volunteers have been bringing hope and help to hundreds of millions of people around the world."
Jagan Chapagain
IFRC Secretary General
At the IFRC, we believe in our volunteers. We believe in the power of kindness.
Humanity, our first Principle, starts with kindness.
And we believe we can all #BeHumanKind.
"I want to thank our Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteerswho are responding to every emergency, in every corner of the world, also in this very moment."
Francesco Rocca
IFRC President
On International Volunteer Day, as with every other day of the year, we deeply thank our incredible, unstoppable volunteers.
You are appreciated. You are supported. You are valued.
Jakarta / Kuala Lumpur, 22 November 2022: Thousands of families in the west of the island Java were left reeling as a 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit the area on the afternoon on Monday, 21 November. Thousands of houses, schools, infrastructure, roads and more have been severely damaged as some are seen in a state of rubble.
The National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure in Indonesia officially reports more than 103 casualties and more than 320 people injured. The numbers are still emerging as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah) are working with authorities to urgently assess ground situation and gather more information.
The Secretary General of Indonesian Red Cross, Sudirman Said, said:
“We are devastated to hear about the lives that have been lost by the earthquake. Indonesian Red Cross relief and emergency teams have been deployed to help with evacuations, providing first aid, distribute clean water, establish emergency kitchens and emergency relief, focusing on most affected areas. We also mobilised 5 units of ambulance, medical personnel and volunteers to help with urgent evacuation and ground assessment.
“We are doing all we can to ensure no more lives are lost. We are ensuring that our volunteers and personnel do all they can to help people seek safety and comfort at our emergency shelters where critical relief can be found. We would also urge people to stay calm and to contact authorities for help.”
The earthquake hit the district of Cianjur where the livelihoods of the people thrive around small and medium enterprises revolving around local wear and products. While the earthquake did not trigger tsunami warnings, the people of West Java are no stranger to earthquakes and are doing all they can to stay vigilant for aftershocks and dangerous falling debris.
Over 13,700 people have been reported displaced while thousands more have lost their homes and are scattered in various emergency shelters.
IFRC Head of Delegation, Indonesia, Elkhan Rahimov, said:
“We are alongside Indonesian Red Cross to closely assess ground situation and determine the immediate needs of the affected community. Volunteers at the frontline are also prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of themselves as they work around the clock to help people get to safety.
“Our first main priority is to serve the affected community by meeting their immediate needs like access to drinking water, shelter and administering first aid. We are focusing our efforts on these while we plan our next phase of longer-term assistance.”
Red Cross personnel continue to respond as landslides, electricity and telecommunications cut off are reported.
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:
In Kuala Lumpur:
Rachel Punitha, +60 19 791 3830,
[email protected]
In Jakarta:
Annisa Marezqa, +62 812-8103-9155,
[email protected]
Awan Diga Aristo, +62 813-2063-5505,
[email protected]
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is raising concern that progress is stalling at COP27 and that there is a risk that the ambition to deliver and build on commitments made in Glasgow is slipping away.
With just a few days left for leaders to take decisive action on climate change, commitments to make steep and immediate emission reductions to stay below the 1.5oC warming limit—and thus limit further human suffering—are falling behind. And while negotiators are grappling with issues designed to limit and respond to the rising human impacts of climate change, technical discussions on delivering new and additional finance for loss and damage, as well as adaptation, are progressing too slowly to meet the needs of people.
Instead, the IFRC calls on Parties to build on what was agreed in Glasgow and raise ambition and action on mitigation, adaptation and on loss and damage.
“Combating the climate crisis and its effects takes bold thinking and even more ambitious action. World leaders cannot afford downgrading, but must raise their level of ambition to tackle the climate crisis, which is already dangerous for communities around the globe,” said Francesco Rocca, President of the IFRC.
“Letting up on ambitious goals sends a clear signal back to countries that meeting their previous commitments is optional. This is unacceptable. Communities—especially those most impacted by climate change—need promises that deliver with new and additional support to meet the scale of needs,” remarked Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General of the IFRC.
This is the critical decade for action. The world cannot afford to stall or backtrack on lifesaving commitments. There is no time to delay. Already at 1.1oC warming, IFRC found that 86% of all disasters in the last decade are linked to climate and weather extremes, affecting 1.7 billion people. This is an increase of almost 35% since the 1990s.
Communities are being repeatedly hit by extreme events - such as Kenya, which faced floods then locusts and now a drought triggering food insecurity and leading to malnutrition and death across the horn of Africa.
“We must invest in local action. Without it, we will still be saying the same things at COP28,” reiterated Dr. Asha Mohammed, Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross.
If we are to ever meet the needs of communities suffering these multiple repeated and overlapping events, it is essential to invest in ambitious mitigation, to scale up locally led adaptation and address losses and damages. Parties must respond to the growing demands for finance to reach the local level, reaching communities at the scale needed. These requests must be heard and translated into meaningful decision text.
Recent IFRC research demonstrates that many countries and communities are getting left behind when it comes to investment in climate adaptation. Existing funding is not enough to meet current needs, let alone the increased humanitarian impacts of more frequent and intense extreme weather and climate events.
According to Maarten van Aalst, Director of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, COP27 needs to deliver on three fronts: tangible progress on mobilizing new and additional funding to address loss and damage; more finance for climate adaptation; and increased ambition to implement rapid emission reductions to keep hopes of limiting warming to 1.5C alive.
To request an interview or for more information, please contact:
In Sharm El-Sheikh:Jenelle Eli, +1 202 603 6803, [email protected]
In Washington: Marie Claudet, +1 202 999 8689, [email protected]
Geneva, 9 November 2022 – As COP27 gets underway what’s most urgently needed is clear: accelerated investment in communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis.
At a make-or-break moment, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is launching today its Global Climate Resilience Platform to increase the resilience of communities most vulnerable to the changing climate.
The new initiative aims to support 500 million people by raising at least CHF1 billion through a five-year global initiative focusing on early warning and anticipatory action, nature-based solutions, and safety nets and shock responsive social protection.
Secretary General of the IFRC, Jagan Chapagain, says:
“We've launched the Global Climate Resilience Platform to create transformational change through an immense scale up of investment at the local community level, heeding the call for faster and broader efforts to address the climate crisis.
“Real sustainable change can only happen when the people impacted are driving decisions. Funding local climate action without having to go through multiple layers is crucial if we are to be truly successful in building resilience from the ground up.”
Through the platform, the IFRC network will support meaningful participation and the active leadership of women, local communities, Indigenous peoples, youth and other marginalised and/or underrepresented groups in the development and implementation of locally led climate action in 100 countries most vulnerable to climate change.
President of the IFRC, Francesco Rocca, says:
"The critical challenge of this decade is how to support and finance climate resilience initiatives at a global scale. The key is found in the shift of power and resources to local actors.”
IFRC’s Making it Count: Smart Climate Financing for the Most Vulnerable People report has found that many highly vulnerable countries are not receiving the climate adaptation support they need and are being left behind.
On average, they received less than a quarter of the adaptation funding per person that went to low or very low vulnerability countries.
In addition, only an estimated 10% of funding is granted at the local level as donors instead favour large-scale national infrastructure projects that risk missing the mark for local communities.
Under Secretary General of the IFRC, Nena Stoiljkovic, said the platform focused on the key areas that had been identified as having the most potential for transformative impact at scale through increased investment and were expected to generate multiple dividends, including—first and foremost—saving lives.
She noted that the initiative will link sources of funding across humanitarian, development and climate funds as well as innovative financing mechanisms involving the private sector to meet its ambitious but critical targets.
Increased resilience also stimulates sustainable development and innovation and is a more efficient focus in humanitarian response: investing one dollar in climate resilience in communities can save six dollars of investments in disaster response.
Media contacts:
In Geneva:Jenelle Eli, +1 202 603 6803,[email protected]
In Washington: Marie Claudet, +1 202 999 8689, [email protected]
The Ocean Viking – a search and rescue ship chartered by SOS MEDITERRANEE and operated in partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) – rescued 234 women, children and men from six boats in distress in the central Mediterranean between October 22 and 26.
“People rescued in the central Mediterranean by ships should and must be allowed to disembark in a Place of Safety within reasonable time as is the case for search and rescue operations conducted by authorities and merchant ships. The ever-worsening blockages faced by rescue ships in this stretch of the sea since 2018 are discriminatory and unacceptable. Keeping survivors onboard ships hostages of political debate longer would be the result of a dramatic failure of European members and associated States,” says Xavier Lauth, SOS MEDITERRANEE Director of operations.
“The people rescued are absolutely exhausted, dehydrated, with psychological distress, and some requiring immediate medical attention. We provided health care, food, water, hygiene items, psychological first aid and opportunity to call and connect with family members. But they cannot afford to wait any longer, this uncertainty is making the situation unbearable with stress growing day by day. They urgently need a port of safety,” says Frido Herinckx, operations manager with IFRC.
People’s right to promptly disembark in a Place of Safety suffers no debate. The current blockage in the disembarkation of the search and rescue operations are grave and consequential breaches of maritime law. The international convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) frames Search and Rescue obligations to States and shipmasters in great detail, from the obligation to respond to and coordinate search for boats reported in distress, to the obligation to assign a “Place of Safety as soon as reasonably practicable”. All circumstances are considered, including the obligation for most able to assist States to cooperate in order to identify a place of safety for disembarkation; the obligation to provide assistance “regardless of the nationality or status of such persons” (Chapter V - Reg 33.1- amendment 2004), as well as the fact that “status assessment of rescued persons” should not “unduly delay disembarkation of survivors”. IMO RESOLUTION MSC.167(78) (adopted on 20 May 2004)
As per maritime conventions, the Ocean Viking informed relevant maritime authorities at all steps of the search and rescue operations and asked for the designation of a Place of Safety.
We must prioritize and cooperate in search and rescue operations for people on the move regardless of their status, including through clear, safe and predictable disembarkation mechanisms for rescued people.
SOS MEDITERRANEE and IFRC urge EU members and associated states to respect maritime law, cooperate in the designation of a Place of Safety for the survivors on Ocean Viking and put an end to the suffering of hundreds of men, women and children.
Unprecedented torrential rains in Chad since early August 2022 have caused significant damage to houses, key infrastructure and agricultural land in the capital, N'Djamena, and surrounding provinces. Nearly 750,000 people have been affected by the floods, and communities are at a high risk of water-borne diseases, particularly cholera, due to a lack of appropriate hygiene and sanitation in areas of displacement. Through this Emergency Appeal, the IFRC is supporting the Chad Red Cross to provide shelter, livelihoods, health, water, sanitation, hygiene and protection services to affected people.
Hurricane Ian made landfall in Pinar Del Rio province, Cuba in the early hours of 27 September—battering large swathes of western Cuba and causing heavy damage to infrastructure, housing, agriculture, electricity, and telecommunications services. Through this Emergency Appeal, the IFRC is supporting the Cuban Red Cross to help 5,000 families whose houses were significantly damaged. Humanitarian assistance includes emergency shelter, health and care services, safe water, hygiene supplies, and protection services.
Dubai,9 September 2022 - Additional aid has been dispatched out of Dubai’s International Humanitarian City (IHC) to Sudan this week as Dubai continues to respond to multiple humanitarian emergencies across the globe. A cargo flight made available by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, departed on Wednesday to Khartoum, following floods that have affected more than 200,000 people and claimed the lives of at least 112 individuals.
His Excellency Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Supervision of IHC, said:
“Dubai is a key international player in delivering and facilitating humanitarian assistance as exemplified by the recent response to humanitarian crises. Thanks to the vision, leadership, and generosity of the Dubai government and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, the IHC, with its unique expertise and standing as the world’s largest humanitarian hub, is operating an effective and efficient flow of relief items to multiple countries this week on behalf of the United Nations and other international organizations, building on decades of experience and Dubai’s position as a global logistics hub.”
As part of an ongoing humanitarian airbridge to the African continent, the first of multiple Khartoum-bound flights carried more than 90 tons of aid from the stockpiles of two of IHC’s members, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). A second plane loaded with additional aid and relief items, will arrive today in Khartoum, carrying 100 tons of additional relief items provided by the IFRC.
Ilir Caushaj, IFRC Global Fleet and Logistics Hub Head in Dubai, added:
“As a response to the heavy and continuous rains being experienced in six states in Sudan, IFRC is sending urgent humanitarian aid to those affected and displaced due to torrential rains and floods in the country, to help alleviate their suffering and improve their living conditions. The supplies and humanitarian aid include blankets, hygiene kits, foldable jerrycans, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, mats, tarpaulins, and water purification agents, supporting over 20,000 people with a total value of CHF 340,000. We thank the IHC and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for their long-standing support to humanitarian organizations and generosity in facilitating and expediting the transportation of aid to those who need it most.”
Over the first week of September, following the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the IHC is facilitating two humanitarian air bridges in support of international humanitarian response efforts in Libya, Sudan, and Pakistan.
For more information, please contact:
Malak Atkeh, IFRC/GCC, [email protected], Mob +971 564780874
Magalie El Hajj,International Humanitarian City, Dubai,[email protected],M +971 56 477 6412
Kuala Lumpur/ Islamabad, 1 September 2022: Millions of people struggling in the face of devastating floods across Pakistan need urgent global support, the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said today.
An excess of one million homes have been damaged or destroyed by the massive floods, leaving 3.1 million people displaced and in severe danger. Over half a million people are reported putting up in relief camps around the country.
The worst flood in more than a decade has also swept away livestock and wiped out an estimated two million acres of food crops, with dire consequences for millions of people across the country.
The Chairman of Pakistan Red Crescent, Abrar ul Haq, said:
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of so many lives, and the misery and hardship these floods have brought to people across Pakistan who are now trying to seek safety on what high ground they can find.
“Everywhere we look, homes, farmland, and critical infrastructure has been submerged. We are doing all they can to take people to safety and provide critical relief, but much more assistance is needed.”
In response to the flooding, and in anticipation of further impacts, the IFRC has launched an Emergency Appeal for 25 million Swiss Francs to fund relief and recovery efforts for an estimated 324,000 people. IFRC has already provided 481,000 Swiss francs to support local emergency efforts.
Asia Pacific Regional Director of IFRC Alexander Matheou said:
"I visited house after house drenched in mud and water. Everything inside was destroyed. Mosquitos were everywhere. Some have managed to get their loved ones and livestock to higher ground. Many were not so lucky.
“Everyone we met said that most of all they need were food and water to survive, and then help to clean and repair their homes.
“This abnormal monsoon rainfall, nearly three times higher than usual, is yet another example of the devastating impact of climate change on some of the world’s poorest communities.”
The monsoon season, which runs from May to September, has hit the region particularly hard this year, with countries like Afghanistan, Nepal, India and Bangladesh also experiencing heavy rainfall and flooding.
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:
In Kuala Lumpur:
Rachel Punitha, +60 19 791 3830,
[email protected]
In Islamabad:
Sher Zaman, +92 51 9250404-6,
[email protected]
Geneva:
Jenelle Eli, +1 202-603-6803,
[email protected]
Kuala Lumpur/ Dhaka, 22 Aug 2022: This 25 August marks five long years of the massive displacement of people from Rakhine state of Myanmar, who crossed the border into Bangladesh. The protracted crisis now stands at colossal number of displaced people in the camp – 936,733 people – who are completely reliant on humanitarian assistance to meet their everyday needs in the world’s largest camp in Cox’s Bazar.
At the beginning of this humanitarian crisis, the Government of Bangladesh called on Bangladesh Red Crescent Society to respond to the emergency in line with Red Crescent’s mandate to provide humanitarian services as auxiliary to the public authorities. In response, an international operation was launched in Cox's Bazar with the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and its RCRC partners, called Population Movement Operation.
The Secretary General of Bangladesh Red Crescent, Kazi Shofiqul Azam said:
“The crisis had already tipped into a complex protracted displacement crisis a while ago. Top priorities must go to long-term solutions, balancing the initiatives in the camps and to the neighbouring host community.
“We are calling for long-term commitment and resources that are very much needed to address this crisis.
Children make up almost a 51 per cent of the camp population, while women and girls represent almost 52 per cent of the population. One in three displaced families has at least one easily identifiable protection vulnerability, such as human trafficking, underage marriage, sexual exploitation and abuse.
Many sustainable initiatives that were implemented at the camp have been lifesaving for the people there such as mid-term shelters or durable housing, solar-powered water supply networks, and disaster mitigation activities.
However, the people there remains completely dependent on humanitarian assistance to meet daily and longer-term needs.
Asia Pacific Regional Director of IFRC Mr. Alexander Matheou said:
“What you see on the surface in the camps has improved over five years thanks to the work of the government of Bangladesh and multiple national and international partners.
“But below the surface, in people's lives, where the future is uncertain and there is no work or movement, there are less obvious but important risks - of depression, trafficking, violence, including gender-based violence. With no durable solutions in sight, the humanitarian response needs to focus on recreation and protection as much as lifesaving needs.
The situation is further compounded by the fact that Cox’s Bazar sits right on the path of cyclones, and hence is constantly subject to seasonal flash floods, devastating cyclones and heavy rainfall that cause landslides, severe water logging, shelter damages; frequent fire incidents; potential outbreaks of cholera, dengue and diphtheria. Also due to the sheer number of people there, epidemics such as cholera and COVID are a huge day-to-day threat.
The IFRC Head of Delegation in Bangladesh, Sanjeev Kafley said:
“This is one of IFRC’s largest, most complex humanitarian support in Bangladesh. For the last five years, the IFRC and many partner National Societies have been supporting Bangladesh Red Crescent in ensuring the protection and extended humanitarian support for the camp.
“Considering COVID-19 experience, the IFRC is focusing on institutional preparedness. The IFRC’s strategy of supporting the displaced and host communities in Cox’s Bazar includes integrated community resilience, social inclusion and readiness for effective response till 2024; for now.
Bangladesh Red Crescent, with the support of IFRC and Participating National Societies (PNS), will maintain and look to scale up its efforts to meet the urgent humanitarian needs and keep the hundreds of thousands of families safe through a range of life saving humanitarian assistance including shelter, health, PSS, wash, livelihood, DRM as well as emergencies and disaster response. The protection, gender and inclusion and community engagement and accountability are mainstreamed in our operation ensuring people at the center of our action.
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Cox's Bazar:
Barkat Ullah Maruf, +880 1711 222922,
[email protected]
Sabrina Idris, +880 1710-840327,
[email protected]
Dhaka:
Mahmudul Hasan, +880 1716-103333,
[email protected]
Kuala Lumpur:
Rachel Punitha, +60 19 791 3830,
[email protected]
It is early in the morning on a hot day of July 2022. Long queues of people are seen in the courtyard of the primary school of Gorou Kirey, in a remote suburb of Niamey, the capital of Niger. The site is hosting a Niger Red Cross cash distribution operation for communities affected by the hunger crisis in the country. Boubacar Alzouma, a 76-year-old farmer, was among the first people to arrive.
“I was not going to miss this, as there was nothing to prepare at home today,” says Boubacar, leaning on his walking stick for support. “It's embarrassing to say this, but there are days when we have nothing to eat at home,” he continues.
Last year’s poor harvests due to erratic rainfall have brought Boubacar’s family to the brink of starvation. He was only able to harvest two bags of food from his 2-hectare field of millet, sorghum and cowpeas—insufficient to feed his 21 children. To cope with the hunger situation, Boubacar had made the difficult decision to sell all his livestock.
“Our biggest hope is to have good rainfall this year. Otherwise, it will be a disaster again,” he says.
After receiving cash from the Niger Red Cross, Boubacar rushed to buy food. Had it not been for this assistance, his family would have gone to bed hungry.
The hunger crisis has affected 4.4 million people in Niger and is a result of the combined effects of climate shocks and insecurity. Boubacar’s story speaks for many.
To help people cope, the Niger Red Cross has provided nearly 6,000 affected households across the country with cash assistance since May, supported by the IFRC and other partners from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Assistance also includes food parcels in some areas and livestock feed to help farming families protect their livelihoods.
The Niger Red Cross is also setting up community nutrition centres to screen and refer malnourished children to health centres. But more needs to be done to prevent the situation from worsening.
“A rapid and strengthened response is needed to save lives, as the early lean season has pushed many families to the breaking point,” says Thierry Balloy, Head of IFRC Cluster Delegation in Niger.
The scale of the hunger crisis prompted the IFRC to launch an emergency appeal for five million Swiss francs in May to support the Niger Red Cross in assisting 283,000 people (40,547 families). Money raised will be used to provide cash, nutrition and livelihoods support to the most vulnerable people, as well as long term resilience-building solutions. But as of July 2022, the appeal is only 30% funded.
Boubacar’s future, and the futures of many other farmers like him in Niger, remains uncertain. But despite the challenges he and his family face, he remains hopeful:
“If I receive a second grant and the next harvests are good, I will buy cattle. This will help us cope with the next difficult lean season,” says Boubacar.
According to the WHO, one in five people are affected by mental health disorders in post-conflict settings. If left without treatment and adequate support, people from Ukraine face long-lasting effects that could harm themselves, their families and communities.
“Wounds of war are deep, sometimes too deep to manage alone,” says Nataliia Korniienko, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support delegate with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
As a Ukrainian herself who had to leave the country when the escalation began, she understands firsthand the stress faced by those fleeing conflict. “People are craving for someone to take the time to sit alongside them in their pain, but this often lacking for many fleeing Ukraine right now.”
In a regional initiative to meet this massive need, National Red Cross Societies in Ukraine and 24 EU/EAA countries have joined forces to offer mental health and psychosocial support services to hundreds of thousands of people from Ukraine. Funded by the European Union, and with technical assistance from the IFRC and the IFRC Psychosocial Centre, the project connects vulnerable people with mental health professionals and volunteers from the National Societies.
Support is offered in Ukrainian and other languages through various platforms, including helplines, mobile outreach and in-person group activities. Materials on psychosocial support in several languages are also going to be distributed among mental health professionals and the public.
Since the first days of the conflict, Red Cross Red Crescent staff and volunteers have been assisting people at border crossing points, train stations and temporary shelters – listening and demonstrating empathy, sharing life-saving information, and taking care of vulnerable people.
Aneta Trgachevska, acting Head of Health and Care at IFRC Europe, said: “We try to reach everyone in need in a convenient, personalized way. Assistance will not be limited to just a couple of calls or meetings—a person will receive support as long as we are needed. This kind of early response can alleviate symptoms and prevent people from developing serious levels of distress or even mental health conditions.”
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The content of this article is the sole responsibility of IFRC and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
Budapest, 14 July 2022 - Extreme temperatures have spiraled countries into dangerous heat waves and wildfires across Europe. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) urges cities and communities to prepare to avoid a further disaster.
Since May, Europe has been among the fastest “heat wave hot spots” in the world. Forecasts show no sign of abating. Many parts of western Europe are experiencing extreme temperatures and countries like Portugal are battling raging wildfires, impacting thousands of people.
“With the climate crisis, this heat is part of our ‘new normal’,” says Maarten Aalst van, Director of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre. “These deadly events are now more frequent and more intense.”
In the past ten years, climate- and weather-related disasters have killed more than 400,000 people, affected 1.7 billion others and displaced an average of 25 million people each year world-wide.The people most at risk of heat waves include older people, children, pregnant women, and those with pre-existing health conditions. Heat waves have cascading impacts in other areas of society, such as reduced economic output, strained health systems and rolling power outages.
Staff and volunteers from National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies across the region are supporting communities preparing for and impacted by the heat waves. At the same time, teams are responding to the devastating wildfires most notably in Portugal, but also Spain, Italy, France, Greece and Turkey brought on by the extreme heat.
“Many have had to evacuate their homes with the few things they can carry," saysAna Jorge, President of the Portuguese Red Cross."Our medical teams are focused on ensuring people are getting to safety, providing critical health care to those suffering from burns and other injuries and providing them with a bed to sleep in and the necessities as they decide their next steps.”
With heat waves becoming more likely around the world as the climate crisis worsens, more preparedness and early warning systems are required to reduce and manage the risks.
“People are not always aware of the dangers of heat. But when communities understand the risks and take simple measures to prepare for it, they can prevent unnecessary tragedies,” says van Aalst. “We urge cities and communities to prepare and take the necessary steps to save lives, now and in the long term.”
For more information and to arrange an interview:
In Budapest: Corrie Butler,[email protected]+36 704306506
In Athens: Georgia Trismpioti, [email protected] +30 6971809031
Note to Editors:
IFRC’s Heat Wave Guide for Citiesand Urban Action Kitare resources for city officials, urban planners and community organizations to anticipate and plan for extreme urban heat and reduce deadly risks.
C40’s Urban Cooling Toolboxprovides approaches to lower urban temperatures and reduce the impact of the urban heat effect; the Heat Resilient Cities Benefit Toolhelps city planners and decision-makers quantify the health, economic and environmental benefits of adaptation actions.
A heat wave is an extended period of unusually high temperatures and often high humidity. Extreme heat can cause shock, dehydration and other acute illnesses, and worsen cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
There is now a mountain of evidence that climate change is increasing the occurrence of deadly heat waves. For instance, scientists have concluded that climate change has made the 2022 heat wave in India and Pakistan 30 times more likely, the 2019 heat wave in western Europe at least 10 times more likely, the 2019-20 heat wave in Australia that contributed to the devastating bushfires 10 times more likely, and that the extreme heat in the northwest US and Canada in 2021 would have been virtually impossible without climate change. For details, see for instance, the World Weather Attribution analyses.