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About the Fund
The Empress Shôken Fundis named after Her Majesty The Empress of Japan, who proposed – at the 9th International Conference of the Red Cross – the creation of an international fund to promote relief work in peacetime. It is administered by the Joint Commission of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which maintains close contact with the Japanese Permanent Mission in Geneva, the Japanese Red Cross Society and the Meiji Jingu Research Institute in Japan.
The Fund has a total value of over 15 million Swiss francsand supports projects run by National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to benefit their communities in various ways. The first grant was awarded in 1921, to help five European National Societies fight the spread of tuberculosis. The Fund has assisted more than 150 National Societies thus far.
The imperial family, the Japanese government, the Japanese RedCrossand the Japanese people revere the memory of Her Majesty Empress Shôken, and their enduring regard for the Fund isevident inthe regularity of their contributions to it.
The grants are usually announced every year on11April, the anniversary of her death. This yearthe announcement isbeingpublished earlierdue to the weekend.
The selection process
The Fund received 47 applications in 2019, covering a diverse range of humanitarian projects run by National Societies in every region of the world. This year the Joint Commission agreed to allocate a total of 395,782 CHF to 14 projects in Bolivia, Cyprus, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Lebanon, Mexico, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, Singapore, Slovenia, Suriname, Thailand, Ukraine and Vanuatu.
The projects to be supported in 2019 cover a number of themes, including displaced people, disaster preparedness in vulnerable communities, and social cohesion and inclusion. Moreover, nearly all of the selected projects seek to strengthen the volunteer base of National Societies, with a view to building on the unique role played by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in communities everywhere.
Going forward, the Joint Commission will continue to focus on innovative projects that are geared towards learning so that the broader Movement canbenefit from project findings.
The 2019 grants
The Bolivian Red Cross is currently working to address the issue of gender-based violence among young people. It will use the grant to set up a permanent programme for schools and youth organizations in order to conduct educational sessions, raise awareness, and provide support and assistance to victims of violence.
Cyprus has become an important destination for trans-Mediterranean migration. Using the grant, the Cyprus Red Cross Society will train refugees and asylum seekers in standard and psychological first aid to enable members of the migrant community to help each other and relieve some of the pressure on the health-care sector.
The Red Cross Society of Guinea-Bissau will use the grant to strengthen the resilience of coastal communities threatened by extreme weather. The funds will go towards drawing up an emergency action plan, building up stocks of relief items and training at-risk communities so that they can respond rapidly in times of need.
In Iraq, displaced people and those living in remote areas have limited access to water, sanitary facilities and health care, which increases the risk that diseases such as cholera will spread. The Iraqi Red Crescent Society will use the grant to set up a health-education programme to raise children’s awareness of communicable diseases and the importance of personal hygiene.
The conflict in Syria has significantly increased the number of refugees in Lebanon, which has put a strain on blood-related services in the country. The Lebanese Red Cross is a major provider of these services and will use the grant to enhance its ability to deliver them free of charge to all those in need.
Hundreds of schools in Mexico were damaged by a major earthquake in 2017. The grant will help the Mexican Red Cross to set up a programme to prepare school communities for disasters and other emergencies, promote healthy lifestyles and develop skills to facilitate peaceful co-existence.
Young people account for more than 70% of the volunteers of the Mozambique Red Cross. The National Society will therefore use the grant to strengthen its youth-oriented initiatives by running training camps and information campaigns, and setting up Red Cross activities in schools.
In 2004, the Sao Tome and Principe Red Cross opened a social home for the elderly, which plays an important role in reducing this community’s vulnerability. The grant will allow the National Society to renovate the building and improve the services on offer.
The Singapore Red Cross Society runs a large-scale programme to deploy volunteers overseas during disasters. It will use the grant to scale up the training programme for these volunteers, adding more specialized and in-depth training and team-building sessions to ensure the volunteers can work as effectively as possible.
The Slovenian Red Cross plans to take an innovative approach to social cohesion by tackling hate speech and its consequences, with a special emphasis on hate speech against migrants. The grant will go towards a training programme within schools, designed to encourage students to become young cultural ambassadors and further spread the message.
The Suriname Red Cross Society will use the grant to address disaster preparedness in vulnerable schools in Paramaribo. The National Society will help schools and communities to draw up disaster plans, deliver first-aid training to teachers, and set up and train school emergency brigades made up of teachers and students.
The Thai Red Cross Society has a proven track record in conducting water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) activities in emergencies, through its widespread network of registered nurses. It will use the grant to scale up this campaign, as well as to create a WASH manual, together with general and menstrual hygiene kits.
The armed conflict in Ukraine has led to a substantial rise in the number of volunteers working for the Ukrainian Red Cross Society. The grant will go towards a new, more sophisticated system for registering, managing and training the National Society’s growing volunteer base.
People with disabilities are at greater risk during disasters. The Vanuatu Red Cross Society will therefore use the grant to improve and promote disability and gender inclusion in National Society projects and programmes concerning volunteers, recruitment, capacity building, participation and access.
Beirut, 8 April 2021 (IFRC) – The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is seeking “urgent and sizeable investment” to ensure the region’s pandemic response leaves no one behind.
While no one has been spared from the effects of COVID-19, the consequences of this pandemic have not been equally felt. This crisis has been defined by profound and persistent inequities both in terms of who is most at risk, and how the world has responded.
New analysis released today by the IFRC highlights significant inequalities in COVID-19 vaccination rates across the MENA region. According to this analysis:
Less than 5 per cent of vaccine doses administered in MENA Region have been administered in the eight countries facing severe or very severe humanitarian crises.
Only a third (37 per cent) of doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in MENA Region have been reported administered in countries experiencing any type of humanitarian crisis, whether conflict, complex emergencies, displacement, or others.
Among MENA countries that have administered any vaccine doses, the country reporting the most doses per capita, UAE, reports having administered 510 times more doses per capita than Algeria.
Hossam Khalil Elsharkawi, Regional Director of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), said:
“The Middle East and North Africa hosts some of the world’s most protracted humanitarian crises. This analysis shows that people in these settings are more likely than the general population to be infected, are more likely to die once infected, and are least likely to be appropriately supported through the response, including through vaccination campaigns.
“While there is clearly a growing recognition of the importance of equitable vaccine access, this is not yet translating into investment in all the systems that are needed to turn this ambition into a reality. The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement plan focuses on reaching the last mile and ensuring that no one is left behind. To continue to play this role, we need urgent and sizeable investment.”
Many countries in MENA are now rolling out COVID-19 vaccination as a pathway to end the acute phase of the pandemic. Fifteen out of a total of 17 countries have now administered at least one dose, with more than 25 million doses having been administered mainly in Gulf countries. However, for middle- and low-income countries, the vaccine procurement and vaccination roll-out rely fully on international cooperation and support that will take some time to cover (or reach) all priority populations and the last mile populations (migrants, refugees, IDPs).
The analysis also finds deep inequalities in broader COVID-19 health measures in the region:
The least developed countries in MENA (as measured by the Human Development Index - HDI) have carried out the fewest tests per capita. Among MENA countries reporting testing data, countries with a "very high" HDI reported having carried out eight times (863 per cent) more tests per capita than countries with a Medium Human Development Index. (There is no testing data available for the one MENA country with “Low” HDI).
This regional analysis comes following the launch of a new International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement plan that aims to tackle “deep and pervasive” inequities in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has been at the frontline of the pandemic response. The revised International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement plan is designed to counter some of the more severe inequities by expanding care, treatment and support for people in all countries, including those affected by humanitarian crises such as conflict and disasters. The plan also includes a range of measures designed to support and extend COVID-19 immunization campaigns so that marginalized and isolated groups can access vaccines.
In all, the revised International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement appeal seeks 2.729 billion Swiss francs, with 274 million earmarked for the MENA region.
To read the revised Movement plan, visit the Covid-19 emergency page.
Notes to editors
The analysis of where vaccines have been administered; the relative reach of testing; and which countries carry out full, partial or no contact tracing is based on Oxford University’s ‘Our World in Data’ (latest available data used) and theINFORM Severity Index –an inter-agency tool that measures the severity of humanitarian crises and disasters globally (January 2021 data used).
For a full list of countries listed against crisis severity, visitINFORM Severity index. All datasets have some gaps.
While half (50 per cent) of MENA countries facing "no crisis" have contact tracing available, the same is true in only 20 per cent of MENA countries facing any type of crisis, whether displacement, conflict, political/economic, or other.
Kuala Lumpur/Dhaka, 29 March 2021 – International support is needed to maintain humanitarian services for more than 13,000 people who have been relocated to Bhasan Char island from Cox’s Bazar.
This appeal follows an independent visit by representatives from the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to Bhasan Char.
The visit team found that the Government of Bangladesh has made progress on Bhasan Char in terms of the development of infrastructure. However, it also found urgent investment is needed to ensure that women and children are adequately protected, and that food security, health care and schooling is assured both in the short and longer-term.
Furthermore, while evacuation centres are in place to keep people safe from disasters, there remain concerns that the island could be exposed during the upcoming cyclone season and that systems are further strengthened to manage the potential isolation caused by storms.
Feroz Salah Uddin, Secretary General, Bangladesh Red Crescent said:
“After nearly four years living in precarious camps in cramped conditions, many people are relocating to the island of Bhasan Char and we are providing a range of relief services at this critical time.
“Bangladesh Red Crescent is working with authorities to deliver food packages, hygiene items, sanitation and health services to thousands of people on the island for the coming months.”
The IFRC urges the Government of Bangladesh, humanitarian agencies and international donors to do everything possible to keep people displaced from Rakhine State safe and able to live with dignity, wherever they are located, including on Bhasan Char.
Sanjeev Kafley, Bangladesh Head of Delegation, IFRC, said:
“With the cyclone season fast approaching, people on Bhasan Char could become stranded with a shortage of food when major storms strike, leaving the sea passage impassable, in turn denying the delivery of relief, medicines and other vital supplies.
“Everyone relocating must have access to all of the essentials for a healthy life, including nutritious food, hygiene items such as soap, along with health and medical care. Women and children must be afforded protection from violence and other risks.
“People who are now living on Bhasan Char have been through so many hardships and they deserve opportunities for a fulfilling life, with opportunities to start new livelihoods and access to education and other activities,” Mr Kafley said.
Geneva, 4 March 2021 – The daily suffering of Syrians is worse now than it has been at nearly any point throughout the decade-long conflict that has ravaged the country. This is the sobering message delivered today by three senior Red Cross and Red Crescent officials as Syria enters the second decade of a relentless crisis.
Khaled Hboubati, the President of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, said:
“Continuing hostilities, a downward economic spiral, a refugee crisis that has reverberated around the world and the COVID-19 pandemic have conspired to push Syrian people to unacceptable extremes. For a decade now, people in Syria have been living in agony. As we speak, more than 13 million people need at least one type of assistance and about 8 million people are unable to respond to their basic needs.”
With the price of basic commodities more than doubling in the last year alone, food insecurity has worsened for the Syrian people. Around 12.4 million people - 60 per cent of the Syrian population - do not have regular access to enough safe and nutritious food, and more than 90 per cent of the population is estimated to live under the poverty line.
Speaking ahead of his visit to Syria, Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said:
“The people of Syria cannot afford to endure another year like this, let alone another ten. We need a political solution to end the conflict, ongoing financial support for the recovery - and a future for those who have lost so much.”
The immense humanitarian needs across Syria have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC):
“For most Syrians, worrying about the virus is a luxury they cannot afford. They cannot afford to protect themselves. They cannot isolate themselves at home or else no food would be on the table. And even if they do get contaminated by the virus, the health system has been battered so severely that access to treatment and care is limited.”
The Syrian Arab Red Crescent have been responding to the needs of people in Syria since the first days of the conflict. With the support of the ICRC and the IFRC, backed by dozens of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world, Red Crescent volunteers are delivering more than 60 per cent of aid across Syria. Without them, this humanitarian catastrophe would have been much worse. Since the beginning of the conflict, 65 volunteers of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and eight volunteers of the Palestine Red Crescent branch in Syria have lost their lives in the line of duty.
“We ask that States and all parties to the conflict respect and ensure international humanitarian law is respected in their operations,” added ICRC’s Maurer. “Humanitarian access, the protection of civilians, and humane treatment of detainees are not in the category of ‘nice to have’, they are both a moral and legal obligation.”
In the neighbouring countries of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, where an estimated 5.3 million Syrians have found refuge, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement also plays an essential role in supporting vulnerable refugees and local communities.
IFRC’s Rocca said:
“Now, more than ever, Syrians need our solidarity and support. Over the past decade there has been tremendous generosity and solidarity. Unfortunately, today, we see that donations are declining despite the worsening humanitarian situation. We have a moral duty to support the sustainability of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, an organization that is so integral to the delivery of the international community’s support. Without the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, millions more would go hungry every month.”
Addis Ababa/Nairobi/Geneva, 10 February 2021 – The President of the world’s largest humanitarian network has ended a visit to Ethiopia’s Mekele city in Tigray region with a plea for increased humanitarian response to better meet the needs of people affected by recent fighting.
Speaking at the end of his five day visit to Ethiopia, Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said:
“I am very concerned about the conditions that I saw during my visit, including people internally displaced by the fighting, especially children, their mothers and the elderly. It was clear to me that people in Tigray need much more support than they are currently receiving.
“While there have been positive announcements by a small number of aid organizations in recent days in this regard, it is my hope that more aid can begin to arrive consistently. We need to scale up humanitarian operations. We need to do much more to bring help to those who desperately need it.”
In particular, President Rocca raised concerns about the impact of the fighting on medical services, noting that hospitals he visited were lacking even basic medical supplies. He also shared serious concerns relayed by local health officials about rising levels of serious malnutrition.
An assessment by the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, found that more than 2.6 million people in Tigray and the adjacent regions of Amhara, Afar, Benishangul-Gumuz and SNNPR need humanitarian assistance. According to the Ethiopian Red Cross, primary needs among affected people in Tigray include food and basic relief items, water and sanitation, medical supplies and technical assistance for mobile clinics.
Mr Rocca also spoke of the compounding impact that the Tigray crisis has had on other vulnerabilities in Ethiopia, as well as in neighbouring countries. By the end of January 2021, an estimated 200,000 people had been internally displaced in Ethiopia alongside 60,000 people who have fled into Sudan. In addition, there are at least 230 Ethiopian refugees in Djibouti.
Mr Rocca further mentioned the heavy humanitarian caseload that was already confronting Ethiopia and surrounding countries, and the subsequent need for coordinated and comprehensive action by aid organizations:
“The Horn of Africa is facing chronic multiple crises, including widespread and severe food insecurity, and massive locust swarms that have contributed to further crop losses.
“The region is also grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic which, among other impacts, has led to the closure of schools. More than 6.4 million children are now without school meals and this has worsened malnutrition considerably.”
In response to the situation in Ethiopia and surrounding countries, the IFRC, the Ethiopian Red Cross, the Sudanese Red Crescent and the Red Crescent Society of Djibouti are jointly appealing for 27 million Swiss francs. This funding will allow Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers and staff to assist 660,000 people, including the Ethiopians who are internally displaced and those who have fled into Sudan and Djibouti.
The operation will focus on supporting families to maintain their livelihoods and meet basic needs, the provision of clean water and improved sanitation facilities, the delivery of health and psychosocial support services, and efforts to strengthen local Red Cross and Red Crescent capacities to prepare for and respond to future emergencies.
Kuala Lumpur/Jakarta/Geneva, 18 January 2021 – More Indonesian Red Cross ambulance and medical crews have arrived to treat people injured following the destructive earthquake that hit West Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Critical relief has been arriving in affected areas, including tarpaulins and other shelter supplies, along with food and safe water as thousands of people remain displaced, fearful of more dangerous quakes.
Since a devastating earthquake struck last Friday (15 January), Red Cross search and rescue teams have been working around the clock alongside government emergency agencies to locate and help trapped survivors escape, with many buried deep in the rubble.
Indonesian Red Cross Secretary General, Sudirman Said, said:
“We have another seven ambulances and first-aid and medical teams treating people who have been injured in this terrible earthquake, boosting the local hospitals and Red Cross crews that were already stretched to the limit responding to the worsening COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our specialist teams and volunteers have been buoyed by the rescues of people stuck in the rubble, but their work is also heartbreaking as they have been recovering bodies non-stop over the past three days.”
More than 19,000 people remain displaced as a result of the earthquake and aftershocks. The Indonesian Red Cross is providing tarpaulins and other sleeping equipment, including kits for families and babes. Red Cross teams on 10 water-tanker trucks are providing safe water to people who have fled their damaged homes.
Head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Indonesia Country Office, Jan Gelfand, said:
"Each minute has been critical in the race against time to rescue people trapped deep underneath collapsed buildings. The remarkable work rescuing people and treating hundreds of wounded people is taking place amid dozens of smaller earthquakes and scary aftershocks.
“The physical impact of this earthquake is terrifying, but we must not underestimate the debilitating psychological effect this disaster is having on tens of thousands of people who fled their homes as they are living with the constant threat of another big quake.”
The IFRC has released 460,000 Swiss Francs from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to provide emergency assistance to 20,000 people who have been directly impacted by the earthquake. The support provided by the Indonesian Red Cross will include efforts to meet immediate shelter, health care, and water and sanitation needs, as well as actions designed to protect women, children and the most vulnerable, all the while helping survivors to stay safe from COVID-19.
Budapest/Geneva, 15 January 2021 – Three truck-loads laden with emergency relief supplies for more than 3,000 stranded migrants in Bosnia and Herzegovina are due to arrive in the country late today.
The warm clothing, blankets and drinking water from the Italian Red Cross will be distributed to the migrants who have been in miserable conditions near the Croatian border since the Lipa camp was destroyed in a fire last month, leaving an estimated 1,400 people without shelter. The supplies will also be distributed to at-risk migrants in other areas of the country.
Mobile teams from the Red Cross Society of Bosnia and Herzegovina continue their work on the ground providing food, hot drinks, warm clothing, bedding, and first aid to thousands of migrants throughout the Una-Sana Canton.
The President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Francesco Rocca, called for a real common European approach to migration. He said that the humanitarian situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the result of the EU externalization strategy that exposes migrants to enhanced risks at its external borders, adding that migrants and local communities cannot be left exposed to high risks and vulnerabilities.
“We are extremely concerned for the welfare, access to services and protection of thousands of vulnerable migrants in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We work with all stakeholders to ensure that migrants have immediate access to safe and dignified accommodation, including heating and water, while more permanent solutions are found.
“No one should live in these dire conditions. Migrants must have access to humanitarian assistance including health support and must not be left alone without shelter in freezing weather. This is unacceptable. EU Member States must show solidarity and not leave migrants and authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to cope with this situation on their own,” Mr Rocca said.
The IFRC also expresses concerns about the situation that local communities are facing. These communities were already vulnerable before the arrival of migrants and the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The increased number of people in these communities has put pressure on services and infrastructure. As a result, the IFRC is supporting the local Red Cross to run mobile teams that aim to help 50,000 migrants and 4,500 people from host communities through the end of 2021.
Kuala Lumpur, 16 December 2020 – In a record-breaking year, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has responded to more climate-related disasters across Asia Pacific than any other time this century so far.
The IFRC has already responded to 25 climate-related disasters in the Asia Pacific, including floods, typhoons, extreme cold weather and a drought. The climate emergency tally is seven more than last year continuing an upward trend.
In total, Red Cross and Red Crescent teams have responded to 29 major emergencies across the Asia Pacific in 2020, only one short of last year’s record number of overall responses.
Jessica Letch, IFRC Emergency Operations Manager said:
“This record-breaking number of climate disasters reinforces in blunt terms what was revealed in the IFRC 2020 World Disaster Report – that more volatile weather is bringing more climate related disasters.”
“Our teams are seeing the devastating impacts first-hand as they respond to widespread – and in many cases unprecedented – floods, storms and other extreme weather events.”
In 2019, more than 94.2 million people were affected by climate related disasters in Asia and the Pacific, according to the World Disasters report. The Asia Pacific is by far the most disaster-prone region in the world, with around twice as many emergencies as the Americas or Africa.
This year, South East Asia has been the busiest area for the IFRC’s disaster response teams, with 15 emergency response operations launched, including floods and typhoons that have impacted the lives of more than 31 million people across the Philippines and Vietnam.
Bangladesh with five ongoing operations, including big floods, Cyclone Amphan and the massive population displacement around Cox’s Bazar, also remains a high priority for the IFRC.
“All these disasters are happening in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic which is making our operations some of the most complex ever. The challenge has been to help affected communities with emergency relief, while also taking the necessary steps to halt the spread of COVID-19.”
“People are used to storms and floods right across Asia but this year has tested the resilience of tens of millions of people to breaking point.”
About IFRC
IFRC is the world’s largest humanitarian network, comprising 192 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies working to save lives and promote dignity around the world.
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Budapest/Geneva, 19 November 2020 – As Europe continues to experience a surge in coronavirus cases and deaths, the Red Cross will scale up COVID-19 testing with the announcement of a €35.5 million European Commission partnership.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has signed an agreement with the European Commission, financed by the Emergency Support Instrument (ESI), which will see COVID-19 testing carried out by National Red Cross Societies in Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain.
Across Europe, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are scaling up their support to embattled national health systems. The European Commission’s funding will support staff training and allow access to equipment, lab items and reagents to take samples and perform PCR and rapid antigen tests in support of national health authorities’ work.
IFRC Europe Regional Director, Birgitte Ebbesen, said that hundreds of thousands of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers in Europe and Central Asia are working tirelessly to curb the spread of the pandemic.
“We are truly grateful for this contribution, which allows an even stronger European Red Cross and Red Crescent engagement. Our volunteers are already working around the clock to keep their local communities safe and healthy.
“Besides COVID-19 testing, they are also assisting with transporting patients, volunteering in hospitals and health centres where medical personnel are sick or isolating and providing home care services and psychosocial support for vulnerable people. We are deeply grateful for their dedication and selfless work.”
Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety said: “Testing tells us what the extent of the spread is, where it is, and how it develops. It is a decisive tool to slow down the spread of COVID-19.
“Being efficient on testing also requires having the necessary resources, which is why we are stepping up our support to increase Member States’ testing capacity. Support and solidarity are key to overcome this pandemic,” she added.
Kuala Lumpur/Hanoi/Geneva, 14 November 2020 – Millions of people in Viet Nam are bracing themselves for further floods and landslides, as the thirteenth big storm of the year threatens the country’s hard-hit central provinces.
Typhoon Vamco has caused severe flooding in Manila and across the Philippines and is now due to hit Viet Nam in areas already pummelled by successive storms.
More than 400,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed by the series of storms that have hit the central provinces over the past six weeks. Roads and bridges have been washed away, power supplies disrupted, and crucial food crops destroyed, leaving at least 150,000 people at immediate risk of food shortages.
Madam Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu, Viet Nam Red Cross Society President, said:
“There has been no respite for more than eight million people living in central Viet Nam. Each time they start rebuilding their lives and livelihoods, they are pummelled by yet another storm. This is heartbreaking for even the most resilient communities.
"Our greatest concerns are for the elderly and poor, as well as some 400,000 families whose homes have been destroyed or damaged and who now face this latest storm while living in temporary shelters or crowded in with relatives.”
Viet Nam Red Cross has mobilised one of its biggest relief operations ever in response to these storms, providing important relief such as food, drinking water, blankets and cooking equipment to communities devastated by floods and landslides.
Working on multiple fronts, Red Cross is helping communities prepare for the latest severe storm, including working with local authorities to sandbag properties and evacuate communities.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched an Emergency Appeal for 3.9 million Swiss Francs to fund relief and recovery efforts for an estimated 160,000 people.
Christopher Rassi, Director of the Office of the Secretary General and acting Head of Country Cluster Delegation in Bangkok, IFRC, said:
“These repeated storms are having a massive impact on even the toughest of people in central Viet Nam. They need urgent immediate relief, and support for the long rebuilding process.
“Now and in the coming weeks we are redoubling our efforts to get critical relief supplies, food, drinking water, tarpaulins and blankets to all those who need it so that people can get back on their feet as soon as possible and rebuild their lives.”
Kuala Lumpur/Manila/Geneva, 12 November 2020 – Another major storm has struck the same communities that were devastated by Super Typhoon Goni in the Philippines only 10 days ago.
Typhoon Vamco is hitting central Luzon in the Philippines today after dumping heavy rain on more than 1.6 million people already severely affected by last week’s super typhoon.
The Red Cross holds particularly grave concerns for more than 240,000 people who lost their homes to Typhoon Goni, especially those who are living in makeshift shelters along the coast as this latest storm hits.
Compounding the growing emergency, local government emergency funds have been depleted by the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Philippine Red Cross teams are working on two fronts: providing emergency shelter, food, clean water, and essential household items to displaced families, while also helping communities evacuate and prepare for this latest typhoon.
Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon said:
“It’s critical to quickly begin rebuilding and help people recover after a devastating typhoon, but these non-stop storms are slamming our communities during a deadly pandemic, making this one of the most complicated disaster responses ever.
“We have mobilized all our available resources to meet this new challenge, supporting communities that are getting back on their feet after being hit hard by multiple storms on top of the relentless physical, emotional and economic toll of COVID-19.”
The IFRC launched a preliminary Emergency Appeal for 3.5 million Swiss Francs in the hours after Typhoon Goni hit. That helped to save lives, but it has become apparent the Red Cross will need to increase its request for support.
Head of IFRC Philippine Country Office Robert Kaufman said:
“It’s heartbreaking to see a population, already in the grip of the COVID pandemic, facing another severe storm, the sixth to hit the Philippines in the past five weeks. Every woman, man and child in this devastated region is facing hardship and increased risks. We cannot leave them to face these challenges alone.
“We expect the emergency appeal in support of the Philippine Red Cross will be substantially increased to ensure people are protected.”
Panama/Geneva, 6 November 2020 — The Red Cross is supporting thousands of people affected by the heavy rains and floods caused by now-Tropical Storm Eta. The devastating storm has claimed more than 50 lives, forced the evacuation of thousands of people, and caused significant damage to infrastructure and homes throughout Central America.
The situation is especially critical in Honduras where authorities have issued a red alert for the entire country, as well as in Nicaragua and Guatemala.
Felipe del Cid is the Head of Operations in the Americas for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). He said:
“In Honduras, already about 400,000 people have been directly affected by the storm, but that number could even double in the coming hours. Our teams on the ground are seeing widespread damage: communities are flooded, homes are destroyed, and people have been forced to leave their homes.
“Red Cross teams will continue surveying damage, completing needs assessments, and providing comfort and emergency support to those in need. This is probably one of the biggest threats the country has faced since the passage of Hurricane Mitch in 1998.”
The Red Cross is working in close coordination with national and local authorities in all affected countries. Red Cross volunteers and staff are supporting evacuation efforts, rescuing people trapped by the floods and monitoring rivers as water levels rise. They are also providing emergency first aid and psychosocial support.
The IFRC has already released about 440,000 Swiss francs from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to bolster efforts in Nicaragua. Additional allocations for other affected countries are in the pipeline.
The IFRC’s logistics unit at the Humanitarian Hub in Panama is preparing to dispatch emergency supplies such as tarps, blankets, and other items to areas of greatest need. IFRC also anticipates launching emergency appeals for Honduras and Nicaragua.
Photo: Viet Nam Red Cross Society
Kuala Lumpur/Hanoi/Geneva, October 20, 2020 – Red Cross is ramping up relief as catastrophic floods have affected five million people in central Vietnam.
At least 178,000 homes have been submerged in floodwaters that have also destroyed food crops. Close to 690,000 poultry and livestock have been killed or swept away.
Mdm. Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu, President, Viet Nam Red Cross Society said: “These devastating floods are some of the worst we have seen in decades and they are dealing a staggering blow to the livelihoods of millions of people already reeling from hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Everywhere we look, homes, roads and infrastructure have been submerged. We’re doing our best to get immediate relief to people by boat, by air and on land, including food, safe water, tarpaulins and other essentials”.
Viet Nam Red Cross disaster response teams have been working alongside local authorities in all provinces to provide relief assistance as the floods and landslides worsen by the hour.
Christopher Rassi, Director of the Office of the Secretary General and acting Head of Country Cluster Delegation in Bangkok, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said: “We are seeing a deadly double disaster unfold before our eyes as these floods compound the difficulties caused by COVID-19. These floods are the last straw and will push millions of people further towards the brink of poverty.”
“Hundreds of thousands of people are in urgent need of emergency shelter, safe drinking water, food, and income support in the coming days and weeks to prevent a larger humanitarian crisis,” Mr. Rassi said.
The IFRC has released 297,349 Swiss Francs (US$ 324,853) to support Viet Nam Red Cross relief activities.
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