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11/04/2024 |

Article

Empress Shôken Fund announces 103rd funding distribution to support projects in 17 countries

The Joint Commission of theEmpress Shoken Fund(ESF) has announced a new funding distribution that totals CHF 485,597and supports projects administered by Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies in 17 countries. The commission is administered by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).The projects to be supported cover a variety of topics, including youth, first aid and rescue, disaster preparedness, dissemination of humanitarian ideals, blood transfusion services and National Society development.The countries where the projects are being implemented are Algeria, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Lithuania, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Montenegro, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Vanuatu.ESF received 60 applications in 2023 for the 103rd distribution of income, representing the largest number of applications ever received, covering a diverse range of humanitarian projects run by National Societies globally.While the quality of applications submitted increases each year thanks to various learning supports, they also present more innovative proposals, confirming the need for ESF to support innovation/experimentation and learning within National Societies.With a total value of over 14 Million Swiss francs, ESF supports projects run by National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies that benefit the communities they serve in many different ways. The first grant was awarded in 1921 to help five European National Societies fight the spread of tuberculosis.Since then, overCHF 16 million have been allocated to 172 National Societies.The grants are announced every year on 11April, the anniversary of the death of Her Majesty Empress Shôken.Increasingly, ESF encourages new and innovative approaches with the potential to generate learnings and insights that will benefit individual National Societies and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement as a whole.The 2024 grantsESF continues to encourage new approaches with an emphasis on innovation and learning. For the second consecutive year, National Societies are incubating and testing their innovative solutions and experimenting with a host of ideas and approaches.Using a pilot methodology, awardees can also potentially scale up and implement their initiatives with the support of other funding sources following their ESF pilot. In this category, details of the selected initiatives and their respective initiatives are as follows below.ChileImproving sexual and reproductive health in populations is such an important area of work. Chile has very high levels of sexually transmitted infection transmission and unwanted pregnancies. The Chilean Red Cross plans to use the funds to implement projects focused on education and public awareness aimed at young people, and in so doing, help bring down the incidents of sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies.ColombiaAccess to timely, affordable physical and mental health services can be a challenge for so many in Colombia as with elsewhere. The Colombian Red Cross plans to pilot faster and cheaper annual health cover to underserved families, and in so doing, better position the Red Cross as a health service provider, as well as generating funds to reinvest in humanitarian work.LebanonThe renewed hostilities between Israel and Hamas and other armed groups in the Gaza Strip have left a profound impact on the populations of neighbouring countries, including Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. In Lebanon, the southern border was heavily affected, causing the displacement of people and loss of households, which has left a permanent mark on its citizens. This is why the Lebanese Red Cross plans to tackle, thanks to the ESF grant, the repercussions on the youth linked to the persistent violations of international humanitarian law, to reignite a sense of purpose, resilience and belief in positive change. The initiative will act as a pilot to integrate new tools such as virtual reality in terms of enhancing the understanding of certain concepts as well as motivate engagement.Papua New GuineaThe Papua New Guinea Red Cross Societywill establish a youth emergency team to help empower youth from marginalized and vulnerable communities. Youth will develop crucial life skills, preparing them to handle emergencies, promote health and safety, and lead in community development and disaster preparedness.South AfricaComplementing the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) initiative, the South African Red Cross Society will use their grant to minimize the exposure and risk of informal settlements to fires by piloting innovative solutions including the installation of smoke alarms. The South African Red Cross Society also plans to benefit from visibility and peer learning from the Kenya Red Cross Society, which has successfully minimized such risks in informal communities.The other groups of beneficiaries will use their grants to address issues related to youth, first aid and rescue, disaster preparedness, dissemination of humanitarian ideals, blood transfusion services and National Society development as follows:AlgeriaThe Algerian Red Crescent will use the grant to develop an online platform/application designed in addition to be a media hub (collection of important information related to volunteers, first aid procedures, emergency rescue protocols, etc.) to act as a recruitment tool for volunteers, facilitating trainings and integration.BoliviaEnsuring leaders of the future are developed in National Societies is a key topic. Some National Societies have very large numbers of youth volunteers. The Bolivian Red Cross, 75 per cent of whose volunteers are youth, will be promoting youth leadership and participation through a structured training programme that they will use to develop their National Society’s leaders of the future, for which the Leadership Skills Development programme of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies will be used. A study will also be undertaken to explore tools and methodologies appropriate for today’s youth. Solferino Academy’s 100 Ideas system will be closely linked.KyrgyzstanContinued investment in and upskilling of volunteers is so important for many reasons, not least to help ensure volunteers are motivated. The Red Crescent Society of Kyrgyzstan plans to create a studio where National Society volunteers are trained to develop coding, web development, video and podcasting skills that they will then in turn use to upskill other volunteers.LesothoLesotho has been affected by severe impacts of climate change such as droughts, hailstorms, snowstorms, heavy rainfall and early frost. Hence, an effective early warning system (EWS) is needed. The Lesotho Red Cross Society will use the grant to reach majority of the population through a mobile-based EWS connected to the emergency centre. Prior to official use of the EWS, a simulation exercise will be done targeting key beneficiaries. Learnings from the simulation exercise will later be adopted in the overall system.LithuaniaIn a bid to increase accessibility to much needed educational opportunities for the visually impaired and to promote independence and equality among all, the Lithuanian Red Cross Society will pilot a board game using braille, through which practical and life skills will be learned (e.g. emergency response and first aid).MaliFaced with the challenges related to domestic accidents and medical emergencies, the Mali Red Cross aims to use the grant to raise awareness and train youth on first aid using innovative methods. For example, some of the approaches that will be tested will compare different trained groups in order to measure the level of uptake.MaltaYouth empowerment in the Malta Red Cross Society, as with all National Societies, is a constant need. A pilot will be developed putting disadvantaged and vulnerable youth in charge of recreational water activities.MauritaniaThe Mauritanian Red Crescent,thanks to the grant, will strengthen the preparedness and response capacities of communities to food and nutrition crises in the agro-pastoral livelihood areas of Mauritania by integrating the national EWS.MontenegroBlood donation in Montenegro suffers from significant challenges. The Red Cross of Montenegro is committing to develop a resilient connected and responsive blood donation community focusing on youth engagement, donor recognition and community-based events.NigeriaTo reduce the challenges of the impacts related to climate change impacts in Nigeria, the Nigerian Red Cross Societywill use the grant to focus on youth-led climate action to raise awareness in communities.RwandaThe grant will address critical gaps in first aid knowledge and emergency response preparedness within Rwandan communities, particularly focusing on school-based youth clubs and Rwandan Red Cross Society volunteers.VanuatuBy integrating gender-based violence considerations into disaster training, tools and frameworks at the community level, the Vanuatu Red Cross Society aims to amplify efforts to address gender-based violence in emergency situations in targeted provinces.ESF and learningESF constantly strives to generate insights from the projects implemented for the benefit of the whole International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.The theory of change for ESF is being explored to better understand the key drivers of success for innovation to thrive in National Societies. One area that will be augmented will be innovation and learning support to complement the funds received by a National Society. This innovation and learning support approach will be developed and piloted with the 103rd distribution awardees.The hypothesis for the approach is as follows. Through ESF grants, awardees are given time and resources to experiment. Experimentation is an excellent opportunity to learn, and if the learning outcomes are appropriately captured, shared and used, the experimentation was worth the investment, and positive innovation experiences fosters cultures of innovation.The innovation and learning support will be light-touch and is expected to focus on:Providing frameworks around experimentation and capturing of learning.Running an initial workshop where frameworks are presented and discussion is facilitated between awardees.Providing further learning support in the form of communities of practice, knowledge packs and learning groups.Running a closing workshop where learning is shared and consolidated for the benefit of the awardees and the wider Red Cross and Red Crescent network.Learn more about the Empress Shoken Fund.

07/02/2025 |

Article

'I didn’t lose just my house, I lost my community’

“I didn’t lose just my house, I lost my community.”Those were the words of Dale, a jazz musician whose life’s work—his home, his memories, his musical instruments, jazz manuscripts and an invaluable art collection—were reduced to ashes in the wildfires that tore through Los Angeles at the beginning of January.He and his wife are among the thousands who lost everything and who found safety at the Pasadena Convention Centre shelter, where the American Red Cross together with the city partners are providing support and comfort. Driving through the burn zone in Altadena, the devastation was staggering. The fire had been selective—some homes reduced to nothing but rubble and ash, while others stood seemingly untouched.But even the houses that remained standing were not spared. The toxic impact of smoke, heat damage, and chemical exposure made many of them unsafe for habitation. The randomness of destruction was difficult to understand, dictated by the shifting Santa Ana winds and the relentless dryness of the climate.It reminded me of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Different disasters, but the same heart-wrenching reality: families displaced, lives upended, and an overwhelming need for help.Outpouring of solidarityYet amidst the destruction, there was also something else—an outpouring of solidarity and the unwavering presence of the American Red Cross staff and volunteers. Around 14,000 people volunteered from across the country, joining the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region to provide immediate relief.At the Red Cross service delivery site, I saw firsthand how humanitarian aid becomes the lifeline for communities in crisis. Volunteers handed out food, water, gloves, buckets, and provided information about cash vouchers—essential items that provided not just material support, but also a sense of stability in an otherwise chaotic moment.One phrase kept echoing through the service delivery site: “Thank you, Red Cross, for your kindness.” In times of distress, kindness is the most precious commodity. It is what defines the Red Cross and Red Crescent. People may not always think about the Red Cross in times of stability, but when disaster strikes, when their world is reduced to embers or swept away by floodwater, it is the Red Cross they turn to.As we look ahead, we must ask ourselves: Are we doing enough to prepare for and respond to the growing threat of wildfires, especially in urban areas?The changing climate has made wildfires more frequent, more intense, and more devastating. The response we saw in Los Angeles was a testament to the power of humanitarian action, but it also highlighted areas where we must strengthen our approach:Investing in community preparedness – We need more fire-resilient communities. This means expanding fire education programs, creating a family disaster plan, promoting defensible spaces around homes, and ensuring that vulnerable populations—especially the elderly, low-income families, and those with disabilities—have evacuation plans in place.Scaling-up disaster-response capacity – While the Red Cross and other organizations mobilized thousands of volunteers, the scale and speed of these wildfires demand an even stronger surge capacity. This requires more trained disaster responders, better coordination with local governments, and pre-positioned emergency supplies and kits in high-risk areas.Enhancing early warning systems – The difference between life and death in a wildfire can come down to minutes. Strengthening alert systems, improving evacuation routes, and ensuring that warnings reach all communities—especially non-English-speaking and marginalized groups—is critical.Supporting long-term recovery – Disaster response does not end when the flames are extinguished. Many wildfire survivors face months, even years, of rebuilding. Mental health, housing assistance, and financial support need to be sustained long after the immediate crisis disappears from the headlines.Addressing the climate crisis – Wildfires are no longer seasonal disasters; they are becoming year-round threats. Addressing the root causes means advocating for policies that mitigate climate change, investing in forest management strategies, and ensuring that humanitarian organizations are equipped to respond to climate-driven disasters.For Dale and the thousands like him who were affected by this crisis, the road ahead is uncertain. Rebuilding a house is one thing; rebuilding a community is another. But in the presence of Red Cross volunteers and staff, neighbours, and those who show up with open hearts, the foundations of that community are already being laid.The Red Cross will be there—before, during, and after every crisis, as we always do. But to truly protect communities, we must also strengthen the systems that prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes. Kindness will always be at the heart of our response, but preparedness and bold action must guide the way forward.

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