IFRC Annual Report 2024 Executive Summary

Pakistan floods: Escalating humanitarian crisis amid climate extremes

Kuala Lumpur, Geneva, 3 September 2025 – Thousands of families across Pakistan are facing a deepening humanitarian crisis in the wake of devastating monsoon floods and other climate-induced disasters. Homes, livelihoods, and critical infrastructure have been swept away, leaving communities without access to food, clean water, healthcare, and shelter. In response to the rapidly escalating needs, the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) is intensifying its emergency operations in the affected areas.To bolster these life-saving efforts, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched a 17 million Swiss Francs emergency appeal to support the PRCS in expanding its relief operations. This builds on an initial allocation of CHF 1 million from the IFRC’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF).“This is an urgent humanitarian emergency. Each passing hour is crucial. We are calling on our partners and the international community to stand with the people of Pakistan,” said PRCS’s chairperson, Mrs. Farzhana Naek. “We are actively responding on the ground, but more support is urgently needed to save lives and prevent further suffering.”Red Crescent on the Frontlines of the ResponsePRCS has mobilized teams of staff and volunteers, delivering clean water, cooked meals, medical care, emergency shelter, and essential supplies to the hardest-hit areas. Emergency Control Rooms have been activated nationwide to coordinate the response and ensure aid reaches those in greatest need.“Our teams are working around the clock, side by side with affected communities,” said Mrs. Farzhana Naek. “Unfortunately, the affected people are disproportionally the poorest of the poor, therefore we are committed to supporting them through recovery,” she added.A Call to Rebuild and Prepare for a Climate-Challenged FuturePakistan remains one of the countries most affected and vulnerable to climate change. In the past few months alone, extreme weather, including cloudburst floods and record-breaking monsoon rainfall, has impacted millions. According to World Weather Attribution scientists, the recent monsoon rains were intensified by up to 15% due to human-induced climate change.“Pakistan contributes little to global emissions yet bears the brunt of the climate crisis. Our emergency appeal is not just about saving lives today, it’s about helping communities build resilience for the harsher climate realities of tomorrow.”, says Farid Abdulkadir, IFRC Head of Delegation in Pakistan.With more extreme weather events projected in the years ahead, the IFRC and PRCS are committed to supporting both immediate humanitarian relief and longer-term resilience building, helping communities withstand future climate shocks.Note to editors:Visuals: Photos available here: https://shared.ifrc.org/collections/~301ac4f9ae For more information or to request an interview, please contact: [email protected] In Kuala Lumpur: Afrhill Rances: +60 19 271 3641 In Geneva: Scott Craig, +41 76 370 35 75

IFRC: Acting before disasters strike is key to saving lives and protecting human development progress in South America

Santiago, Chile, September 4, 2025 — More than 100 representatives from governments, international organizations, civil society, and communities affected by emergencies and disasters participated in the 7th Platform for Dialogue on Anticipatory Action in South America, held in Santiago, Chile, under the slogan “Act sooner, protect better: strengthening anticipatory action in South America.”Anticipatory Action is an innovative approach that seeks to prepare and protect communities and their livelihoods before disasters strike. This is achieved by using science, technology, and the knowledge of specialists and the population itself to develop measures that, when implemented before crises, help to keep people and their vital resources and assets safe. These measures may include cash transfers, forecast-based decision-making, early warning systems, drills, training, and distribution of essential items.The event was a key space for sharing lessons learned and strengthening anticipatory action in the face of increasingly intense and frequent floods, droughts, landslides, and hydrometeorological phenomena in South America.It was organized by the Anticipation Hub and co-organized by the Chilean Red Cross, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Practical Action, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the American Red Cross, the German Red Cross, Start Network, and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC)."Acting earlier, protecting better is the essence of anticipatory action: transforming response into prevention and reducing the impact on people's lives. FAO has prioritized this approach as a strategic pillar for safeguarding agricultural livelihoods and food security, integrating it into its emergency and resilience programs around the world," said Maya Takagi, Regional Program Leader at the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, during the opening of the meeting.For her part, Loyce Pace, IFRC Director for the Americas, stressed that "in times of uncertainty and limited investment in humanitarian action, being prepared is not optional: it is vital. Although we do not know exactly when the next disaster will strike, we do know that it is possible to anticipate and reduce its impact by promoting local and global initiatives that combine science, technology, data, and public policy."Governments, civil society, the private sector, and humanitarian and cooperation agencies must join forces to make every dollar, every minute, and every life count."Although the exact figures vary, for every US dollar invested in risk reduction and prevention, up to US$15 can be saved in recovery costs after a disaster.In Latin America and the Caribbean, the IFRC and its network of Red Cross Societies promote anticipatory action by strengthening early warning systems, disseminating emergency alerts, combating misinformation, partnering with forecasting centers, and continuously conducting drills. They also develop evacuation and shelter plans for people and animals and integrate anticipatory initiatives into national policies and budgets.At its meeting in Santiago, Chile, the dialogue platform promoted innovative solutions, the strengthening of synergies, and the integration of anticipatory action into institutional and operational frameworks for South American countries.Since 2018, the dialogue platforms in Arequipa (Peru), Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), Panama City (Panama), Antigua Guatemala (Guatemala), San Pedro Sula (Honduras), and Cartagena de Indias (Colombia) have been instrumental in consolidating a regional community of practice that promotes cooperation between governments, subregional organizations, humanitarian actors, scientists, and community members. The Santiago meeting reinforces this process, renewing the region's commitment to anticipatory action in the face of disasters and crises.For more information, please contact: [email protected] Panama: Susana Arroyo Barrantes +507 6999-3199In Geneva: Tommaso Della Longa +41 7970-84367  Hannah Copeland +41 7623-69109 

IFRC launches emergency appeal to support Afghanistan earthquake recovery

Kabul/Kuala Lumpur/Geneva, 2 September 2025 -The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is launching an emergency appeal to support people affected by the powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan late on 31 August.The earthquake hit parts of Kunar, Nangarhar, and Laghman provinces, affecting over 1.3 million people and leaving hundreds of homes destroyed or damaged.In response, the IFRC has launched an emergency appeal for 25 million Swiss francs to meet critical humanitarian needs and to support the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) in immediate response and recovery efforts until the end of December 2027.The IFRC and ARCS are launching an integrated response to support earthquake-affected families with emergency shelter, multi-purpose cash assistance, primary healthcare services, and clean water. Medium-term support will focus on transitional shelters and safe housing so families can rebuild their lives with dignity.“This earthquake could not have come at a worse time.The disaster not only brings immediate suffering but also deepens Afghanistan’s already fragile humanitarian crisis.The days ahead are critical to save lives and address immediate humanitarian needs,” said Jagan Chapagain, IFRC Secretary General.“Through this emergency appeal, we are scaling up support to reach as many people as possible. Now, and over the next two years, international support is and will be critical to meet the sheer scale of needs on the ground.”The IFRC is coordinating closely with ARCS, which is leading local response efforts with its trained volunteers and branches across the affected areas. Field assessments are ongoing, and mobile health teams are supporting overwhelmed hospitals with first aid and ambulance services. With IFRC support, ARCS has pre-positioned emergency stocks in Kabul, including thousands of blankets, tents, water containers and kitchen sets, ready to assist thousands of families.The IFRC calls on the international community to maintain strong support for the Afghan people, to meet growing humanitarian needs and support longer-term recovery efforts.For more information, please contact: [email protected] Kuala Lumpur: Afrhill Rances, +60 19 271 3641In Geneva: Tommaso Della Longa, +41 79 708 4367 Hannah Copeland, +41 76 236 9109Scott Craig, +41 76 370 35 75

PARLATINO and the Red Cross launch climate action and community resilience alliances ahead of COP30

Panama City, September 25, 2025. PARLATINO and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) launched the Parliamentary Alliance for Climate Action and the Alliance for the Amazon, their respective legislative and multisectoral coordination initiatives to promote adaptation to climate change, the reduction of hydrometeorological disaster risks, and the strengthening of community resilience in the Amazon.Both organizations are joining forces ahead of the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP30, to be held in November in Belém do Pará, Brazil.Congressman Rolando González Patricio, president of PARLATINO, explained that PARLATINO leads the Parliamentary Alliance for Climate Action and Just Transition (APACTJ), a regional platform with global reach made up of legislators from Latin America, the Caribbean, and around the world. This space coordinates, hand in hand with specialized organizations, efforts aimed at strengthening and accelerating parliamentary contributions to the creation and maintenance of a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, where humanity lives in harmony with nature.“The Parliamentary Alliance for Climate Action and Just Transition seeks to leverage each country's constitutional mandates to deploy more immediate and effective climate action for a just transition that leaves no one behind,” explained González Patricio.Within the framework of global climate agreements and with a ten-year vision, the IFRC and its National Red Cross Societies presented their Alliance for the Amazon. This initiative combines science, humanitarian expertise, and ancestral knowledge to protect Amazonian communities and their livelihoods from the effects of disasters, exacerbated by the climate crisis and the complex challenges facing that territory.“Our alliance has a purpose that is as ambitious as it is urgent: to strengthen the resilience, health, and income of the most vulnerable families,” explained Loyce Pace, IFRC Regional Director for the Americas. “Forest fires, floods, and droughts—which are becoming increasingly prolonged, recurrent, and intense—are threatening the survival of the Amazon ecosystem and decades of progress in human development and community resilience. No community, no country, and no organization can face these threats alone, which is why coordinated work between the Red Cross, states, international organizations, and the private sector is key.”The IFRC and PARLATINO presented these initiatives at the event “Joining forces towards COP30,” held at PARLATINO headquarters in Panama City, which was also attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in the country and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).At the meeting, Gustavo Da Veiga Guimarães, Counselor at the Brazilian Embassy in Panama, delivered a message about COP 30, highlighting that the choice of Belém do Pará, the gateway to the Amazon, reinforces Brazil's commitment to tropical forests and sustainable development in the region. "COP30 will be a milestone for dialogue, inclusion, and international solidarity, addressing five challenges: increasing climate finance for developing countries, strengthening emission reduction targets, transitioning to clean and renewable energy, conserving the Amazon rainforest and other key ecosystems, and last but not least, but no less importantly, the need to strengthen climate justice for vulnerable populations."For her part, the Deputy Regional Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Andrea Brusco, led the interactive dialogue: Protecting the Amazon as a global symbol. Brusco explained that protecting ecosystems and populations from the climate crisis is a complex, immense, and urgent issue, the scale of which should not discourage us but rather spur us to take prompt and effective action, always with the human dimension at its core.PARLATINO joins the Charter on Climate and the EnvironmentReaffirming its role as a catalyst for consensus and an active voice in building climate solutions from and for Latin America and the Caribbean, during the event PARLATINO also signed the Charter on Climate and the Environment for Humanitarian Organizations.This charter, promoted by the IFRC and other humanitarian actors, establishes commitments and a framework for action that guides its signatories and humanitarian organizations in general in promoting community resilience, adapting to new climate realities, and reducing environmental impact and carbon footprint.For more information:Mariana Carmona – PARLATINO Press Director: [email protected] Arroyo Barrantes – IFRC Communications Manager, Americas Office: [email protected] | +50769993199

World First Aid Day 2025: How first aid training prepares Lao PDR for a changing climate

Every year, millions of people face sudden emergencies — from road accidents to floods and heatwaves. As the climate crisis fuels more extreme weather, the ability to provide lifesaving First Aid has never been more critical.In Lao PDR, where floods, landslides, and droughts are becoming more frequent, community members are often the first responders. First Aid training enables people to treat injuries, prevent complications, and stabilize lives until medical help arrives.Since July 2025, for example, the Lao Red Cross (LRC) has been responding to widespread flooding triggered by Tropical Depression Wipha, which has affected more than 172,000 people across multiple provinces.With support from the IFRC Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF), LRC branches have provided relief and essential services including First Aid for injured community members.These recent emergency response interventions underscore how lifesaving First Aid skills are critical not only in daily life but also in the face of climate-driven disasters.One of the most vital skills is Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Survival chances decrease by 10 per cent for every minute without CPR and defibrillation. These skills are especially crucial in remote areas, where access to health services is limited or delayed after disasters.Red Cross first-aid trainers such as Kaithong Sesavath, who is also Deputy Head of the LRC Basic Health Department, bring these life-saving lessons regularly to schools and community gatherings.“By bringing training into schools, LRC is empowering teachers and students with practical skills that save lives in both everyday accidents and climate-related emergencies,” says Kaithong. “CPR is especially important because it keeps blood and oxygen flowing when someone stops breathing or their heart stops.”Backed by international solidaritySupport for this work comes from the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). For the past six years, this support has allowed LRC to implement a comprehensive project aimed at “strengthening the capacity of Lao Red Cross staff on First Aid promotion for the public and communities”.Since 2019, 76 staff from LRC Headquarters and provincial branches have been trained to become first aid trainers, and more than 2,500 teachers and students across 16 provinces have been trained in first aid.The project is now at the end of Phase II, which focuses on six provinces (Oudomxay, Xiengkhouang, Bokeo, Champasak, Savannakhet, and Xaysomboun). During this phase, LRC also developed and launched training materials, including a first aid manual and guidelines tailored to the country’s specific needs, according to Dr. Soulany Chansy, Head of the LRC Emergency Health Division.Likewise, the trainings are adapted to meet the needs of local communities and integrated with local emergency response planning.“Earlier this year, during a monitoring visit in Bokeo province, I saw how staff adapted training to local contexts and strengthened coordination,” added Aya Mizutani, IFRC Health Delegate. “Their practical demonstrations reflected not only knowledge gained but also motivation to improve First Aid delivery.”The project also allows them to share knowledge and experience throughout the country. In July 2025, LRC hosted its First Aid Annual Meeting and Workshop in Vientiane. The two-day event gathered representatives from LRC headquarters and six provincial branches, IFRC, JRCS, and national ministries, to reflect on progress, share experiences, and plan for the next phase.First aid for a safer futureThe LRC experience shows that First Aid is more than an emergency response — it is a foundation for resilience. By equipping communities with lifesaving knowledge, First Aid is not only protecting lives today but also preparing Lao PDR to face the growing risks of climate change with strength and readiness.This commitment reflects IFRC’s Strategy 2030, which aims to make First Aid accessible to everyone, everywhere. By embedding it into daily life, communities are ready not only for today’s accidents but also for tomorrow’s climate-driven emergencies.By Kwanta Norkum, IFRC, Communications and Reporting Officer

Disasters, climate and crises

Every year, disasters and crises have devastating impacts on people, communities and entire societies around the world.The IFRC and our 191 National Societies respond to, and workto prevent or lessen the impacts of, all types of crises and disasters. We do so for all people, with a focus on supporting the most vulnerable.Our priorities are to save lives, reduce suffering and uphold human dignity.

Forced to flee in a changing climate - Asia Pacific

In the face of disasters and the changing climate, people in Asia Pacific are being forced to flee their homes. Using case studies of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society action in Asia Pacific, this report underscores the need to scale up efforts to support people and communities to adapt and reduce the risks of displacement, address the humanitarian impacts of displacement and support resilient and sustainable recovery. It articulates where we need to do more, anchoring our action in local leadership and the meaningful participation of affected people and communities.

Asia Pacific Regional Office

The IFRC’s Asia Pacific Regional Office works in support of 38 National Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies. Through its Country Cluster Support Teams and Country Offices, it provides coordination, financial and technical support for disaster operations and longer term development programmes throughout the region. View current IFRC network country plans for Asia Pacific.

From beaches to streets: 16,000 Cuban Red Cross volunteers save lives with first aid and rescue

The island of Cuba has a long history of prevention work in the face of emergencies such as earthquakes and the increasing number of severe tropical storms like Hurrican Ian in September 2022, or Oscar, in October 2024. The Cuban Red Cross lifeguard programme was established in 1959, when the first lifeguard schools were set up in Guanabo and Varadero to prevent drowning accidents. “Our specialists are trained in victim care, so they can save a person's life within the first ten minutes,” explains Luis Enrique Calderón Rodríguez, Operations and Relief Coordinator for the Cuban Red Cross. “All of these individuals must complete a specialized first aid course so that they can respond to disasters, floods and water-related incidents, and provide adequate care to potential victims throughout the country,” adds Calderón.Around 16,000 of the Cuban Red Cross's 39,000 volunteers are dedicated to rescue and salvage work and one of their main tasks is to prevent drownings on beaches, where every year thousands of local visitors and tourists enjoy the sea in their free time. A girl who saves livesChildren also play an active role in prevention. Many of today's rescuers started volunteering at a young age. One of the volunteers off to an early start is Angelina González who is a passionate advocate of first aid in Varadero. She has been an active member of the Cuban Red Cross Interest Group at Martín Klein Schiller Elementary School for the past three years. At 11 years old, Angelina has mastered the technique of abdominal compressions, also known as the Heimlich maneuver, and knows how to transport an injured person on a stretcher. She also knows how to protect herself during earthquakes or thunderstorms. “This knowledge has helped us inform family members and friends who don't know about first aid,” says Angelina. Simple actions such as knowing emergency numbers, providing the exact address and waiting for the operator to end the call are among the things that the children practice in the interest group. “In case of drowning at the beach, we must pay attention to safety measures such as flags,"Angelina explains. “The red flag indicates that swimming is absolutely prohibited, as it can be dangerous. The yellow flag means that you can swim, but with caution, as beach conditions could suddenly deteriorate. The green flag means that you can swim freely, as the sea will be calm.”Life-saving skills for the whole communityFirst aid training in Cuba is not only intended for Red Cross volunteers but also aims to provide everyone in the community with the skills to protect themselves and assist others when needed. One of the most powerful tools is reliable information. This educational network comprises newsletters, the dissemination of materials via WhatsApp, talks in children's circles, workshops in local institutions, and practical advice to families, schools and tourism companies. “With the support of Radio Varadero, informative and preventive messages are broadcast daily on radio magazines such as Sonido Azul,” says Yania Pérez Ballesté, the teacher who leads the interest group. “This is especially important in the summer months, when tourism increases, as does the risk of accidents on beaches and at recreation centres” she adds. Local authorities recognize the Cuban Red Cross as a key ally. “Even the president of the People's Power Council here in Varadero jokingly says that the Red Cross is her advisor because she consults with us whenever there is an issue related to health or hygiene,” says Pérez. The professor also highlights the creation of a brigade to reestablish family contact and search for people in evacuation centres in the event of a cyclone or other crisis or disaster.The Cuban Red Cross's first aid work in Varadero has resulted in the creation of a living network that includes:Children who share what they have learnt with those around them.Educational staff facilitate the dissemination of information and coordinate talks and workshops.Radio stations and social media platforms that disseminate preventive messages. Rescue teams that can act in seconds.From Angelina's enthusiasm in explaining how to interpret the beach flags to the lifeguard's quick action in performing a vital maneuver, every action, no matter how small, contributes to creating a safer community.Knowing first aid and basic lifesaving skills around water is becoming increasingly important as climate-related events become less predictable, with storms becoming more frequent and severe, and storm surges becoming more intense.

First Aid in Africa: When every second counts, Red Cross driven to save lives

In the bustle of Kampala’s streets, motorcycle taxis – known as boda-bodas – weave between cars, carrying millions of Ugandans every day. Accidents are frequent, and too often, precious minutes are lost before medical help arrives.But something is changing. Riders like Luyambi John, a boda-boda driver from Rubaga division, now carry not only their passengers but also lifesaving knowledge.“We don’t usually know how to help our friends who get involved in road traffic accidents,” John admits. “But the training showed us how togivecardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and call the Red Cross ambulance. Now, I feel I can save a life.”This transformation is no accident. It is the result of Uganda Red Cross Society’s commitment to innovate and find new ways to share first aid skills and ensure that lifesaving skills are no longer the preserve of professionals.Over the past three years, Uganda Red Cross has trained more than 18,000 boda-boda riders through the SAFE STEPS campaign, a unique program that merges road safety awareness with first aid training. In a country where motorcycles are both vital transport and a leading cause of road injuries, the approach is as practical as it is visionary.But Uganda’s ambition does not stop at the roadside. In 2025, it launched the First Aid Blended Learning (FABL) platform, a cutting-edge app designed with Belgian Red Cross. This platform combines self-paced online study with practical sessions in 51 branches across the country, aiming to train 2,500 new first aiders by the end of 2025.“At URCS, we firmly believe that first aid should be accessible to all,” insists Secretary General Robert Kwesiga. “It is a life-saving skill that strengthens emergency response and builds safer, more resilient communities.”And in classrooms across Uganda, the seeds are being sown even earlier. More than 6,400 students have taken part in “Everyday First Aid” quizzes and trainings, turning curiosity into confidence, and ensuring the next generation of Ugandans grows up not only learning math and science, but also how to save a life.But this is just one example of the many innovative ways African Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are helping people act with confidence in the face of crisis. On World First Aid Day (12 August), we highlight a few case studies, from Lesotho, to Central Africa to Cameroon.Lesotho: Safety on the road, security at homeA thousand miles to the south, in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, a different journey unfolds. Here, the Lesotho Red Cross Society (LRCS) has struck a powerful alliance with local taxi associations. Drivers, once seen only as transporters, are now becoming first responders on wheels, trained to stabilize passengers or pedestrians injured on the road.At the same time, LRCS is reaching into households and villages. Domestic helpers, people with disabilities, and rural volunteers are receiving training designed to fit their realities — practical, relevant, and immediately usable. To reinforce these skills, simulations and awareness campaigns are organized, revealing gaps and building confidence.In a country where winding roads and remote villages can delay ambulances, these efforts ensure that help is never far away. The lesson is clear: first aid thrives when it grows both in the taxis of the capital and in the kitchens of rural homes.Central African Republic: From learners to teachersIn Central African Republic, the story is one of multiplication. With the support of trainers from the Belgian Red Cross, volunteers from different local committees completed an intensive training-of-trainers program.The National President of the Central African Red Cross, speaking at the closing ceremony, reminded them: “These skills must not remain with you alone. They are to be passed on. Training must become a program shared by all committees.”The new approach ensures consistency and professionalism: certificates will now be issued centrally by the Red Cross Secretariat General, guaranteeing that whether one is trained in Bangui or in the smallest village, the standards — and the confidence — remain the same.Here, the focus is on creating a ripple effect: one trained volunteer becomes a trainer, and soon an entire community knows what to do when emergencies strike.Cameroon: Planting the seeds earlyMeanwhile, in Cameroon, the Red Cross has chosen to start young. For the past six years, during every school holiday, children and teenagers gather for hands-on first aid training.This year alone, more than 150 young people took part. They practiced placing a classmate in the recovery position, learned how to stop a bleeding wound, and discovered that saving a life is not beyond their reach.The goal is not only to teach techniques but to instill confidence and reflexes that may one day turn a child into a hero.A continental threadThough the contexts differ — Uganda’s bustling boda-boda drivers, Lesotho’s taxis and households, Bangui's multiplying trainers, Cameroon’s holiday classrooms — the thread is the same. First aid is becoming woven into the very fabric of African communities.Across the continent, Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers are breaking barriers:Technology is making training more accessible.Partnerships are expanding reach into high-risk sectors.Children and youth are being empowered early.Volunteers are evolving into trainers, multiplying impact.Together, these efforts are redefining what it means to be prepared.Because every second countsEmergencies strike without warning. A crash on a highway. A faint in a classroom. A fall in a kitchen. In those moments, the first person on the scene is rarely a doctor — it is a neighbor, a driver, a child.Africa’s Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are ensuring that when that moment comes, the first hands to reach out will know what to do. And in doing so, they are not only saving lives — they are building a continent where resilience begins in every home, every street, every school.

Africa Zero Hunger: United for durable solutions

Over 282 million people across the continent are undernourished, and Sub-Saharan Africa alone accounts for nearly one-third of global food insecurity.The IFRC Network, in partnership with governments, donors and community leaders, aims to scale community-driven, climate-smart solutions to fight hunger at the source.Together, we can break the cycle and ensure that Africa moves closer to zero hunger.

IFRC Global Route Based Migration Programme Annual Report 2024

The 2024 Annual Report of the Global Route-Based Migration Programme showcases the work of 62 National Societies – 16 in Africa, 16 in Europe and Central Asia, 23 in the Americas, and 7 in MENA – working to provide humanitarian assistance and promoting the dignity and safety for people on the move as well as host communities along some of the world's most complex migration routes. In 2024, the Global Programmereached over 2.1millionpeoplealong migratory routes including through 195 Humanitarian Service Points and other services, while advancing cross-border cooperation, humanitarian diplomacy, and strengthening National Society capacity. The report also features case studies from Montenegro, Djibouti, Mauritania, Ecuador, and the HSP@Sea operations in the Mediterranean.

IFRC National Society Preparedness Framework

The National Society Preparedness Framework provides a common foundation for strengthening preparedness, readiness, and response capacities across the IFRC network. It sets out clear principles and practical guidance for National Societies to embed preparedness in their strategies and operations, ensuring they can act quickly, effectively, and accountably when crises strike. Emphasising learning, adaptation, and coordination, the Framework is aligned with global initiatives and humanitarian standards, while remaining relevant to diverse local contexts. It is operationalised through the Preparedness for Effective Response (PER) approach, which offers practical tools and processes to turn principles into action and support National Societies in delivering faster, more coordinated, and locally led humanitarian assistance. This framework is available in English, French, and Spanish below.For more information on National Society Preparedness, visit here.

Africa Zero Hunger: The empowering journey of Mtakuja's women farmers

In the quiet, sunbaked landscape of Mtakuja Village in Taita Taveta County, Kenya, farming has always posed significant challenges. The heat is often extreme, the soil dry, and the rains delayed for months. Yet, amid these challenges, a spirit of resilience is flourishing.At the heart of this transformation are women such as Margaret, a farmer and mother whose calm, steady voice carries the weight of years of hard work. Not long ago, each day was filled with worry. Buying food often meant borrowing money she could not repay, and repeated crop failures left her efforts feeling futile.The turning point came when she and a local Friends Women Group she is part of received support through the Integrated Food Security Project established by the Kenya Red Cross Society.The project works with over 1,000 farmers, who receive training and support in a variety of agricultural specialisations — including gala goats, poultry, apiculture, horticulture, sunflower, and vegetables.In the case of Margaret’s group, the programme gave each of the eight women members a female goat, while the group shared a he-goat for breeding. What seemed like a modest gift became the foundation for a more resilient livelihood.“Being part of the Friends Women Group has really helped me. It has given me a sense of belonging and support,” she says. “I am able to share ideas with my fellow members, and I always feel encouraged to keep pushing forward even when challenges come.”By breeding their goats, Margaret soon became the proud owner of eight healthy animals. From this herd, she now provides fresh milk for her family and occasionally sells some to buy sugar or soap. “I enjoy my goat milk with each cup of tea I sip,”she says with a smile, her pride unmistakable.From struggles to smart savingsThe Integrated Food Security Project is one of many initiatives supported by the Africa Zero Hunger campaign, recently launched by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).This campaign champions community-led durable solutions and calls for urgent investment in sustainable programmes that harness local resilience to tackle the root causes of food insecurity across the continent.In this case, donations to the Africa Zero Hunger campaign would help the Kenya Red Cross expand the project to reach more farmers and extend its impact into other drought-affected areas, turning a proven solution into a wider movement for food security.Projects like this work best alongside other community-based microeconomic initiatives that empower local farmers. In Margaret’s case, for example, she joined a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA), where she learned how to save, borrow small loans, and invest wisely. With her earnings, she began farming kale in her compound. Thanks to water conservation techniques she learned through the programme, her small garden remains green even when water is scarce.“Through using improved kale seeds, together with the training I went through, I have gained the knowledge and skills to take better care of my crops. These practices have made my farming more productive,” she explains.Resilience through every challengeEarlier this year, Margaret faced a painful setback when elephants invaded Mtakuja and destroyed her entire kale garden in a single night. The loss was a harsh reminder of the ongoing human-wildlife conflict in the region. Yet, she refused to be defeated. Determined, she set her sights on replanting and rebuilding with even greater resolve.Today, Margaret’s home is alive with hope. Rows of kale once again line her compound, while the gentle sound of goats fills the air. A small bucket of milk often sits beside freshly harvested vegetables. Every scene tells a story of effort, perseverance, and renewal.This spirit of change is spreading across Mtakuja. Through the VSLA model and the solidarity within the Friends Women Group, more women are saving, investing, and securing a better future for their families.Now, the Integrated Food Security Project has reached around 1,500 farmers in total. Among them, about 350 farmers are keeping goats, while poultry farmers have been trained to use solarized incubators to scale up egg production and to produce sustainable poultry feeds for both consumption and sale.Those who grow sunflowers, many from rain-fed areas, are preparing to benefit from a new sunflower oil processing plant, which will add value to their harvests and boost their incomes.Margaret no longer lives under the shadow of food insecurity. Her children, now grown, have joined her in farming, caring for goats and crops, turning agriculture into a shared family strength. The women here are no longer only farmers. They are pillars of resilience and progress in their community.Story and photos by Gidraph Mbugua GitemaGet involved and make a difference:Join the Zero Hunger Campaign and help vulnerable communities on a path to resilience.