Red Cross activates Early Action Protocols at the first signs of drought in El Salvador, Guatemala and Colombia

Panama City, 11 June 2026 — The Red Cross Societies of El Salvador, Guatemala and Colombia have activated their Early Action Protocols to protect more than 22,000 people at the first signs of drought. In all three countries, the lack of rainfall could worsen as a result of the El Niño phenomenon, which, according to the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), entered its active phase on 11 June.Early Action Protocols are instruments that bring together measures agreed in advance among communities, public authorities and the Red Cross, and are triggered when certain risk thresholds are reached, so that aid can be mobilized before damage occurs."Drought is a slow-motion disaster: it does not arrive in a single night and it rarely makes the headlines, which is why aid runs the risk of arriving too late," explained Loyce Pace, IFRC Regional Director for the Americas. "The difference between a hazard and a humanitarian crisis is almost always decided before the impact. This time, thanks to weather forecasts, pre-agreed joint action and anticipatory financing, we know that the moment to protect people is now."In Colombia, El Salvador and Guatemala, the activation of the drought Early Action Protocols is based on data gathered by the three countries' meteorological services, which point to the same forecast: rainfall well below normal for the June-to-August quarter, just as the agricultural cycle begins.In El Salvador, the General Directorate of the Environmental Observatory warned of a rainfall deficit between May and July. In Guatemala, the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology (INSIVUMEH) forecasts El Niño-related conditions with a 70 per cent probability, along with below-normal rainfall. In Colombia, a cartographic analysis by the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM) estimates a more than 50 per cent probability of below-normal rainfall and a moderate drought index by August.National Red Cross teams had been waiting for this scientific data to launch the readiness activities funded by the IFRC's Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF). In total, this fund has 1.2 million Swiss francs (CHF) — around 1.5 million US dollars — available for early action against drought in the three countries. This funding is not allocated all at once: it is released in stages, as forecasts reach the risk thresholds agreed in advance among communities, public authorities and the Red Cross, so that each tranche of aid is mobilized just before the impact, not after.IFRC-DREF resources will make it possible to assist 10,000 people in the departments of Morazán and La Unión, in El Salvador; another 10,000 in municipalities of Guatemala's Dry Corridor, such as Chiquimula, Jalapa and Quetzaltenango; and 2,400 in the Colombian departments of Tolima and Cesar.Although each context is different, the measures follow the same logic: to act before the disaster strikes and to protect, at the same time, the food security, livelihoods, health and water access of affected communities — areas that droughts tend to hit simultaneously.The Red Cross will support families in the most vulnerable situations through cash transfers to safeguard food, obtain fuel and cover basic needs without depleting their assets. Teams will also provide safe drinking water as sources begin to run low, supplies to protect crops and livestock, and training in adaptive farming practices, hygiene and the prevention of heat-related illnesses.Worldwide, only one in every 10 dollars allocated to humanitarian action is invested in reducing or mitigating disaster risk. "It is critical that governments, cooperation agencies, financial institutions and international organizations invest in anticipatory action, early warning systems and forecast-based humanitarian action as essential mechanisms to protect lives, reduce economic losses and strengthen resilience," said Pace.For more information, contact: [email protected] Panama: Susana Arroyo Barrantes +50769993199

'This gives us hope': How climate-resilient farming is helping communities in southeastern Zimbabwe reclaim food security in the face of drought and a capricious climate

Uneven rains, unequal impact: Drought and hunger in Northern Kenya. The IFRC and the Kenya Red Cross respond.

Water without fear: Special World Water Day reporting from South Sudan, where local Red Cross teams provide water that helps thousands stay safer and healthier in the midst of conflict and drought.

Under pressure: Special World Water Day reporting from camps in eastern Chad, where refugees are coping with extreme heat, water scarcity, and rising food prices.

Kenya: IFRC launches CHF 15 million emergency appeal as climate extremes push millions to the brink

Nairobi, Geneva, 4 November 2025 — Kenya is in the grip of a worsening climate and humanitarian crisis. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched a CHF 15 million emergency appeal to help the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) deliver life-saving support to 300,000 people affected by worsening hunger, water shortages, rising malnutrition and disease outbreaks across drought and flood-hit counties.Naemi Heita, IFRC Head of Delegation, Nairobi Country Cluster for Kenya and Somalia, said:“This is a complex emergency that goes beyond drought. Families are grappling with hunger, water scarcity, health risks, and displacement. Kenya Red Cross volunteers are on the frontlines every day, delivering life-saving assistance in some of the hardest-hit areas. Through this appeal, we aim to mobilize resources that not only address immediate needs but also strengthen communities against future climate shocks.”Escalating Humanitarian NeedsAcross Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), home to 16 million people, families are walking for hours each day to find water as rivers and pans dry up. Crops have failed, livestock are dying, and malnutrition rates are soaring among children and pregnant women. In some counties, intense rainfall is now bringing flash floods that destroy what little remains including landslides, while disease outbreaks such as cholera, malaria and Rift Valley Fever continue to spread.Forecasts point to below-average rains in 23 drought-affected counties and above-average rainfall in parts of Turkana and the Lake Basin, threatening further displacement and contamination of scarce water sources. Protection concerns, including gender-based violence and early marriage, are also increasing as families resort to desperate coping strategies. With limited humanitarian funding, health facilities in remote areas struggle to provide basic care, immunisation, and maternal health services.IFRC and Kenya Red Cross ResponseKenya Red Cross has over 262,000 volunteers and 700 staff across all 47 branches. KRCS has been delivering food, cash assistance, clean water, and emergency healthcare to those most in need. The IFRC appeal will boost these efforts, enabling the organisation to expand water trucking, repair and solarise boreholes, treat acute malnutrition, and deploy mobile health and nutrition teams to hard-to-reach areas. It will also support climate-smart agriculture, livestock protection, and livelihood recovery to help families rebuild.On 31 October 2025, heavy rains triggered deadly landslides in Moror and Chesongoch villages in Marakwet East, Elgeyo Marakwet County, killing 26 people, injuring 26, and leaving 25 missing, according to official figures. The landslides displaced 151 households and destroyed homes and vital infrastructure. Despite access challenges, the Kenya Red Cross Society, working with county authorities and other members of the multi-agency response team, evacuated the injured and delivered emergency relief to affected families. Authorities have since warned of further landslides as rainfall continues, compounding an already critical humanitarian situation across the country.KRCS is equally prioritising protection and inclusion, ensuring that women, children, and marginalised groups have safe, equitable access to assistance and that feedback from communities shapes ongoing response efforts.Dr Ahmed Idris, Secretary General, Kenya Red Cross Society, said:“Communities in Kenya’s ASALs are facing overlapping crises: prolonged drought, acute food insecurity, rising malnutrition, and protection risks, while disease outbreaks such as cholera and Rift Valley Fever compound the situation. In some areas, flooding adds further strain. Kenya Red Cross volunteers continue to reach the most vulnerable and hard-to-access areas, ensuring critical assistance gets where it is needed most. This appeal will enable us to scale up life-saving support and strengthen resilience against these multiple shocks.”A Call for Collective ActionThe IFRC and Kenya Red Cross are urging governments, donors, humanitarian agencies, and the private sector to step up support immediately. Every delay deepens the crisis and puts more families in danger. The appeal seeks to ensure that no Kenyan goes hungry, thirsty, or without healthcare as climate extremes intensify.Note to editors: Audiovisual materials of the emergency response are available for download.For more information, please contact: [email protected] NairobiTimothy Maina, +254 110 848 161Susan Mbalu, +254 733 827 654In GenevaTommaso Della Longa: +41 79 708 43 67  Scott Craig: +41 76 370 35 75   

'Life feels more stable': In Zimbabwe, Red Cross helps farming communities cope with prolonged drought

Rising temperatures and increasingly erratic rainfall have reshaped Zimbabwe’s climate, with droughts now striking every two to three years instead of once a decade. The result: 2.7 million rural Zimbabweans face recurrent food insecurity.As the global climate crisis accelerates, hitting the South earliest and hardest, humanitarian responses are evolving from short-term relief to long-term resilience.“We are now moving from responding to disasters to addressing them proactively and also building the capacities of our communities to be resilient,” says Thulani Sibanda, Provincial Manager withthe Zimbabwe Red Cross Society.That shift underpins the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society’s contribution to the Africa Zero Hunger campaign.Recently launched by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Africa Zero Hunger reframes food security interventions away from episodic relief and toward long-term, community-driven projects.“Our animals are stronger and fetch better prices . . . With the extra income, we can pay school fees and buy inputs for the next season. Life feels more stable now.”Kelias Munkuli, a farmer in Siameja Village, ZimbabweStrengthening livelihoodsZimbabwe’s approach to food insecurity involves several concrete interventions that combine local knowledge, anticipatory action, and practical support.The Climate Smart Resilience Project, rolled out by the Zimbabwe Red Cross in Binga District in Zimbabwe’s Matabeleland North, is one such example.Using El Niño forecasts and satellite data, the Climate Smart Resilience Project team is able to direct specific resources to the right communities before droughts strike.In 2023, when drought conditions worsened, the project focused on livelihood protections like drought-tolerant seed distribution, livestock deworming, and community education.Over 4,000 households received training in climate-smart agriculture along with seed packs, and 2,800 cattle were vaccinated and dewormed.“The quality of cattle and the reduction in deaths in those areas are evident compared to others. We also trained local para-vets to support animal health,” says Thulani.“Communities practicing conservation farming with pearl millet had better yields than other regions. These success stories encourage replication elsewhere.”The farmers who benefited from these interventions have found renewed independence:“Our animals are stronger and fetch better prices,” explains Kelias Munkuli from Siameja Village. “With the extra income, we can pay school fees and buy inputs for the next season. Life feels more stable now.”“With this food assistance, I can save a little money to buy books for my children. It gives me hope that we’ll get through this.”52-year-old Monica Mpande, from Mupambe village, ZimbabweAdapting to changing needsWhen drought conditions worsened again in 2024, focus group discussions held by the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society revealed deep community concerns about children’s well-being, particularly the growing risks of hunger and malnutrition.The school feeding program was launched to make sure that children facing hunger received nutritious, fortified meals that helped them stay healthy and keep attending school. This became a vital lifeline to protect the most vulnerable while longer-term solutions took root.The intervention provided daily Corn Soya Blend (CSB) meals to over 5,378 children. Beyond schools, 3,400 vulnerable families also received life-saving food aid.For 52-year-old Monica Mpande, who lives in Mupambe village, food aid is more than just a meal. It provides parents with the means to prioritise their children’s education.“With this food assistance, I can save a little money to buy books for my children,” she says. “It gives me hope that we’ll get through this.”Looking aheadAs the Africa Zero Hunger campaign grows, collaboration remains central: building durable livelihoods, strengthening community ownership, and ensuring that adaptation strategies are designed with those who know the land best.“Communities are stakeholders, not passive recipients of aid. They’re at the center of our planning, programming, and implementation,” says Thulani.“We are now in a position to apply for early action funds to start community preparedness in the likely events we’re predicting, for instance, drought next year. We can start now by teaching adaptive agricultural practices, like conservation farming.”Join us in ending food insecurity in Africa. Explore the Africa Zero Hunger Campaign, share our stories, and be part of building resilient, self-reliant communities.

Farmers in Kenya fight food insecurity by making their own, low-cost animal feeds

Kenya’s food crisis has deepened, with an estimated 2.8 million people facing severe acute food insecurity in 2025, according to the Global Report on Food Crises 2025. For many farmers in Kenya, the struggle isn’t just about growing food; it’s about keeping their livestock alive when feed prices soar beyond reach.That’s what inspired a group of farmers in Taita Taveta County to start producing their own animal feed: a simple yet powerful idea supported by the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) through its Integrated Food Security and Livelihood (IFSL) Project.“Most Kenyans are practicing subsistence farming,” explains Lucy Sembei, programme manager at the Kenya Red Cross Society.“They may never get to place where farming allows them to meet their economic needs. So at Kenya Red Cross, we took a moment to think strategically about how to better support communities in slow-onset emergencies as well.”Innovation at the grassrootsInitially, the Kenya Red Cross provided poultry feed as part of its emergency relief support. But as drought worsened and feed prices climbed — a 90-kilogram bag of maize reached nearly USD 50 in early 2025 — communities found themselves dependent on aid once again.“As long as they depended on the Red Cross to buy feed, their food security would last only as long as the project. Beyond that, they wouldn’t be able to continue poultry farming,” says Sembei.So, rather than stepping in with another short-term fix, Sembei and her team decided to work with farmers and technical experts to design a lasting solution.Together with the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) and input from the community, the Kenya Red Cross introduced farmers to two game-changing feed ingredients: black soldier fly larvae and azolla, a fast-growing aquatic fern. Both are high in protein, easy to cultivate locally, and require minimal inputs.“[The black soldier fly] is a type of insect that’s extremely rich in protein,” says Sembei. “The eggs produced by hens fed on black soldier flies are far more nutritious than those raised on commercial feed, and the feed itself is cheap and easy for farmers to produce.”Training sessions helped farmers learn how to set up small-scale production systems, using simple materials to cultivate both the larvae and azolla at home. Soon, farmers were experimenting with different feed combinations and sharing their success with neighboring communities.“We went for training and received a donation of 30 chickens. Now I have sixty chickens. I sell eggs, I sell chicks. I can now pay my bills and school fees for my grandchildren.”Jane Mbula, one of the participants in the Kenya Red Cross programmeA meaningful impactThe project has had a meaningful impact on both food security and local livelihoods since its launch in 2021. Now, the 135 farmers supported by the project produce an average of six trays of eggs per month, using them for household consumption and selling the surplus at KSh 450 per tray.Through project-backed innovations, such as egg incubation for chick production and Azolla farming for protein-rich, low-cost feed, farmers have boosted egg yield and quality while cutting commercial feed use from four bags per week to just one in areas like Bura Ndogo and Malukiloriti.One beneficiary, Jane Mbula, explains: “We went for training and received a donation of 30 chickens. Now I have sixty chickens. I sell eggs, I sell chicks. I can now pay my bills and school fees for my grandchildren.”Beyond poultry farming, the project has achieved broad, far-reaching results across Taita Taveta County.So far, 3,405 people have participated; including 600 crop farmers, 2,000 sunflower growers, 80 beekeepers, 300 goat keepers, 40 rabbit farmers, and 150 mothers and 250 youth engaged in nutrition and savings schemes.As Sembei explains: “As we work in this space, our focus is on making food production more affordable for communities. Now that we’re encouraging durable, sustainable solutions, we’re also asking: how can communities produce without having to invest more than they can afford?That’s something we’re doing very deliberately — not on our own, but in close consultation with communities, research institutions, and learning centers across the country. The goal is to identify what’s already within reach, so that communities can continue their work independently, even beyond project funding.”The road to Zero HungerThe Integrated Food Security Project is one of several programs receiving support from the Africa Zero Hunger campaign, recently launched by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).The campaign shines a light on sustainable, community-driven solutions, highlighting the importance of investing in programs that strengthen local resilience and address the root causes of food insecurity across Africa.

Somalia: Complex Emergency

Somalia is facing a worsening humanitarian crisis, with over 2.5 million people in Puntland and Somaliland struggling to survive amid extreme drought, collapsing health systems, and severe food and water shortages. Families have lost their livelihoods, children are at risk of malnutrition and disease, and women and girls face heightened protection risks as community coping mechanisms collapse. The Somali Red Crescent Society is on the ground providing life-saving water, food, health services, and cash assistance, but urgent support is needed to scale up and reach more families in need.Donate now to help the Somali Red Crescent provide life-saving assistance.

New podcast episode: Fighting hunger through the power of motherhood and fatherhood

Somalia: IFRC launches CHF 25 million appeal as drought deepens humanitarian crisis

Nairobi, 7 October 2025— The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched an emergency appeal for 25 million Swiss francs to help the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) respond to a worsening humanitarian crisis that has left millions struggling for survival amid failed rains, food shortages, and collapsing local systems.Naemi Heita, IFRC Head of Delegation, Nairobi Country Cluster for Kenya and Somalia, said:“This climate-driven drought is deepening an already complex humanitarian crisis, stripping communities of water, food, and fodder. SRCS volunteers remain on the frontlines, committed to helping their neighbours.”A crisis that’s far from seasonalSomalia remains one of the world’s most complex humanitarian contexts, shaped by decades of conflict, economic fragility and climate extremes.The country is grappling with the aftermath of its worst drought in 40 years and catastrophic floods in 2023. The failedGurains (April – June) triggered new drought declarations, while forecasts warn thatDeyrrains (October – December) will also fall short. More than 2.5 million people are facing severe shortages of food, water and essential services.Health centres are closing, displacement is rising, and community coping mechanisms – once a vital safety net – are now at a breaking point. Some communities have been relying on sharing scarce resources, migrating in search of water and pasture, selling livestock, and reducing meals, but these strategies are no longer enough.After years of recurring droughts and limited recovery time, these traditional safety nets are collapsing, leaving families with no options and in urgent need of sustained, life-saving support.Local responders on the frontlinesDespite insecurity, damaged roads and shrinking funds, the Somali Red Crescent Society continues to reach those most in need.With over 1,000 staff and 20,000 volunteers across 18 branches, SRCS provides health care, clean water, sanitation, shelter, and food support, often in areas inaccessible to others. In 2024 alone, SRCS reached 1.2 million people, demonstrating its unmatched community reach and trust.Yusuf Hassan, President, Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS), said:“This appeal is an urgent call to the international community to help sustain life-saving operations, as communities exhaust their final coping strategies and essential services scale down. We must act now to protect lives, save livelihoods, and offer a chance for recovery and hope.”Scaling up the responseThe IFRC emergency appeal will enable the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) to scale up life-saving and early recovery efforts across the country. This includes restoring clean water, improving sanitation, supporting food and livelihood recovery, and delivering essential health and nutrition services.All activities will integrate protection, gender, and inclusion to ensure communities are supported safely and with dignity. The IFRC and SRCS are urging donors, governments, and partners to stand with the people of Somalia and help close the growing funding gap.Note to editors:Audiovisual materials of the emergency response are available for download.For more information or to request an interview, please contact:[email protected] Nairobi:SRCS:Abdulkadir Afi:+254 725 687 768IFRC:Timothy Maina:+254 110 848 161 Susan Mbalu:+254 733 827 654In Geneva:Tommaso Della Longa:+41 79 708 43 67 Nora Peter:+36 70 953 7709

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.

Wildfires in Chile: Red Cross leads new way of managing wildfires, well before the crisis hits

Marion Sandoval began her career at the Chilean Red Cross 15 years ago as a volunteer so she knows how crisis can turn peoples’ lives upside down. Now, as national disaster risk management director for the Chilean Red Cross, she uses that experience in helping to build a new way of managing emergencies, one that starts well before the crisis hits.Following several years of devastating wildfires around the country, the National Society engaged numerous communities to develop what is known as an “early action protocol.”It may sound somewhat technical, but the basic concept is fairly simple: give people the tools and knowledge they need before a crisis hits so they can minimize the impact that fires or other emergencies might have on their community. We wanted to know more so we talked to Marion Sandoval about this novel approach.Why did the Chilean Red Cross develop this early action protocol for wildfires?For about the last 15 years, we have had a significant recurrence of forest fires. We have gone through mega fires like the one in 2017 that affected the Maule region and that had a significant impact on homes and also claimed many lives. These losses are being lamented to this day.The problem is that many people lack sufficient knowledge about fire behavior and the actions they need to take to stay safe. This is especially critical in communities located near forestry lands, or where timber companies are operating and where wildfire risk is high.That’s why it’s essential to support these communities—so they can better understand how fire behaves and how to reduce its impact and protect their lives, belongings, and livelihoods.What are some of the key actions in the protocols that help the people get ahead of the fires?One of the first ones is to know their environment, so that they can know where they should make firebreaks (places cleared of trees that can slow or stop a fire from spreading further) and how and where to evacuate safely.During the spring season, for example, the fields near people’s houses are filled with grass or, as summer arrives, dry plantations. So the houses are surrounded by vegetation that becomes a real risk factor.So in the first stage, we deliver a firebreak kit consisting of tools to make ditches or firewalls and to clean out the areas surrounding their homes. Along with this, people will receive an evacuation kit that includes a backpack with items to protect from smoke, plus a first-aid kit that contains eye medication and items to protect lungs and eyes from smoke and particulate matter. All this will be accompanied by the training of volunteers and community members.What we are hoping for is to encourage communities to evacuateas soon as we have the declaration of what we call “the red button” – a warning system that that is activated by the National Forestry Corporation, based on real-time monitoring of the fire’s movement. The red button activation means the community is likely to be exposed – in 2 or 3 days -- to the impact of the fire.One of the big problems in Chile is that communities often do not evacuate because of the fear of losing their belongings and their homes. So, in this case, the early action protocol promotes safe evacuations because people feel more assured that their belongings and their homes will be protected.This protection is also critical for recovery afterwards because these households are also what allow people to have electricity, hot water, a shower, a refrigerator or cooked food – things that also help prevent diseases. After fires, forest water sources are lost or contaminated, which could lead to diseases.At the same time, local authorities are encouraging people to build and improve their homes with more solid, fire-resistant materials such as concrete, bricks, blocks, rather than wood or other lightweight materials.In this way, we are also ensuring the subsequent recovery of people’s livelihoods. When these fires strike, not only is the housing lost, but also the plantations people have made for personal consumption and for animal fodder are lost. This means byproducts such as milk, cheese, poultry and eggs –which people sell or consume – are also lost.All the work you are doing in response to forest fires connects with the high temperatures and heatwaves. How are the these two phenomena connected?Clearly, if we have fires in an area and a heat wave happening at the same time, we are going to have a greater impact and, in turn, a greater advance of the fire. So, we have now started to review heat waves. We also want to advance in a protocol for heat waves.We are now entering winter, but in the last summer we had a heat wave alert almost once a week d uring the months of February, March, even December last year. So, the dynamics of heat waves is happening a lot in the southern part of our country and here in the big cities because of the buildings.So we also want to look for key messages for our community and work on delivering recommendations that are feasible and that can be foreseen. For example, if we have heat waves, there is the issue of hydration, sunscreen, of walking in the shade, doing sports. There a lot of recommendations that we could be delivering to our community to prevent the impact of heat waves.Are there any other actions being carried out by the Chilean Red Cross to prevent fires, or threats related to extreme temperatures?We have a program in which schools, communities, neighborhood councils, the community itself knows its risks and can identify the needs, not only for forest fires and heat waves, but also for floods, tsunami effect, landslides and other emergencies.The key to any situation is to be prepared, to have contingency plans, to have family emergency plans, to be clear about what we are going to do when we have a heat wave or when we have a forest fire or any other event that could affect us.

Heat Action Day June 2: How the Iraqi Red Crescent helps communities brave the heat and stay safe from rising climate threats

By the time the sun rises across much of Iraq, the heat has already taken hold. For farmers in remote villages, street vendors in cities, and traffic officers directing vehicles under a punishing sun, heatwaves are more than an inconvenience—they are a growing threat to health and survival.Iraq today is on the frontline of the global climate crisis. Rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, severe water shortages, and intensifying dust storms have converged to create a harsh new reality—one that affects millions, especially the most vulnerable.As we mark Heat Action Day in 2025, a global awareness raising event initiated by the IFRC, we take a look at what is being done by one Red Crescent National Society in one of the world’s hottest zones.It’s the story of how the Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS) is taking a very pro-active, localized and people-centered approach to climate action, not only addressing the immediate risks of heat waves, but also laying the groundwork for a healthier, safer, and more sustainable future.Staying cool and safe in one of the world’s hottest zonesIndeed, Iraq is one of the world’s most impacted countries when it comes to skyrocketing temperatures and it’s seen some of the world’s most extreme heat waves in recent years. These blistering weeks of 50°C-plus temperatures come on top of a host of other climate-related challenges, from drought to dust storms.Iraq’s Euphrates River is five meters below normal levels. Its share of the Tigris and Euphrates has dropped by 80 per cent. Water scarcity due to a variety of factors has led to the desertification of over 27,000 square kilometers of farmland, according to the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture, while temperatures soar above 50°C during peak summer months.Nowhere are these intersecting crises more visible than in governorates like Al-Muthanna, one of Iraq’s most impoverished areas. There, the Iraqi Red Crescent Society has launched multiple projects to ease the strain, including solar-powered water desalination stations that each produce 5,000 liters of safe water per hour.These projects reduce dependency on costly fuel, lower emissions, and bring dignity to communities long deprived of basic services."The impacts of climate change are no longer abstract," says Nawar Abdulkader, the head of IRCS’s Construction, Water and Sanitation Department. "They’re happening here and now, especially in places like Al-Muthanna where water shortages and extreme heat are making everyday life harder and more dangerous."A local resident from one of the affected areas put it simply: "This water station brought us hope. For years, we lived without basic services—no clean water, no support. Now, we finally feel seen."Preparing people to beat the heatBut the IRCS’s climate response extends far beyond infrastructure. With the early arrival of summer and intensifying heatwaves, IRCS is actively reaching out to vulnerable groups—especially outdoor workers like street vendors, construction workers, farmers, and traffic police—with heat awareness campaigns across the country.Volunteers distribute health brochures, hydration tips, and protective gear to help people reduce their risk of heatstroke and dehydration. This aligns with this year’s global theme for Heat Action Day “Recognizing and responding to heat stroke,” but it’s also become a central part of the IRCS’s yearly campaigns, which are grounded in practical, local knowledge and trust."We’ve seen firsthand how something as simple as a brochure or a bottle of water can protect someone’s life in the heat," says one IRCS volunteer. "This is about giving people tools they can actually use."The IFRC is also playing a role in supporting the IRCS in implementing key initiatives focused on climate-risk assessment and anticipatory action. These projects help the Red Crescent and communities better understand the specific climate risks facing communities, while enabling early, preventative measures that protect lives and livelihoods before disasters strike.From green roots to clean waterLong-term solutions are equally vital. In schools and communities, the IRCS has planted climate-resilient trees, rehabilitated school gardens, and promoted eco-friendly habits to reduce desertification and improve well-being.Since 2018, it has also rehabilitated 17 public facilities in Al-Muthanna alone—including schools and health centers—bringing essential services closer to people affected by heat and drought.When the storms roll inClimate change is also exacerbating another serious public health threat—dust storms.Iraq already experiences more than 180 dusty days a year. With predictions indicating this could rise to 270 by 2050, sand and dust storms are becoming a growing hazard. They reduce visibility, strain public health systems, and disproportionately affect children, the elderly, and people with chronic respiratory conditions.To mitigate these risks, IRCS teams regularly conduct outreach in high-risk areas—providing masks, raising awareness on staying indoors, and supporting health workers with protective supplies.Health, hope, and human dignityAll these combined impacts translate into rising needs for healthcare. For this reason, the IRCS has expanded its services:72 safe water stations serve 150,000 people dailyMobile clinics reach remote communitiesFood parcels and cash assistance support families pushed to the brinkOngoing health campaigns raise awareness in areas at riskThese efforts are part of a larger strategy: not just to respond to peak heat events, but to build resilience. The Iraqi Red Crescent is investing in people’s ability to withstand shocks—today and in the years to come.

World Hunger Day: Drought driving hunger and desperation in the Horn of Africa

By Timothy Maina, IFRC, Officer, CommunicationsAs the sole provider for her household of ten, 45-year-old Mama Mako Rooble Mataan bears the immense responsibility of sustaining her entire family. Her goats, once a reliable source of sustenance, now struggle to find a place with enough grass to graze.Standing nearby the almost completely dry well, her voice was filled with worry."The weather has become so unpredictable," she explains, her gaze sweeping across a dried-up riverbed.Alongside Mama Mako was a team from theSomali Red Crescent Society (SRCS), which was there to conduct field assessments on the impacts of prolonged drought in the area, including in Mama Mako’s village, called Il-Hagar, in Somaliland’s Awdal region.Three consecutive years of failed rains have pushed the Horn of Africa to the brink of catastrophe. Seasonal forecasts from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development's Climate Prediction Centre (ICPAC) warn the 2025 Gu rains (April-June) may be 55 per cent below average, threatening water access and food production. Over 3.8 million people now face acute food insecurity.The cracked earth and dry togs (seasonal riverbeds) tell the story. Shrubby, jagged hills and mountains stand over sun-scorched plains after failed Deyr rains (October-November) were followed by a harsh Jilal dry season (December-March).Recognizing the escalating disaster, the SRCS activated itsEarly Action Protocols (EAPs) for drought, triggering rapid assessments and preemptive aid delivery of aid and cash grants to 1,330 households to address urgent food and medical needs. The crisis has since triggered a 984,393 Swiss Franc allocation from the IFRC’sDisaster Response Emergency Fund(IFRC-DREF), to deliver life-saving support over six months to 5,800 families (approximately 34,800 people) in Somaliland and Puntland.The scaled-up response maintains integrated cash, health, as well as water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, through coordinated emergency operations, prioritizing vulnerable groups while strengthening community resilience against ongoing drought conditions through both immediate relief and preparedness measures.Health teams, through both fixed and mobile clinics, delivered nutrition services, and hygiene education, while WASH programs rehabilitated water sources for 30,000 people.For the 300 families who live in Il-Hagar, existence depends on livestock. As well dry up and grazing lands vanish, each passing day tightens the drought’s stranglehold.Further into the Lughaya district, in Gargaara-Baki, the unrelenting drought has left livestock dead, livelihoods ruined, and families starving. The closure of the only Mother and Child Health (MCH) clinic due to funding cuts has compounded the catastrophe, leaving the community without medical care as climate-displaced families seek refuge there.The lack of pasture has led to sick and dying livestock, while minor illnesses now pose life-threatening risks due to the lack of a local clinic. Amid this crisis, Mama Xalimo Abdilahi Mohamed, a mother of seven and small business owner, spearheads a women’s solidarity group.“We’ve lost everything except each other,”' she says. “Together, we pool what little we have—grains, wages, hope—to keep our children alive. It’s our way of staying strong.”In the meantime, more people are now coming to the village because they can no longer survive on their own in more remote areas. Abdinassir Hassan Haji, the village headman and a father of eleven, bears the dual burden of his family and displaced arrivals.“We are supporting so many now,” he says, his brow furrowed. “Their arrival adds to our struggles.”Despite the challengesLack of functioning infrastructure also plays a role in some areas.In the neighbouring Garbo Dadar district of Awdal region, for example, a once-reliable water source built after Cyclone Sagar in 2018 has failed, leaving 3,500 households in crisis.Mayor Jamaal Muumin Caare explains that years of drought and erratic weather have dried up the pump, forcing residents to trek long distances for water—worsening their daily hardships.Despite challenges, this resilient community established a local hospital and a technical and vocational education and training (TVET) centre to improve livelihoods.The TVET centre offers practical training in trades and entrepreneurship, while the medical centre provides both healthcare services and employment opportunities.However, Dr. Ahmed Saeed, the hospital’s lead doctor, stresses the urgent need for medical upgrades: "We lack an operating theatre, essential supplies, and staff,”he says. “Without them, lives are at risk."A long road to waterThe story was similar in the Sahil region. In Sheekh district’s Robo Robo village, Aadan Ali Nur, an elderly agropastoralist, spoke of the long distances they now had to travel just to find water."It’s a struggle every day," he sighed, "Sometimes, we all chip in to pay for water to be trucked in, but it costs so much."In the next village, Ximan, Muse Hayan Elmi looked with concern at their only remaining water reservoir (berked)."To conserve the limited water we have, we take our camels to distant water sources while allowing goats and calves to drink closer to home,” he offered.In many cases, people have been forced to leave their villages entirely due to lack of water for daily use, livestock or farming.TheGeed Abokor internally displaced persons (IDP) campin Burco, Togdheer Region of Somaliland is home toabout 1,000 displaced households—mostly pastoralists—forced from their lands by recurrent drought and unbearable weather conditions.Withno functional health centre, residents must either wait for humanitarian medical outreaches or travelover 20 kilometres to Burco townfor care.Their most immediate crisis, however, is water scarcity. The camp’s sole berked (traditional water reservoir) has run dry for months now, leaving families dependent oncostly water trucking.Each household must contribute from their meagre resources to fund weekly deliveries—an unsustainable solution for people already stripped of livelihoods.Abdikadir Osman, the camp’s headman, adds:“The reservoir has been dry for months. Now, everyone pays for trucked water, even though they can barely afford it.”Beyond water, the camp grapples withinadequate latrines, poor sanitation, and lack of camp management, exacerbating health risks.Dahir Noor, a mother of six, describes the desperation:“We wait for the water tankers. If they don’t come, we travel to rural areas, collect whatever water we can, and haul it back on donkeys to share equally. We can’t overburden nearby towns—their resources are stretched too.”

Nourishing futures: School feeding and food assistance transform lives in Binga, Zimbabwe

For children in drought-stricken areas of Binga, Zimbabwe, hunger has long been a barrier to education. Many would miss school entirely, drop out of school or struggle to concentrate in class.But that’s starting to change with the help of a Zimbabwe Red Cross school-feeding programme that provides a daily serving of porridge (made with a blend of corn and soybeans) to more than 12,000 students in 11 primary schoolsThis fortified meal, rich in essential nutrients, aligns with UNICEF and World Food Programme dietary guidelines, ensuring children receive the nourishment they need to learn and grow.“For many of these children, this is their only meal of the day,” says a teacher from Siasundu Primary School, one of the schools benefiting from the program. “We’ve seen remarkable improvements—attendance has increased, dropouts have decreased, and the children are far more attentive in class. It’s truly making a difference in their lives.”Implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the Department of Social Development and the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the program targets schools in the hardest-hit areas. The Zimbabwe Red Cross intervention has also supported by an allocation of funds triggered as part of the Early Action Protocols of the IFRC’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF).A Lifeline in the face of hungerBeyond schools, the Zimbabwe Red Cross is reaching vulnerable families with food assistance. In Ward 9 of Binga district, 67-year-old Esnathi Mudhimba cares for her sick granddaughter. For them, the 10-kilogram bag of maize meal provided per person in a household is a lifeline.“This food is keeping us alive,” Esnathi shares. “Before this, I sold baobab fruits to survive, but now I’m too old, and my granddaughter can’t help me. Without this support, I don’t know what we would have done.”Esnathi’s story is echoed by many in the district. More than 3,400 people across Wards 9 and 10 have received food aid through IFRC-DREF early action support, which has provided much-needed relief to families grappling with food insecurity.For 52-year-old Monica Mpande, who lives in Mupambe village, the support is more than just a meal—it’s a chance to rebuild. “With this food assistance, I can save a little money to buy books for my children,” she says. “It gives me hope that we’ll get through this.”Building resilience for the futureThe Zimbabwe Red Cross is also working to ensure that communities are better prepared for future droughts. Rehabilitated boreholes and solar-powered water points are providing reliable access to safe drinking water, while livestock dipping and deworming programs are helping farmers protect their herds and livelihoods.In Binga, where the impacts of the drought are felt in every facet of life, these programs are a vital lifeline. They represent a commitment to alleviate suffering and empower communities to build a better tomorrow. For families like Esnathi’s and Monica’s, this support is more than just food—it’s a promise of hope, dignity, and resilience in the face of adversity.

A lifeline amidst drought: How the Zambia Red Cross is bringing hope to families on the forefront of the climate crisis

The impacts are everywhere to be seen. Once lush fields of green crops are now dusty brown tracts of withered stalks. Businesses and restaurants have shut their doors. Livestock look weak and emaciated.These are just a few of the visible impacts of the prolonged drought that is turning the lives of millions of Zambians upside down as people face serious issues of food scarcity, livestock and crop loss, and escalating economic hardships.In response to the mounting crisis, ZRCS launched the Drought Cash Assistance Program in Chikankata District in November 2024 a critical initiative aimed at helping families survive the severe drought.Through this program, 5,864 families receive 600 Zambian Kwacha (roughly 20 US dollars) per month for four months, allowing them to meet immediate needs like food and water.At a time when inflation has driven up the cost of basic goods, this assistance is more than a financial boost—it’s a source of relief and resilience for families struggling to get by day-to-day.The impact extends beyond Chikankata. In Sinazongwe District, where the drought’s devastation is particularly acute, the Zambia Red Cross launched a program of multi-purpose cash transfers, along with support that helps farmers grow their winter crops.Since August 2024, over 5,200 households have benefited, with access to essential farming supplies—maize, okra seeds, and fertilizers—that offer them a way to revive their livelihoods. This initiative empowers local farmers to bring life back to their land, giving them a chance to rebuild and restore their communities.Supported by the IFRC, the European Union's ECHO Programmatic Partnership project, and bilateral aid from the Czech Republic, this work is part of a broader ZRCS response across five drought-affected districts.With approximately 1.5 million Swiss Francs mobilized, more than 11,000 households across Zambia are receiving critical assistance, spanning food security, livelihoods, health, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) support.A lifeline of hope and survivalFor families in these regions, this cash assistance is more than just financial aid—it’s a pathway to survival and stability. Ninety-year-old Musambo Sianjonkoma, unable to seek food on her own, says the support has had a profound impact.“At my age, I can’t go out and look for food,”Musambo says. “This support will help me eat.”For her and thousands of others, the program brings not only food but dignity and peace of mind.In Sinazongwe, farmer Wisdom Lubinda received maize and okra seeds and other support for winter crops.“The seeds they provided were like hope in a packet,” says Wisdom, adding that the chance of a successful harvest offers the promise of funding his siblings’ education and securing his family’s future.For 27-year-old Anita Maalila from Upper Kaleya, the drought meant the end of her small restaurant—the only income source for her and her two children after her husband left.Declared a national disaster, the crisis decimated agriculture and left Anita struggling with small-scale farming to survive. Hope arrived through the emergency cash assistance program. With 600 Kwacha a month, Anita plans to grow potatoes and maize to rebuild her livelihood.“This assistance is a blessing,” she shared, her voice filled with renewed determination.An appeal to save livesTo support the critical work of the ZRCS through this severe droughts, the IFRC issued an emergency appealto scale up the response. The support from the appeal is key to providing the cash transfers and crop support, which help protect what little people have left while offering a foundation on which to rebuild.These lifelines are urgent, says ZRCS Secretary-General Cosmas Sakala."We’re facing a devastating double threat in Zambia: a crippling drought has caused farmers to lose 80 per cent of their crops, and a cholera outbreak is putting immense strain on families,” Sakala noted. “I’ve seen the worry on people’s faces and heard their anguish, unsure where their next meal will come from.“Climate change is making these crises more frequent and severe. We are already responding with emergency cash transfers, food distribution, and hygiene kits, but we urgently need your help to scale up our support and reach the most vulnerable communities."

Zimbabwe: Water project offers a garden of hope in drought-stricken region

A 37-year-old mother of seven, Patience Makuya is one of many women who have borne the brunt of a devastating drought that has turned once fertile fields into barren expanses.Triggered by the El Niño weather phenomenon, the drought has ravaged Southern Africa, leaving millions facing food insecurity and water scarcity.In Mwenezi, Masvingo Province, a district renowned for its erratic rainfall and high temperatures, the impact has been particularly severe. Here, more than 80 percent of the region received below-average rainfall, leading to widespread crop failures and deepening the hunger crisis.For women like Patience, the daily struggle for survival has become a harsh reality – though a newly created irrigation system and garden is now easing the pressure on many families. "Before this piped water system and garden, we used to walk long journeys to fetch water and leave our children all day with hunger," Patience recalled. "We had no vegetables to give our children to eat with sadza, so we would buy sugar for them to eat with the sadza."This grim reality is shared by many in Mwenezi, where the drought has pushed food insecurity to alarming levels, with nearly half the population grappling with severe hunger.A pipeline of hopeRecognizing the dire need in Mwenezi, the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society, with support from the IFRC, has initiated several life-saving projects aimed at mitigating the impact of the drought.One such project is the Gudomutovhoti Piped Water Scheme, a 2km pipeline network commissioned in May 2024, that has brought much-needed water to the district, transforming lives in the process.The pipeline network supports the 1.5 hectare-nutrition garden, where Patience and many other women from 100 households diligently tend to their allocated plots.For Patience and the women of Gudomutovhoti community in Ward 14, under Chief Neshuro, the piped water scheme has been nothing short of a miracle. In a region prone to irregular rainfall and water challenges, especially in the face of climate change, the scheme has not only reduced the arduous task of fetching water but has also provided the means to sustain their families.Through the establishment of a nutrition garden, Patience and other women in the community can now grow vegetables and legumes, offering a vital source of nutrition. "Our children now have better nutrition thanks to this garden,”Patience says. “We can cook spinach from our garden and feed our families." The nutrition garden has also fostered a sense of self-reliance among the women, who have taken ownership of their plots and are now able to provide for their families, despite the harsh conditions."Many in the community were sceptical and laughed at us for being a part of the project, but now they come to ask us for vegetables to eat from our garden plots and we sell to raise money to either pay for school fees for our children or buy grain to ward off hunger in this drought," Patience shared.Challenges still aheadWhile the piped water scheme and nutrition garden have provided much-needed relief, the challenges facing Mwenezi are far from over. The drought continues to tighten its grip, exacerbating food insecurity and leading to a range of social issues, including gender-based violence, child marriages, and school dropouts."This drought has made these challenges worse," said Abigail Murwira, the district's Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development gender officer. "Couples argue more when food is lacking, and many girls are leaving school to be married as their families seek ways to make a living."The drought has taken a heavy toll on livestock herders, with many animals dying from a lack of water and grazing. The Gudomutovhoti water station is providing critical relief, supplying much-needed water to both the herders and their livestock, easing the drought's harsh impact.The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society’s needs assessment in Mwenezi, supported by the IFRC, underscores the urgent need for a scaled-up response, as called for in the ongoing IFRC emergency appeal for countries impacted by drought and food insecurity in Africa. Without additional support, millions of people in Zimbabwe and across the region will face worsening levels of acute food insecurity, malnutrition, and water scarcity.Patience Makuya’s story is a stark reminder of the human cost of climate change and the critical need for sustained humanitarian efforts. While the ZRCS and IFRC have made significant strides in alleviating the immediate suffering in Mwenezi, and the resilience of people like Patience is inspiring, these facts should not be seen as a substitute for the support they so desperately need.By Rumbidzai Nenzou, IFRC Communications Officer

In part of Nigeria hard hit by drought and heatwaves, Red Cross volunteers are helping farmers find natural solutions

Like many young people in Nigeria, Saratu Aboki was introduced to the Red Cross in grade school, when she learned a range of first-aid skills to care for herself and others in emergencies.Over the years, she trained many others in first aid and in doing so she learned to speak many of the 29 languages spoken in her home state of Nasarawa.But even though she always had a strong love for the environment and the natural world, she says she was never very interested in one of the biggest activities in her home state: farming. Despite the fact that farming makes up a big part of the economy in Nasarawa, she didn’t know much about what it took to grow the food that ended up on her table.That was until she saw how much the farmers were suffering due to the dual impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic – which put a halt on nearly all trade for farmers for several seasons -- and the prolonged heatwaves and droughts in the years since.Saratu knew she wanted to do something to help. After all, the farmers were the lifeblood of their area, bringing in income and producing the yams, sesame seeds, casava and maize beloved and needed by everyone.“After the Covid-19 pandemic, the small-scale farmers in my community had a hard time getting back on their feet because during the crisis they could not take their product to market to sell,” Saratu says. “They lost a lot of their crops, especially the perishable ones. They lost almost half of their livelihoods.”After the pandemic eased up, it didn’t get much better. The normal rainy seasons weren’t coming as usual. After losing so much, farmers could no longer afford supplies like fertilizers that they needed to put on their crops of wheat, rice, melon, cassava yams and maize.“The farmers had this ritual where, at the end of each harvest, they clear their fields by setting fire to the remains of the plants in the field,” she recalls. “So I started to think about how to convert the leftover plant material into organic fertilizer.”“When the IFRC was calling for applications for its ‘Limitless’ project at the Solferino Academy, for people who have innovative ideas, I saw it as an opportunity for me to help the people of my community to get back on their feet,” she says. ‘So excited to share’With support from her local branch, Saratu’s first step was to organize training sessions with about 120 farmers, who came from 15 communities in the area. The trainings went well and the farmers were receptive.In the coming months, Saratu and other branch volunteers organized trainings in 10 other communities, where they invited farm leaders from various communities in the hope that they would share the knowledge with other farmers.The composting process they proposed to the farmers is relatively simple, though it is hard work. First, the farmers collect all the leftover plant stalks and leaves. Then they make a pit and put the organic material inside.After that, they add some topsoil and some fresh plant material. Then sprinkle occasionally with water over the next three or four months. After that, the compost is ready to be put on the fields, in time for the next planting season.But it’s also not so simple. It’s important to get the right balance of materials and to give the process enough time. Too much of one ingredient – or not enough of another – can inhibit the composting process. Also, if the compost is not cured properly, it can be too strong and hurt the crops’ growth.It’s been a joint learning process, and Saratu stays in constant touch with farmers as an evolving experiment as they refine their technique and continue to share ideas.“They call me at all times of the day and night,” she says with a smile. “They are so excited to share what they’ve learned as they try new techniques and successes. They call me and say, ‘You have to come to my village and see my yams.’”“One farmer told me that last year, he got an increasing yield and was able to buy a car and that car is now helping get his produce from farm to the community. He doesn’t have to pay money to convey the produce to the community any longer. Also, he says his kids have gone back to school. I told him I was so happy.”“It keeps me going because I know it’s protecting our ecosystem, the communities and people’s health — and it’s making money for the farmers.”Helping people displaced by violenceThe project has now expanded to other states in Nigeria. In Benue State, Saratu and other volunteers have done many trainings in camps for people displaced due to violence between herding and farming communities.“The idea is to train them so that as go back to their homes, they have something to fall back on,” she says. “A lot of the displaced people lost everything and they have to go back to farming. A lot of them are not able to afford the supplies they need.”So far, the volunteers have trained more than 2,000 farmers. They also show a similar process to women who manage gardens from which their families get much of their daily food. In this case, the compost is made mainly with cow dung, chicken dropping and rice husks.From first-aider to farmerNow, many years after learning first aid as a young student, Saratu is still also a first aid volunteer who offers trainings in first aid wherever she goes. But she also has a new found love for farming.“Now I am putting these farming skills to the test myself,” she says. “I plant around my house and I do different tests, trying other things, mixing different ingredients to make the compost.”For example, she says, if you apply too much compost to a patch of sweet potatoes, you might end up with plants that produce a lot of leaves but not much of a fruit, or in this case the root. Now that she’s got the farming bug she wants to keep developing her own green thumb. “I just learnt it on my own,” she says. “I was someone who did not really like farming. But now I love it.”“I intend to farm really big now. I want to grow maize and rice. Presently, rice is one of crops that is very expensive so I would like to experiment on techniques so it can be grown more affordably.”“But I have a lot to learn. I am still on the journey.”

Dyanne Marenco Gonzalez: Saving lives and saving the planet, all part of daily business for the Costa Rican Red Cross

Can Costa Rica’s largest ambulance fleet become completely carbon neutral? How can we better work with the forces of nature to protect our communities from natural calamities? Is it possible to save lives and save the planet at the same time? These are some of the questions that the first woman president of the Costa Rican Red Cross, Dyanne Marenco Gonzalez, tackles during this wide-ranging interview about her 20-year humanitarian career. She also discusses the challenges of being a young woman leader in the male-dominated fields of law and emergency response.   

Hot and dry: The Caribbean island nation of Grenada struggles with drought, heatwaves and fire

An island nation in the eastern of the Caribbean Sea, Grenada is going through the most severe water crisis in the last 14 years.Alarmed by unprecedented low water levels in reservoirs, the Government of Grenada officially declared a water crisis on May 10, 2024, leading to significant temporary water rationing measures that were lifted in June.“For the past few months since the heatwave began our dams which are the main source of water have dried up significantly,” says Noreen Cox, a long-time volunteer of the Grenada Red Cross who manages a wide range of disaster preparedness and response challenges. “Ultimately, this led to significant drought conditions and a severe water shortage.”“The water company began using water from its back up source (Grand Etang Lake), however, over time this source also depleted since the water was not being replenished.”In addition to the water crisis, Grenada is currently experiencing a significant heatwave, the most recent being on May 6, 2024, where temperatures have consistently exceeded 31.7 degrees Celsius for several consecutive days.Rising risk of fireThis heatwave has exacerbated the water shortage, increasing the stress on the already limited water resources, and adding to the challenges faced by the population.“Also, due to the heatwave there was an increase in bush fires throughout the island. Grenada is a volcanic island and so the intense heat and presence of sulphur is causing natural fires that are sometimes spread rapidly due to the wind”.People here worry that the severity of the current drought and the structural challenges suggest that the water crisis may persist at least until the peak of the next rainy season, which typically occurs around August or September. Communities across the southern and eastern parts of the island (St. Andrew, St. David and St. George) have been most affected.Recent rains have helped fill reservoirs, however water supplies are still not sufficient to meet needs due to the long-standing drought and conservation methods are still being encouraged.“The people who farm as their livelihood also have a severe strain since the ground is extremely dry and there is a lack of water,”Cox adds. “As such, most of the crops cannot withstand the harsh conditions and die, this ultimately led to a shortage in some of the locally grown fruits and vegetables”.Long-term solutions involving infrastructure improvements, better water management practices, and increased conservation efforts will be crucial in mitigating the impacts and preventing future crises.The IFRC is helping to support the Grenada Red Cross response. Through the IFRC’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF), the Grenada Red Cross Society aims to assist at least 1,000 families (5,000 people) with water, sanitation and hygiene support and multipurpose small cash grants.“Water trucks visit different communities at varying times to deliver water to the people,”says Cox, adding that people use water buckets to wash and even water plants.The Grenada Red Cross has also partnered with the National Water and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA) to distribute jerry cans, water filters, water drums and other supplies to people in the community as they collected water from water trucks.These tools give people additional storage options for clean water. Meanwhile, Red Cross volunteers educate the public about how to use these tools in ways that best promote water conservation.Heat stressThe Grenada Red Cross is also doing what it can to address the constant stress and anxiety associated with securing daily water needs. The loss of livelihoods due to water shortages exacerbates these stress levels. The National Society is working to creating awareness about mental health issues and offering support for those affected.To address the immediate livelihoods needs, GRCS will conduct a feasibility study to ascertain the functionality of the markets for multipurpose cash transfers to vulnerable households in the affected districts.GRCS will consider other options such as procurement and distribution of relief food (in-kind support). While immediate measures are being taken to address the crisis, the situation in Grenada is expected to remain critical for the foreseeable future.Sustained efforts and humanitarian support will be essential to navigate through this challenging period and build resilience against future water shortages.

‘No such thing as a simple disaster’: Partnership to tackle complex food crises by addressing hunger on multiple fronts

Along the Niger River in Mali, Red Cross volunteers are helping local communities find new sources of water during dry spells when the river dries up and water for crops and livestock all but disappears.“There is water in the river only for three months,” said Nouhoum Maiga, Secretary General of the Mali Red Cross. “And the people there, most of them, rely on that water for their cattle.”As part of a pilot programme, volunteers help the communities dig wells and install solar-powered pumps that provide a continual source of water.In addition, the Red Cross collaborates with meteorological and hydrological services to get ahead of future problems – extreme heat, unpredicted dry spells or flash floods – with community-based early warning systems.As a result, says Maiga, local farmers have been able to quadruple their harvests. “Instead of just doing a harvest for one season they have been able to harvest four times,” he said.A complementary partnershipThis is exactly the kind of forward-looking, multi-layered response to complex challenges that will be strengthened through a renewed partnership signedon 29 May, 2024 between the FAO and the IFRC.The FAO and IFRC partnership aims to build on the two organizations’ complementary mandates and strengths at the local and international level in order to improve the quality, reach, impact and sustainability of food security and agricultural livelihoods programming. So far, the renewed partnership has been initiated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Niger, South Sudan and Uganda.The partnership is born from a growing understanding that durable solutions to today’s complex and long-lasting humanitarian crises require ever deeper cooperation among multiple partners from the community to the global level.“There is no such thing anymore as a simple disaster,” said Caroline Holt, the IFRC Director of Disasters, Climate, and Crises, speaking recently at an FAO-IFRC Global Dialogue on Localization held on 27 March, 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland . “Issues such as food insecurity are intimately connected to lack of access to safe water or reliable energy sources. All of these issues impact one another and so the solutions need to be equally integrated.”Solutions to food insecurity must also address the complex factors that impact local food production and they will require new and innovative resourcing strategies. The partnership between the IFRC and FAO, therefore, will also serve as a base for wider investment by other partners interested in supporting local innovation on food security and livelihoods.“Two-thirds of people experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity depend on agriculture as their main source of livelihood, yet only four per cent of humanitarian assistancegoes towards emergency agriculture assistance,” Dominique Burgeon, Director of the FAO Liaison Office in Geneva, noted during the FAO-IFRC Global Dialogue on Localization.“Food aid alone is not enough to address acute food insecurity without the support and protection of livelihoods, many of which are based in local agriculture”.Mali serves as a good example. In Mali, FAO and the Mali Red Cross are collaborating on cash transfers, supplies for farm and food production, and cooking demonstrations aimed at achieving good nutritional balance, among other things.“We work with those communities, to empower them to be able to provide for themselves even in the midst of ongoing conflict,” added Maiga, who also participated in the FAO-IFRC Global Dialogue on Localization.The case of Mali also highlights the critical role that IFRC member National Societies play in addressing complex, long-lasting crises. In Mali, the Red Cross works amid an array of challenges: unpredictable and extreme weather patterns exacerbated by climate change, instability and insecurity, loss of traditional livelihoods and food sources, and massive displacement of entire communities. Meanwhile, in many parts of the country,most international organizations have left due to a lack of security.“TheRed Cross has remained in the communities impacted by these crises ,” Maiga noted. “Why? Because the Red Cross is a community-based organization. Our 8,000 volunteers are part of the communities where they work.”The critical need for early actionSimilar challenges exist in many countries. With one of the largest refugee populations in the world, Uganda is experiencing numerous, serious climate challenges, as weather patterns become more unpredictable. In some areas, entire communities have been washed away in flash floods.In this case, collaboration between FAO and the Ugandan Red Cross has helped communities withstand heavy rains caused in part by the most recent El Niño Phenomena from September to December 2023.With funding from FAO, the Ugandan Red Cross took actions in ten districts of Uganda in anticipation of coming rains: disseminating early warning information, mapping flood-prone areas, and overseeing cash-for-work activities in which local people cleaned water canals or removed silt from tanks that help contain excess water.In other cases, the cash-for-work projects involved helping local communitiessafely manage crops to reduce loss once they have been harvested. Crops can be ruined if storage facilities are damaged by flooding or if the systems needed to store, transport and distribute them are disrupted.“It's clear that the increasing frequency, magnitude, and intensity of disasters are not only affecting human lives, livelihoods and property but also evolve into epidemics requiring strong investment in community level preparedness and response,” said Ugandan Red Cross Secretary General Robert Kwesiga.

Keeping humanity alive by helping communities stay safe from infectious diseases

In the outskirts of Bongor, a town on the western border of Chad, volunteers from the local Red Cross and the French Red Cross are hard at work.In a residential area teeming with children and animals — and under daily scorching heat — the volunteers are organising activities with the community aimed at helping prevent and control the spread of infectious disease.The community here lacks the infrastructure needed to deliver safe water or discharge their wastewater. And because public fountains used for gathering water are not maintained rigorously, the risk of infection here is high.Lack of sanitation systems means that other risky practices, such as open defecation, pose significant hygienic and epidemiological risks.For this reason, the volunteers are raising public awareness about ways people can protect themselves from infection, such as proper cleaning and sanitation of water sources as well as practices to avoid.“The activities raised real awareness among community members,” says Catherine, a 26-year-old volunteer for the Chad Red Cross and local resident. “We notice in particular that the vaccination centre is much busier.”A pharmacy technician, Catherine has been volunteering with the Chad Red Cross for more than a year. She is responsible for raising awareness of the dangers of open defecation.Red Cross volunteers and community members are mobilised three times a week to clean areas most at risk and raise awareness of good practices.“The project will continue to live on its own on the principle of the community transmitting [this information] to the community,” Catherine adds.Catherine is passionate about her work to build knowledge and resilience in her community, and stop diseases from spreading. “The objective,” she explains, “is to fight measles, yellow fever, poliomyelitis, Guinea worm and COVID-19”.The Red Cross volunteers use community disease surveillance methods to keep people safe – recording health-related data about specific issues or incidence of illness affecting the community, and encouraging people to report suspected cases.For Marie-Claire, a state-certified nurse and resident of Bongor who manages a women-led health centre in the city, the Red Cross efforts are effective because they have built trust with people in the community."The Red Cross serves as a trusted intermediary between residents and the health centre,” she says. “The Red Crossconducts disease surveillance and sends pregnant women or those suspected of illnesses for consultations [with the health centre]."The volunteers’ disease-prevention work in various neighbourhoods of Bongor is supported by the Programmatic Partnership between the IFRC network and the European Union. The partnership provides strategic, flexible, long-term and predictable funding, so that National Societies can act before a crisis or health emergency occurs. It is being implemented in 24 countries around the world.

Resilience: Nurturing new life in Galoolay village

By Timothy Maina, IFRC communications officer and Guuleed Elmi, SRCS Somaliland, director of communicationsNestled in Somaliland's Togdheer region, the vibrant agro-pastoral community of Galoolay faced a harsh reality - a ravaging drought that threatened their very way of life.But hope arrived with the SRCS Somaliland Resilience and Livelihoods Programme, which empowers communities like Galoolay by fortifying their resilience against disasters and climate change, fostering sustainable livelihoods, and ensuring access to clean water and sanitation.Made possible through a partnership between the German Red Cross (GRC) and the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS), the program has successfully completed two life-changing initiatives in Galoolay since 2022 that have reached over 2,000 families.A Community StrugglesAmong the many the concrete examples of the project’s impact is the renovated berked — a traditional underground water cistern — that provides residents of Galoolay with a critical source of clean water for households and for livestock.Standing next to the refurbished cistern, Asad Abdilahi Heri, the village head, paints a vivid picture of a community struggling with drought and why access to water is so critical. Their livestock, the lifeblood of their livelihood, has dwindled by a shocking 3,800 head due to drought in recent years."Since this berked was constructed, life has improved for the better and more than half of our water needs of the households have been met,” he says. “We thank SRCS for coming to our aid."Due to increasing water scarcity in recent years, only two of the 56 berkeds that once existed still function. Villagers were forced to travel a grueling 30 kilometers to the nearest water source in Odweine district.The restoration of this water source — done by the community with SRCS support — has significantly improved the situation for 480 households who now rely on it for their primary water needs.Despite the improvements, the scars of the drought remain. Familes that were displaced due to livestock loss now live in the village, relying on donkeys and camels for the arduous water-fetching journeys.Still, there's a sense of progress. With over half the village's water needs met, life has improved. Heri's plea for another berked, along with repairs to existing ones, reflects the community's desire for a more sustainable water future.Koos Yusuf Mohamed: A Story of ResilienceSRCS' intervention has also been instrumental in reviving the village's agricultural efforts. Their support, including providing hours of field ploughing work, significantly helped farmers like Mama Koos Yusuf Mohamed cultivate a second harvest of corn.A mother of eight, Mama Koos exemplifies the challenges and triumphs of Galoolay. Despite limited resources, she keeps a spirit of optimism and gratitude. The drought reduced crop yields, but Mama Koos finds solace in the SRCS' continued support."Despite the drought hurting our crops, their continued support gives us hope,” she says. “They generously provided four hours of ploughing for my land, allowing me to harvest corn a second time this season.”The drought's effects are undeniable, but SRCS' support has demonstrably made a difference. The community's corn residue, used for animal feed, ensures the well-being of the remaining livestock, a vital part of their livelihood. With healthy animals, the village can rebuild herds, rebuild their economic engine, and secure a future they wouldn't be at the mercy of the elements.

Global Summit announces ‘sprint of action’ to tackle consequences of extreme heat

Summit was co-hosted by the IFRC and USAIDExtreme heat is a silent, yet formidable adversary that – without action – will kill thousands in coming years.But, as participants at the first-ever Global Summit on Extreme Heat heard, there is plenty that can be done. Countering the worst of extreme heat’s impact will take action from the local to global level. The Global Summit on Extreme Heat, held on Thursday, was co-hosted by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It brought together political and civil society leaders, representatives of the private sector and those from the world’s most affected communities to discuss best practice and ideas.Besides the co-hosts Jagan Chapagain, IFRC Secretary General and Samantha Power, USAID Administrator, speakers included John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the [US] President for International Climate Policy, His Excellency Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of Djibouti and Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone, among others.The keynote address was delivered by IFRC Secretary-General Jagan Chapagain. He said:“While hurricanes and floods often capture the headlines, extreme heat quietly exacts a toll on lives and livelihoods . . . In 2024 we declare extreme heat a priority . . . Let us be the architects of resilience, the enablers of hope.”Chapagain laid out four key actions that need to take place. The first is protecting the vulnerable, particularly those in urban areas and in marginalised communities. The second is investing in early warning systems and anticipatory actions. The third is forging partnerships across borders, and the fourth is putting local communities in the driving seat of change.Samantha Power, Administrator of USAID, said:“At a time when some have grown numb with increasingly familiar headlines about ‘hottest days on record’, we absolutely need to resolve never to get used to the scale of this problem, never to get used to the threat it poses to human life.” Following the summit, an online ‘Heat Action Hub’ has been established where people can share experiences and best practice when it comes to tackling extreme heat. The IFRC and USAID have jointly announced a 'sprint of action’ on extreme heat which will run up to a ‘Global Day of Action on Extreme Heat’ on June 2, 2024.A recording of the summit can be watched here.For interviews contact:IFRC [email protected] ThomasMobile: +41763676587