National Society Investment Alliance announces grants to 14 Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies

Following a rigorous review process, the National Society Investment Alliance (NSIA) has allocated approximately 3.1 million Swiss francs in 2025 to support the sustainable development of 14 Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies operating in complex emergencies, protracted crises, and fragile contexts.A joint pooled fund of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the NSIA provides flexible, multi-year funding to support the sustainable development of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies that carry out critical humanitarian work under extremely challenging environments.The NSIA awards grants in two key funding categories: It can allocate up to 750,000 Swiss francs of “accelerator”funding to National Societies over a maximum of five years, and it also awards “bridge grants” of up to 50,000 Swiss francs over 12 months that aim to help National Societies lay the ground for future investment from the NSIA or from other National Society Development (NSD) initiatives.In 2025, the NSIA Office received 32 eligible proposals, 17 for accelerator funding and 15 for bridge grants. The National Societies selected for accelerator funding in 2025 are the following:Colombian Red Cross SocietyJordan National Red Crescent SocietyPakistan Red CrescentSalvadorean Red Cross SocietySomali Red Crescent SocietySouth Sudan Red CrossThese National Societies will receive strategic funding to support their journey toward long-term organizational sustainability and impact. All six National Societies have previously received NSIA grants.The Colombian Red Cross Society will strengthen institutional efficiency and humanitarian impact through a national digital management system, unifying data and governance tools to enhance transparency, coordination, accountability and donor confidence.The Jordan National Red Crescent Society will expand its Commercial First Aid services by establishing a new training center, generating sustainable income while empowering communities, especially refugees, women, and youth, to prepare for and respond to emergencies.The Pakistan Red Crescent Society will expand equitable access to safe blood and diagnostic services by upgrading laboratories and launching new mobile units, ultimately improving healthcare access for underserved communities.The Salvadorean Red Cross Society will establish a new clinical laboratory and imaging center, translating prior NSIA support into a self-sustaining health service that expands access to affordable diagnostics and reinforces the Society’s financial autonomy.The South Sudan Red Cross will drive its digital transformation by deploying new management systems, training staff and volunteers, and strengthening ICT infrastructure to enhance efficiency, accountability, and readiness in humanitarian response.Bridge grants awarded to eight National SocietiesIn addition to the accelerator grants, the NSIA has awarded bridge grants to eight National Societies: Belize Red Cross Society, Bolivian Red Cross, Guatemalan Red Cross, Honduran Red Cross, Lesotho Red Cross Society, Tanzania Red Cross-National Society, Timor-Leste Red Cross Society, Venezuelan Red Cross.2025 bridge initiatives continue to strengthen the foundations of National Societies and setting the stage for larger investments, by improving financial sustainability, governance, and institutional systems.Several initiatives, such as in Venezuela, Bolivia, Lesotho and Guatemala, will focus on restoring operational capacity and developing comprehensive resource mobilization strategies to ensure long-term income generation and donor confidence.Others, such as Timor-Leste and Honduras, plan modernization of commercial first aid services and human resource systems, improving efficiency and transparency, as well as financial sustainability.The Belize Red Cross is redefining its strategic direction through a new strategy and business plan, while Tanzania Red Cross is investing in social enterprise models and education structures to enhance financial resilience and youth engagement.Collectively, these initiatives reinforce the institutional backbone of National Societies and prepare them for future strategic investments, enabling more sustainable, accountable, and locally led humanitarian action.The NSIA continues to be a vital instrument for enabling National Societies to strengthen their sustainable institutions and deliver effective locally led humanitarian action, when humanitarian needs are increasing and funding dropping.As highlighted in the NSIA Annual Report 2024, emerging impacts show that well-targeted investments, even small ones, can generate significant returns, for example, improving governance, financial sustainability, and humanitarian service delivery across crisis and fragile and protracted contexts.Ultimately, NSIA investments offer a transformative opportunity to National Societies operating in the most complex contexts to advance their strategic priorities, strengthen institutions and eventually contributing to more resilient communities, and lasting humanitarian impact.For more information, please click here to visit the NSIA webpage.

Tanzania: Red Cross helps contain deadly Marburg outbreak while preparing communities for future epidemics

When the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) outbreak hit parts of Tanzania in early 2025, the Tanzania Red Cross Society (TRCS) sprang into action, leveraging years of epidemic preparedness and support from the IFRC to contain the deadly virus.From emergency response to long-term recovery, the Red Cross volunteers have been working alongside the Ministry of Health to protect the most vulnerable, restore trust, and build a future where communities are better prepared to face health crises.Often fatal, Marburg virus disease is a severe illness similar to Ebola that is characterized by high fever, headaches, and in many cases, internal bleeding.Thanks to the rapid mobilization, the total number of cases was relatively low (a total of 10 cases as of 4th March 2025). However, the fatality rate was 100 per cent – underscoring the urgent nature of a concerted, community wide response.That rapid action was also enabled by a 280,00 Swiss franc allocation from IFRC’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund.From training to swift actionAs a first step in its emergency response, TRCS trained 50 community health workers and volunteers in high-risk districts, equipping them epidemic control skills to detect and respond to potential cases.These teams were mobilized across communities, conducting door-to-door visits to identify suspected infections, provide health education, and dispel dangerous myths about the disease.“Our volunteers were the first line of defense,” said a staff member from TRCS. “They not only alerted health authorities to possible cases but also ensured families understood how to protect themselves.”The teams also offered mental health and psychosocial support to those affected, including people in quarantine. Recognizing that outbreaks do not affect everyone equally, TRCS also trained staff and volunteers on protection, gender, and inclusion methods to ensure all parts of the community were fully represented.Volunteers learned to prioritize dignity, access, and safety for all — especially women, children, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups.Battling misinformation with trust and dialogueRumors and misinformation spread as quickly as the virus itself. To counter this, TRCS engaged community leaders, traditional healers, and even schoolchildren in open dialogues. Through meetings, home visits, and public discussions, volunteers addressed rumors and misconceptions about both Marburg Virus and Mpox.“At first, people thought Marburg was a curse,” said one volunteer. “But by listening to their fears and explaining the facts, we built trust—and that saved lives.”Recovery and preventionWith the Ministry of Health declaring the end of the outbreak in March 2025, TRCS shifted focus to recovery. Over 100 new volunteers were trained in Ngara and Muleba districts to reinforce disease prevention, mental health support, and community engagement.In collaboration with its multiple partners, meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has developed a three-month recovery plan.As part of that plan, TRCS continued to deliver epidemic disease awareness in the affected areas, with volunteers and community health workers going house-to-house to educate people about disease prevention, reduce stigmas, and address fears among community members regarding the safety of the health facilities after the recent outbreak.In all, more than 1.5 million people were reached with critical health messages.As Tanzania recovers, the Red Cross remains vigilant—because in the fight against epidemics, preparation today means lives saved tomorrow.A lessons-learned workshop is on the horizon, aiming to strengthen future responses and ensure that past challenges are transformed into opportunities for improvement.Learn more:IFRC’s approach to epidemic and pandemic preparednessIFRC’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund

Africa's hunger crisis intensifies: IFRC warns against crisis fatigue

Geneva/Nairobi, 07 December 2023: In response to the growing hunger crisis across sub-Saharan Africa, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is amplifying its call to action amidst growing concerns of crisis fatigue. To this end, the IFRC has revised its funding appeal to 318 million Swiss Francs, now aiming to reach 18 countries. More than a year has passed since the initial launch of the Africa hunger crisis appeal, yet the needs continue to outpace support received. Originally set at 215 million Swiss Francs for 16 countries, only 59 million Swiss Francs has been raised. This humanitarian crisis, intensified by recurring droughts, El Niño-induced floods, conflicts and economic downturns, demands an immediate response to prevent widespread suffering, loss of lives and livelihoods. Around 157 million people in 35 countries across sub-Saharan Africa face acute food insecurity. Despite early warnings from African Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies, more funding and resources are needed. The Horn of Africa has been particularly hard-hit, enduring its longest dry spell on record with five consecutive dry seasons. In contrast, regions like eastern Kenya, parts of South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Tanzania experienced heavier than usual rains during the October-December season, leading to flooding that further aggravated the situation for those already facing acute food insecurity. This mix of extreme weather conditions, along with ongoing conflicts, has led to varied harvest outcomes across the continent. Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers are witnessing heart-wrenching conditions where many, including women and children, survive on less than one meal a day. Mohamed Omer Mukhier, Regional Director for Africa, emphasized the continued urgency: “In the past year, the dire need for resources in tackling the current hunger crisis has been evident with millions of people deprived of water, food and health services. While this crisis has intensified, it has been largely overshadowed by more visible crises over the past year. Considering its magnitude across the continent, we urgently call for expanded support to pursue our collective lifesaving and life-sustaining mobilization.” These countries are currently at the heart of the hunger crisis: Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Djibouti, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. African Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies have been instrumental in providing life-saving assistance to millions affected by this crisis. So far, they have reached 1.53 million people. Most of the aid provided has been water and sanitation services, reaching over 1.2 million people. Additionally, over 725,000 people received cash assistance and over 450,000 received health and nutrition support. This underscores the IFRC's commitment to transitioning from immediate relief to sustainable, long-term resilience strategies in the region. The revised appeal will focus on improving agricultural practices, fostering peace and stability and creating economic opportunities. More information: For more details, visit the Africa Hunger Crisis appeal page. For audio-visual material, visit the IFRC newsroom. To request an interview, contact: [email protected] In Nairobi: Anne Macharia: +254 720 787 764 In Geneva: Tommaso Della Longa: +41 79 708 43 67 Mrinalini Santhanam: +41 76 381 50 06

Empress Shôken Fund announces grants for 2022

The Fund The Empress Shôken Fund is named after Her Majesty The Empress of Japan, who proposed – at the 9th International Conference of the Red Cross – the creation of an international fund to promote relief work in peacetime. It is administered by the Joint Commission of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which maintains close contact with the Japanese Permanent Mission in Geneva, the Japanese Red Cross Society and the Meiji Jingu Research Institute in Japan. The Fund has a total value of over 17 million Swiss francs and supports projects run by National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to benefit their communities in various ways. The first grant was awarded in 1921, to help five European National Societies fight the spread of tuberculosis. Since then, over 14 million Swiss francs have been allocated to 170 National Societies. The Fund continues to encourage new and innovative approaches with the potential to generate insight that will benefit the Movement as a whole. An innovation campaign was launched in December 2021 to further increase awareness of the Fund and what it stands for. The campaign resulted in 52 proposals being submitted versus only 28 in 2021, and more innovative proposals compared to previous years, further strengthening the Fund’s positioning as supporting innovation. The imperial family, the Japanese government, the Japanese Red Cross and the Japanese people revere the memory of Her Majesty Empress Shôken, and their enduring regard for the Fund is shown by the regularity of their contributions to it. The grants are announced every year on 11 April, the anniversary of the death of Her Majesty Empress Shôken. The selection process The Fund received 52 applications in 2022, covering a diverse range of humanitarian projects run by National Societies in every region of the world. This year the Joint Commission agreed to allocate a total of 471,712 Swiss francs to 16 projects in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Jordan, Libya, Mongolia, Niger, Portugal, Serbia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Yemen. The projects to be supported in 2022 cover a number of themes, including first aid and rescue, support for young people, disaster preparedness, health, social welfare and National Society development. The Fund continues to encourage new and innovative approaches with the potential to generate new insight and learning that will benefit the Movement as a whole. Reports from the National Societies whose projects were funded and implemented in 2020 generated insights in the areas listed below. Top 10 key learnings from project implemented in 2020 Skills development Process improvement Adaptability and agility Leveraging synergies Project management Digitalization Change management Taking a pilot approach Aligning strategies Improving communications The 2022 grants The Burkinabe Red Cross Society plans to strengthen psychosocial care and the capacities of community volunteers and first-aiders in communities affected by the crisis. The grant will allow the National Society to assist victims of attacks by armed groups in areas where security is a challenge. In 2017, over 43.8% of Ivorians were illiterate, and the disparities between men and women and by places of residence were enormous. The Red Cross Society of Côte d’Ivoire will use the grant to help improve the education and increase the autonomy of young women in the Bounkani Region who have not attended school. The Croatian Red Cross will use the grant funds to spread awareness of the humanitarian ideals and educate children from an early age, through the Humanity Corner. The Dominica Red Cross Society will provide support for and help introduce farming techniques and other solutions for managing climate change and other risks. The funds will be used to train 15 farmers as Agri First Responders in their community. The Dominican Red Cross will help build young people’s capacity to carry out local social support activities. The grant will be used to develop a virtual introductory course on planning and coordinating social support activities that is adapted to the young people’s local reality, so that they are equipped with the techniques and tools to address the needs of their community. The Ecuadorean Red Cross aims to identify and provide primary care for the negative feelings and emotions in young people from age 15 to 30 years in the city of Quito. The grant funds will provide immersion technologies to addresses the heightened need in the community owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Jordan National Red Crescent Society has recognized young people and volunteers as the beating heart of the National Society, especially during the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which they served local communities across the country, when mobility was restricted. This grant will help them improve the management system for recruiting, developing, promoting and retaining volunteers to support humanitarian operations. Libya is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, given its arid climate. This grant will help the Libyan Red Crescent raise awareness of the risks associated with climate change and highlight personal behaviours that could help mitigate these risks for communities. The Mongolian Red Cross Society wants to use digital communication tools funded by the grant in order to help ensure there is meaningful community participation across all programmes and operations, improve its public relations management and strengthen its transparency and accountability to communities. In the event of an accident, smartphones can provide information that is essential for providing effective first aid. Thanks to the grant, the Red Cross Society of Niger will educate and inform the public about how to store useful information in the “emergency call” section of their phones. The Portuguese Red Cross will address young people's social exclusion and the lack of space and opportunities to develop relevant skills and digital literacy, through the Platforms of Change, funded by the grant. Through the “Their life is in your hands” digital marketing campaign, funded by the grant, the Red Cross of Serbia will raise the general public’s awareness of the value of CPR skills and AED use and provide the related training. The Republic of Korea National Red Cross will focus on supporting disaster risk reduction in many countries in the Asia Pacific Region. The grant will fund development of virtual reality training content by the Asia Pacific Disaster Resilience Centre, provide sets of virtual reality devices to seven National Societies and provide virtual reality training on disaster risk reduction. The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society is aiming for better nutrition and improved water, sanitation and hygiene in vulnerable communities that are drought-prone. The grant will introduce groundwater recharging practices into the catchment and tank ecosystem areas, to facilitate groundwater retention. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, communities face challenges in gaining access to reliable, up-to-date information and in overcoming the rumours, myths and misconceptions around the vaccine. Supported by the grant, the Tanzania Red Cross Society will develop a mobile application, “UJANJA KUCHANJA”, to enhance information-sharing, build trust and increase information access and reach. In a mountainous district of Yemen, frequent rockslides often injure people and domestic animals, disrupt transport networks and cut people off from their livelihood activities. Thanks to the grant, the Yemen Red Crescent Society will take measures to prevent rockslides and help reduce the number of victims and the damage caused.

Tanzania Red Cross National Society

East Africa: Red Cross raises the alarm over a “triple menace” of floods, COVID-19 and locusts

Nairobi/Geneva, 20 May 2020—A series of mutually exacerbating disasters is unfolding in East Africa, on a scale rarely seen in decades, warned the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Ongoing heavy rain—which has killed nearly 300 and displaced about 500,000 people—has slowed down operations aimed at controlling the worst locust crisis in decades and increased the risk of the spread of COVID-19. Dr Simon Missiri, IFRC’s Regional Director for Africa said: “The ongoing flooding crisis is exacerbating other threats caused by COVID-19 and the invasion of locusts. Travel and movement restrictions meant to slow down the spread of COVID-19 are hampering efforts to combat swarms of locusts that are ravaging crops. Flooding is also a ‘threat amplifier’ with regards to the spread of COVID-19 as it makes it hard to implement preventive measures.” Flooding has left thousands of people homeless, many of them now seeking shelter in temporary accommodation centres where it is not easy or not possible at all to observe physical distancing. As a result, thousands are now at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 or waterborne diseases and need emergency food assistance. “We are facing an unusually complex humanitarian situation. We are worried that the number of people who are hungry and sick will increase in the coming weeks as flooding and COVID-19 continue to severely affect the coping capacity of many families in the region,” added Dr Missiri. “Harsh weather conditions are having a multiplier effect on an already difficult situation and this could potentially lead to worrying levels of food insecurity in the region.” Red Cross teams in the affected countries are rushing to respond to multi-faceted and overlapping crises. To respond to flooding, COVID-19 and locusts, the IFRC has provided over 7 million Swiss francs to Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies in East and Horn of Africa. Red Cross and Red Crescent teams in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda are helping communities mitigate the negative impacts of the triple disaster through community awareness and direct food and non-food support. In Kenya, the Red Cross is conducting assessments in 16 counties, using drones and satellite images. Red Cross teams are also airlifting household items to families that have been marooned by floods. “Flooding is a recurrent phenomenon in the region. To break this cycle, we call upon Governments and partners to invest more in preparedness and flood control methods,” said Dr MISSIRI.

Cyclone Kenneth: First reports from northern Mozambique

Beira/Nairobi/Geneva, 26 April 2019 – Red Cross teams in northern Mozambique are reporting serious damage in towns and communities that bore the brunt of Cyclone Kenneth overnight. Kenneth made landfall with wind speeds of up to 231 km per hour – almost the equivalent of a category 4 hurricane. Initial reports from Quissanga indicate extensive damage to houses, while communication with Macomia and Muidumbe remains down. Antonio Carabante, Relief Delegate with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in Nampula said: “These are initial reports, but they are quite concerning. We are being told that the wind caused quite a lot of damage. We are worried, especially about people living in communities that we have not yet heard from. We are working to open lines of communication, and to get personnel and supplies to where they are needed.” The situation is likely to be compounded in coming days by expected torrential rains. Some predictions suggest that Kenneth could drop as much as 250mm of water over the weekend – equivalent to about a quarter of average annual rainfall for the region. IFRC’s Carabante said: “While attention is often given to wind speed, we know from experience that it is rainfall – and subsequent flooding and landslides – that can be even more dangerous from a humanitarian perspective. This was certainly the case for Cyclone Idai. “The terrain in many affected communities are precarious – many of these areas are prone to flooding and landslides in normal rainfall, and this is far from a normal situation.” The districts of Macomia, Quissanga, Mocimboa da Praia and Mecufi are expected to experience the worst of the rainfall, according to meteorologists. Red Cross staff and volunteers across southern Tanzania and northern Mozambique have been helping communities prepare in anticipation of Cyclone Kenneth’s landfall. Their Red Crescent colleagues in Comoros have already supported search and rescue efforts, providing urgent first aid. Red Crescent teams have reported that more than 1,200 people are affected so far with this number expected to rise as homes and crops are damaged and destroyed across the islands of Comoros. IFRC launched an Emergency Appeal for 31 million Swiss francs to support the Mozambique Red Cross to provide 200,000 people with emergency assistance following Cyclone Idai over the next 24 months. IFRC is also supporting Tanzania, Comoros, and northern Mozambique, deploying experts to support local efforts in assessing and responding to the immediate needs on the ground.

Volunteers in Comoros, Mozambique and Tanzania prepare as Cyclone Kenneth forms

Nairobi/Geneva, 24 April 2019 – Teams of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers are on alert as a Cyclone Kenneth makes its way to Comoros and potentially on to Tanzania and Mozambique. Red Cross volunteers in northern Mozambique are alerting communities in areas where the concern of flooding, erosion and landslides are particularly high, including Nacala-Porto and Nacala-A Velha districts. Tanzania and Mozambique Red Cross are prepositioning supplies and preparing teams in anticipation. Kenneth formed into a cyclone earlier today (24 April), and it could strengthen further before reaching Comoros as early as this evening. Dr Fatoumata Nafo-Traoré, Regional Director for Africa for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said: “We are concerned about the impact that this storm could have across the three countries. We are especially concerned about its possible impact in Mozambique where communities are still recovering from the devastation of Cyclone Idai. “We are supporting local Red Cross and Red Crescent teams on the ground across Comoros, Tanzania and Mozambique, ensuring they are ready if and when Cyclone Kenneth strikes.” An IFRC specialist is en route to Comoros to support local Red Crescent efforts. More than one month ago, Cyclone Idai affected approximately 1.8 million people across Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi, and killed nearly 1,000. IFRC has launched an Emergency Appeal for 31 million Swiss francs to support the Mozambique Red Cross to provide 200,000 people with emergency assistance water, sanitation and hygiene; shelter, health, livelihoods and protection services over the next 24 months.