04/09/2020 |

Article

Guatemala: Tireless work on behalf of migrants

by Olivia Acosta It has been more than five months since the borders were closed in Guatemala and a considerable number of people in transit have been blocked inside the country. The situation is a challenge for Guatemala since many of the migrants must resort to finding jobs or generating economic activities in the country, in order to survive. In most cases, migrants are forced to live in local villages near border points, which is also a challenge in terms of harmonious coexistence between local people and migrants. Most of them have economic difficulties and they take risk by leaving their countries looking for a better life. Their transit through Central America is always very complex, but now with the situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic, everything has become even more difficult and they rely on the support from organizations such as the Red Cross to solve some of their needs. This is the case of Hosni Contreras, a Nicaraguan who was trapped in Petén, Guatemala, after the borders were closed, and two months ago was hit by a vehicle. "The Guatemalan Red Cross helped me in my recovery process. Now I feel much better, I can walk without crutches," says Hosni. As part of the response to support people like Hosni, one of the main projects implemented by the Guatemalan Red Cross since 2014 takes place at the departments of Petén, Chiquimula and San Marcos. The project is carried out in coordination with UNHCR and seeks to generate actions to strengthen capacities at institutional level related to assistance and protection for migrants; referral actions to relevant institutions for protection cases; development of communications (Restoration of Family Links, RFL); and activation of awareness and protection processes in transit communities. So far, more than 47,000 people have been assisted. Thirty volunteers work on the project. The Guatemalan Red Cross has been carrying out permanent training activities for volunteers to respond in the context of COVID-19. “We want our volunteers to be safe, without the risk of getting infected, and to know how to work better to support migrants," says Hector. The Guatemalan Red Cross is doing an important work to inform this population about the virus and to promote prevention measures. "We do this work in the communities, and produce didactic material to share something attractive for them to become familiar with the messages. Also, we have done an important work from communication with social networks and other channels to reach them with messages in an efficient way," says Hector. The work that the National Society has been undertaking has focused primarily on generating sustainable processes, which has involved the active participation of communities. "It is a very intense work that we have been developing over the years. We have generated mechanisms that have changed behaviors. We have seen that the perception of the local people has been transformed, and they are even helping migrants on their own". In this sense, the Guatemalan Red Cross works to develop sustained processes to identify the needs of migrants. "We do this in three ways: one is through direct assistance: since migrants enter Guatemala we establish communication with them. The second one is through dialogue with key actors in the communities. By spending more time in the communities, we have more time to talk with them, to generate trust, and people tell us about their concerns. And also, we are working with the government to generate a systematic record from the feedback we get from them.” With the arrival of the pandemic, the Guatemalan Red Cross has been adapting its processes according to the evolution of different scenarios. The project has been developed during three years and will continue to be executed towards 2021. "We don't really know exactly how we will be working in two months since the situation is constantly changing, but we will continue with all our efforts to support the migrants," says Hector.

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01/09/2020 |

Article

Vichada: the Colombian Red Cross accompanies communities with comprehensive services at the border

By Melissa Monzon “When should we wash our hands?” asks Sergio Gutierrez, to three children who have been listening to him very carefully. The children respond in chorus “Before eating, after going to the bathroom…”, one of the kids looks at Sergio doubtfully, and Sergio looks back at him as if saying You can do it. “…and after playing”, answers the little one with the pride that a student shows when he has learned the lesson. These children, who are from Venezuela, have been participating in the recreational activities carried out by the Colombian Red Cross in the municipality of Puerto Carreño, capital of the department of Vichada, Colombia. “We carry out close, pedagogical work with children, teenagers, expectant and nursing mothers, especially on the current issue that is COVID-19. Through recreational activities and characters, whether puppets or working with volunteers, we have been able to interact with families, to continue raising awareness and creating space for reflection on issues that meet the needs of the population”, says Sergio, a psychologist who moved from his native Bucaramanga to Vichada to take care of the Colombian Red Cross’ protective space, where children, teenagers and adults learn by playing, strengthening their bonds and providing them with a protective environment with actions focused on mental health and psychosocial well-being. To get to Bogota, the country’s capital, from Vichada, one must make a trip by bus that will take two days approximately, with many transfers. Vichada is a department with many needs, and also a border crossing for those who migrate from Venezuela to Colombia, whether it is their final destination or transit through to another country. It is also a territory with a diverse ecosystem, crossed by the Meta and Orinoco rivers, with enormous cultural and social potential, which demands a comprehensive and sustainable humanitarian response, that guarantees collective participation for development. In Vichada, poverty rates are high, and access to health services is scarce: the proportion of people with unsatisfied basic needs in the department reaches 67% according to the Colombian National Administrative Department of Statistics, and the situation of indigenous communities (many of them cross-border, and that represent more than 58% of the population) is worrying: only about 10% of the indigenous population in Vichada has electric power service, the aqueduct coverage reaches only 9% of indigenous people, and in general, health care services are very limited, directly affecting the quality of life in the area. The arrival of COVID-19 has made the situation even more complex. Since April 2019, the Colombian Red Cross has been providing health care, nursing and psychology services, health promotion and disease prevention activities, as well as the delivery of free medicine aimed at migrants and vulnerable local population, as well protection services through the protective space. Now, during the pandemic, it is the only organization providing continuous ambulatory health services in the area, because the municipality hospital, temporarily, only provides emergency care. For Jessica Teheran, nurse at the Vichada branch, what is more satisfying, beyond giving health care, is knowing that she is contributing to behavioural change: “We are not only providing medical or psychological care, but we are also teaching the new mother who does not know how to breastfeed, raising awareness of the elderly who may not follow their hypertension treatment, congratulating the future mother who even through difficult times has the desire to continue with her pregnancy. Being in Vichada and working with all of them totally changed my vision of the world, thus enriching my personal and professional life.” Until the end of June 2020, the Colombian Red Cross – Vichada branch, with the support of IFRC trough the Emergency Appeal: Colombia Population Movement, has provided more than 27,000 health services, almost 10,000 of them in nursing services, more than 4,800 psychology services and attended to about 3,500 children and vulnerable population in its protective space. In addition, in each health care attention, patients received free medicine and participate in educational talks on disease prevention and health promotion, and themes related to mental health. Likewise, hygiene kits, prenatal kits, food kits, psychosocial support kits, condoms and hand sanitizers have been delivered. Finally, two hydration points have been installed in the department to provide access to safe water to anyone who needs it. “The impact that the work has in the migrant population is evidenced on a daily basis in the medical consultations with grateful patients, since they find in the Colombian Red Cross, not only assistance, but also a friendly helping hand in this vulnerable situation to which they are exposed. For me as a migrant, it is a gratifying experience to be able to work with other migrants, to be able to offer them guidance or words of encouragement”, concludes Ligia Helena Gómez, Venezuelan by birth, and doctor of the population movement project of the Colombian Red Cross in Vichada. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBEm1Y3F8JU[/embed] *some shots of this video were taken before COVID-19 reached Colombia

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20/07/2020 |

Article

Honduras: 500 migrants blocked in Choluteca due to movement restrictions

The situation in Choluteca, Honduras, near the border with Nicaragua, is extremely difficult for approximately 500 migrants who are blocked in the country due to movement restrictions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of them are from Cuba, Haiti and several African countries (such as Ghana, Kenya, etc.) and travel with their family for months, crossing different borders on their way to the United States. One of their main concerns is to maintain their anonymity and remain "invisible" to the institutions, agencies or governments, in order to avoid being detained and deported during their migration journey to the north. Each stage of their path poses new challenges depending on the countries they cross. Families grow along the journey with the birth of new members who, sometimes, cannot accompany their parents on their way to the north because of nationality laws of the countries where the children are born. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, these migrants have faced new risks in their migration journey. According to Alexei Gastro, Secretary General of the Honduran Red Cross: "They risk being stranded at the borders of different countries, as is the case in Choluteca, with limited health care infrastructure. They are also exposed to human trafficking, assaults, rapes, and payments to 'coyotes' to guide them on their route". According to Alexei Gastro, another fundamental challenge for migrants is to conserve their financial resources to complete their migratory journey: "For them it is vital to maintain the budget allocated to this migratory project, so they cannot afford long stays at any point along the route, because they could run out of resources to continue their journey to the north". The Honduran Red Cross is providing support to the migrants blocked in Choluteca to try to alleviate the basic needs of migrants who hope to be able to follow their route when the restrictions on movement imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted. The Honduran Red Cross is providing support to the migrants blocked in Choluteca in order to meet their basic needs. Those migrants continue to hope to be able to continue their journey up north when the movement restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted. The Honduran Red Cross identified the need to set up shelters to accommodate those migrants, who often have to stay with Honduran families, or in hotels in the area. Other services being provided to migrants include health assistance to prevent coronavirus and dengue; distribution of food, hygiene kits, drinking water, and biosecurity supplies; restoration of family contacts; access to the Internet; psychosocial support, etc. Language is an additional issue because most of the migrants barely speak Spanish or English, making it difficult for Red Cross teams to provide, for example, psychosocial support. According to Dunia Varela, Health Officer at the Honduran Red Cross: "The difficulty of language, the masks and the PPE (personal protective equipment) we have to wear during the COVID-19 outbreak, makes it even more difficult to empathize with migrants, because they cannot see our faces or expressions, although in most cases it is very gratifying when we manage to get them to open up to us and share what worries them". The Red Cross is particularly concerned about the situation of migrants and voluntary returnees to countries of origin in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and is working hard to alleviate their suffering and meet their basic needs in transit countries and at the borders.

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05/05/2020 |

Article

The IFRC and the Panamanian Red Cross are working together to support Panama in its response to COVID-19

With the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Panamanian Red Cross has been working on its institutional and operational strengthening in order to expand its service offerings to Panama not only in response to COVID-19 but also in attention to migrant populations, preparation for the rainy season as well as other actions at the community level. As part of the response to COVID-19, the Panamanian Red Cross initially received 25,000 Swiss francs in cash and more than 15,000 Swiss francs in protection equipment as part of the IFRC's International Appeal. Due to the increase in cases, the Panamanian Red Cross has revised its COVID-19 action plan and the IFRC has agreed to increase support to the National Society to an additional 50,000 Swiss francs to enable it to implement actions in psychosocial support, food vouchers, key messages and community health services to those directly or indirectly affected by COVID-19. In addition, it will soon donate 2 ambulances and will make a new delivery of personal protection equipment for the amount of 40 thousand Swiss francs. "The IFRC is committed to Panama and the Panamanian Red Cross. The presence of the IFRC in the Humanitarian Hub of Panama obliges us to accompany the strengthening of our local National Society and enhance the strengths of the Hub not only at the logistical level, but fundamentally at the level of cooperation, training and management of timely information that allows evidence-based decision making. We are committed to Panama, which is why we make available to the country the knowledge and experience of the largest humanitarian network in the world, to work on prevention and mitigation, and thus together recover from this pandemic that keeps the country isolated," said Walter Cotte, IFRC Director for the Americas. Elías Solís, President of the Panamanian Red Cross said, "The Panamanian Red Cross is making the necessary institutional strengthening efforts to offer Panama a diversification of services and quality programmes that will not only allow us to contribute to the national response to the current contingency, but also to continue working on strengthening community resilience. For us it is an advantage to have the Regional office for the Americas of the IFRC in Panama, not only for our institution but for the Republic of Panama in general because we can benefit from the technical knowledge and the capacity of articulation of the IFRC with partners not only from the International Red Cross Movement but from the United Nations system, as well as donors at the global level”. The IFRC together with the Panamanian Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have been supporting the efforts of the Panamanian government in the care of migrants who are in a situation of extreme vulnerability in Darién. The IFRC maintains a regional appeal on migration. Through this appeal, the Panamanian Red Cross has requested the extension of funds to make larger purchases of inputs through the Logistics Hub, in order to provide the required humanitarian assistance. The migration actions and attention to host communities have been expanded thanks to an alliance with UNICEF and other internal and external partners, through which 12,700 people have benefited in health care, more than 38,000 people have been reached with more than 2.4 million liters of safe water, 700 people have been benefited with the supply of materials and tools for the construction of emergency shelters, implementation of a distribution system that serves 1. 600 people who receive daily distributions. In addition, more than 4,300 packages of cleaning and hygiene products and water storage have been distributed, and with ICRC support some 200 people have been assisted by the Restoring Family Links programme. Reliable information on COVID-19 and the legal situation of migrants and on the details of their stay in the shelter has also been distributed, reaching more than 19,000 people. "The situation of migrants throughout the region is very worrying, and these people generally have little access to health systems and minimum preventive measures for COVID-19 and are exposed to other protection risks that increase their vulnerability, which is why we at the Red Cross in the Americas are making efforts to ensure that migrant populations, as well as other vulnerable populations such as indigenous communities, elderly, LGBTQI people, people living with HIV and people with disabilities, are considered in all plans for responding to the pandemic in the region," said Walter Cotte.

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03/03/2020 |

Press release

Greece-Turkey Border: Migrants must not be used as a political tool. The EU and Member States must act in solidarity now.

Geneva/Budapest, 3 March 2020– Women, children and men caught up in the ongoing humanitarian crisis at the land border between Greece and Turkey, in the Greek islands and in the Aegean Sea must not be “used as a political tool”, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warned today. Speaking of the deteriorating humanitarian situation, IFRC President Francesco Rocca said: “It is unacceptable that children and families are exposed to tear gas and violence or have to risk their lives in the Aegean Sea. We will not be silent in the face of this dire humanitarian situation, which may become even worse in the next hours and days.” The IFRC is deeply concerned that thousands of people, including vulnerable children, may suffer the consequences of the recent surge of migrants trying to cross the border between Turkey and Greece. While Governments have the right and responsibility to set migration policies and to control their own borders, steps should be taken to ensure the implementation of such policies do not increase suffering. “EU Member States should respond in a spirit of solidarity to the recent increase in numbers of people seeking refuge at the EU’s external borders. They must enact their responsibilities in protecting people and saving lives. EU governments cannot turn their backs on Turkey and Greece. Southern European States cannot be left alone. All States have a responsibility to protect people and save lives,” President Rocca said. “We call on the EU and the national Governments to avoid using migrants as a political tool, to ensure that asylum seekers can apply for international protection, in line with international and EU laws. Access to humanitarian assistance and essential services, including healthcare, ought to be guaranteed for all people, in particular children and other vulnerable groups,” he ended.

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04/02/2020 |

Article

Delegation from the Spanish Cooperation makes visit to view the humanitarian intervention of Red Cross in Panama

Representatives from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and the Autonomous Communities of Spain from La Rioja, Canarias, Murcia and Castilla and Leon visited Darien, Panama, to view the humanitarian interventions implemented by the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Panama Red Cross Society (PRCS) in the region. Through an Agreement referring to the humanitarian action subscribed by the decentralized cooperation and AECID, the Spanish Cooperation supports IFRC’s Regional Emergency Appeal for Migration in the Americas. The delegation went to Metetí, La Peñita and Lajas Blancas, in the Darien Province (near the border between Panama and Colombia), where IFRC and Panama Red Cross Society actively support migrant communities in transit to North America. As part of the actions developed in La Peñita, both local and migrant community members receive access to water, washing stations, andprimary and basic health services. Additionally, information sessions on hygiene, health, and information about migratory status are provided. During meetings with host community members, migrants, public officials from the Panamanian government and international organizations working on the area, it became clear that there is a need to strengthen actions on health and protection to limit the extreme vulnerability of migrants in this remote and largely undeveloped zone. Current estimates indicate that migratory flows through Darien will likely increase in coming months. It is of the utmost importance to reinforce the humanitarian response for this transit community, with coordination between public Panamanian institutions and humanitarian organizations in the area being the key to success.

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30/01/2020 |

Article

Only half of refugees and migrants from Venezuela feel informed, survey finds

A regional survey on the information and communication needs of refugees and migrants from Venezuela found that half of them feel that they don’t have enough information on their rights and where to obtain assistance. The study was carried out by over 30 organizations across Latin America and the Caribbean, under the framework of the Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela (R4V). Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean host an estimated 3.9 million refugees and migrants from Venezuela. With rising numbers, increasing needs and limited resources, humanitarian organizations have come together to understand the needs and at the same time support adaptation processes that put people at the center of the response. The assessment aims to understand what the communication preferences and habits of people on the move are, identify the best way to reach those in need, and inform them about their rights and assistance available to them. According to the exercise, the main communication channels and sources of information for refugees and migrants from Venezuela are WhatsApp and Facebook. In addition, face-to-face communication with family, friends and humanitarian actors are among the most trusted sources of information, especially for those in transit. “There is a lot of information on social media but it is incorrect or inaccurate. We would like to receive information through social networks but from trusted sources; true and accurate information.” Main survey, Venezuelan woman in Peru. While some 70 percent of interviewees said they have access to information and to a mobile phone, a considerable number - 30 percent - do not have access to a mobile phone to communicate with friends and family or to look for information, with differences across the countries and depending on whether they are in transit or in-destination. Implementing strong and inclusive communication mechanisms, including the establishment of feedback and accountability systems shape the way timely and potentially life-saving information is shared through communication channels of choice which help people make decisions at any stage of their journey. Trust, availability and inclusivity are all criteria that must be considered when formulating the correct approach to establishing such communications. Increased community engagement and participation of refugees, migrants and host communities throughout all the interventions that affect their lives is needed to ensure assistance responds to actual needs and priorities. The exercise was jointly led by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and IFRC, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, as part of the Communicating with Communities/Communication for Development Working Group of the Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Platform (R4V), co-lead by UNICEF, in coordination with regional and national inter-agency structures. The report is available here (link) For more information on this topic, please contact: Diana Medina, IFRC, [email protected], +507 6780 5395 Olga Sarrado, ACNUR, [email protected], +507 6640 0185

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05/11/2019 |

Article

Irish and Latvian Red Cross “buddies” are supporting the integration of refugees

By Mark Richard South, IFRC With the aim of promoting mutual understanding, social inclusion, and ultimately successful integration, the two Red Cross Societies are working through the AVAIL project to match up new arrivals with local “buddies”. “In the wake of the refugee crisis there was a spontaneous upsurge of public support towards refugees in Ireland,” said Susanna Cunningham, manager of the AVAIL project with the Irish Red Cross. “Buddying is a great way to harness that goodwill and help local communities get to know and welcome refugees and asylum seekers better as individuals.” The buddies are volunteers drawn from the local community able to provide practical and emotional support, as well as opening doors to local networks, to help people ease their way into the new culture, society and community Matching partners based on location, gender, age and shared interests, ensures refugees and asylum seekers and their buddies have common ground from which to build, and means people have at least one person they know as they settle into their new community. “In Latvia, there are not really established communities of refugees or asylum seekers, so buddies play a really important role helping people to settle,” said Agnese Trofimova, AVAIL manager for the Latvian Red Cross. “The culture, society, and language here are so different from what people might be used to, buddies are a vital link to the new communities people find themselves in.” As well as being hugely useful in helping with basic practical issues and local knowledge – things like how to open a bank account, where to access adult education, what are the best local transport routes – buddies also provide an opportunity for people to practice their language skills, as well as offering friendship. By spending time with buddies, refugees and asylum seekers themselves get to understand more about local culture and society, but also give buddies and the local community a chance to gain a greater understanding of refugees and asylum seekers as people: the cultures they have come from, the journeys they have made, the challenges they have overcome, and how they can contribute to the community and wider society in their new country.

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31/10/2019 |

Press release

Turkey: EU-funded programme to assist 1.7 million Syrian refugees

Geneva/Ankara, 31 October 2019 – Around 1.7 million Syrians living in Turkey will continue to receive humanitarian support through an EU-funded partnership between the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Turkish Red Crescent Society. Through €500 million in EU funding, IFRC will provide monthly assistance via debit cards to the most vulnerable refugees in Turkey under the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) programme. The ESSN is a multi-purpose cash transfer scheme that allows families to decide for themselves how to cover essential needs like rent, transport, bills, food, and medicine. Elhadj As Sy, IFRC Secretary-General, said: “Cash assistance is about dignity. Supporting people with cash gives them the freedom, dignity and independence to take control of their own lives and allows them to engage with and contribute to the communities that are hosting them. “Many refugees have limited access to the formal labour market. Cash grants offer the power of choice and give people the independence to address their families’ essential needs.” Through the ESSN programme, IFRC and the Turkish Red Crescent will provide families with approximately €18 (120TL) a month through prepaid cards. In addition, families will receive quarterly additional allowances based on family size, along with monthly payments to beneficiaries with disabilities. An estimated 300 Turkish Red Crescent staff will be involved in the programme, ensuring close engagement with communities throughout its duration. IFRC’s As Sy said: “This new partnership reflects the leading role that the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement plays in the delivery of humanitarian cash assistance.” In 2018, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement was responsible for delivering about 25 per cent of all humanitarian cash assistance globally. Christos Stylianides, the European Union’s Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, said: “The Emergency Social Safety Net programme is the EU's flagship humanitarian aid programme. It has proven itself crucial in addressing one of the most important humanitarian challenges of our times. Through this new partnership, we will continue to make a real and tangible difference for refugees in Turkey.” The ESSN is the largest humanitarian programme in the history of the EU and will be the largest programme ever implemented by IFRC. Background Eight years into the conflict in Syria, an estimated 5.6 million Syrians are registered as refugees in neighbouring countries, and more than 6.2 million are internally displaced inside Syria. In Turkey, there are an estimated 4 million refugees, of whom 3.6 million are Syrian. For the past three years, the World Food Programme (WFP), in partnership with the Turkish Red Crescent Society, has been implementing the ESSN programme in Turkey. The funding has been provided by the European Union’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department under the EU’s Facility for Refugees in Turkey. IFRC will be the lead partner for the next phase of the ESSN programme. The Turkish Red Crescent will remain the operational partner of the ESSN programme; the implementation of the programme will be done in close cooperation with the Turkish Government. The first cash transfer by IFRC is scheduled for April 2020. WFP and IFRC staff are working together to ensure a seamless transition, without any gap for those who rely on it.

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24/10/2019 |

Press release

Migration: Alternative to Vucjak camp needed now, says Red Cross

Budapest/Geneva, 24 October 2019–A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding at a makeshift migrant camp on the outskirts of Bihac in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is warning today. The Vucjak camp – which has been termed “The Jungle” by people living there – has no running water, no electricity, no usable toilets, and mouldy, leaking, overcrowded tents. Currently, there are about 700 migrants living in the camp. Last week there were 2,500 people there in some days. The camp only has 80 tents, no medical assistance, and just five volunteers from Bosnia and Herzegovina Red Cross Society to help the whole camp population. Adnan Kurtagic, one of the Red Cross volunteers working at Vucjak, says the situation is heartbreaking and devastating. “They come to me to talk. They cry and cry. They say, ‘I miss my home, my mother has died, the police did this’. I hear a lot of stories. I don’t know how I don’t break – for two months now I have only been able to sleep two or three hours a night and even then, I dream about them.” He says the team from the Red Cross Bihac City is responsible for a wide range of tasks. They clean the camp, feed hundreds of people a day, and provide basic first aid and psychosocial support. The health situation at Vucjak is particularly concerning, says the Red Cross’ Kurtagic. There are people in the camp with untreated broken limbs and 70 per cent of the population has scabies. “The sanitation and hygiene situation is alarming. I don’t know how they can sleep. People should not be living here and it should be closed, but first these people need somewhere to go. We can hardly manage but I don’t want to leave these people all alone. If Red Cross leaves, there will be no food, no water, no clothes, no help - it will be awful.” IFRC’s operations manager for Bosnia and Herzegovina Indira Kulenovic agrees that Vucjak camp should be urgently closed and the people moved to a safe, secure place that meets at least the basic humanitarian standards. “These poor people are sleeping in the mud, six to one blanket, in temperatures falling to below zero at night. At least half of them require medical assistance, and the many do not even have shoes. The conditions are inhumane, and their suffering is overwhelming,” says Kulenovic. “There is no dignity for these people. Most of them are covered in scabies bites, have fevers and diarrhoea, and winter is approaching. There will be a metre of snow at Vucjak camp in a few weeks,” Kulenovic says. Since the beginning of 2019, 23,000 migrants have arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Existing migrant reception centres are full and thousands are sleeping on the streets or squatting in empty houses. The Red Cross Society of Bosnia and Herzegovina has seven mobile teams who have so far assisted 41,000 people but Kulenovic says more are needed. The teams provide people at Vucjak and those on the roadside with food, water, clothes, blankets, psychosocial support and first aid. They also distribute information on active landmine fields to warn migrants of the dangers. IFRC and the Red Cross Society of Bosnia and Herzegovina are appealing to their partners for 3.3 million Swiss francs to provide food, hygiene items, first aid and other assistance to 7,600 of the most vulnerable migrants along with cash grants for 1,500 host families during 2019. The appeal is about one third funded. ENDS Press photos are availablehere,B rollhereand interviewshere

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02/10/2019 |

Article

Latvian Red Cross raises awareness on migration issues with regional training

By Agnese Trofimova, Latvian Red Cross Latvian Red Cross, in cooperation with the UN Refugee Agency`s Regional Representation for Northern Europe (UNHCR), has organized 5 regional trainings with the title “Work for the integration of refugees and immigrants: intercultural interaction, good practice and experience.” The training aims to build capacity and expertise of more than one hundred service providers, public authorities and representatives of local communities. Organized in five different regions across Latvia – Rezekne, Puikule, Bauska, Saldus and Riga between 23 – 27 September, the trainings are part of the international Red Cross project “AVAIL- Amplifying the Voices of Asylum Seekers and Refugees for Integration and Life Skills.” The representatives from UNHCR, Marcel Colun and Karolis Zibas, presented general information about the current situation related to issues of asylum, migration and relocation, the effect of legislative changes on results of the integration of refugees and immigrants, as well as overall integration policy and processes at the regional and national level. Tamim Nashed, an independent expert on integration and intercultural competences and former Policy Officer at the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), presented aspects ofintercultural competences. Another speaker was a Syrian refugee living in Latvia, Sulaeman Alzouabi, who works as a doctor in a hospital. Sulaemanshared his life story and the experience of being a refugee. The audience of these trainings were employees of state and municipal institutions, including policy planners, representatives from educational institutions, social and health care workers and activists from other non-governmental organizations. After these trainings, participants admitted that they had received a lot of new and interesting information that will be useful in their daily work and communication with foreigners. Also, they revealed that from now on they will be more critical towards information about the migration crisis, refugees and intercultural interaction presented by media. Within the project since February 2018, the Latvian Red Cross has implemented Buddy program andeducational interactive events for refugees, asylum seekers (RAS) and host community which includes attending cultural events with an aim to learn about local habits, several types of social integration activities, etc. Moreover, discussions among local stakeholders have been expanded, informative materials were produced and shared which has raised more awareness towards RAS and their needs.

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19/08/2019 |

Press release

Rakhine crisis - Two years on, the struggle for safety, privacy and dignity

Cox’s Bazar / Kuala Lumpur, 19 August 2019 – Tens of thousands of people who fled violence in Rakhine to camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh are living their lives in cramped tents and shelters, in conditions that fall well below international standards. Two years on from the exodus triggered by violence on 25 August 2017, over 700,000 people live in crowded camps with little space between their small shelters. The average space per person in the camps is 24 square metres but falls to less than 10 square metres in the most densely populated parts of the camps. Minimum standards set by humanitarian organizations call for at least 30 square metres per person. Syed Ali Nasim Khaliluzzaman, Head of Operation of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society in Cox’s Bazar, said: “Space has been a challenge since the beginning of this response. In the emergency phase, our focus was on meeting basic needs and ensuring everyone had a roof over their heads. Now, we must move together to improve basic conditions at the camps, particularly for larger households. As this has become a protracted crisis, we are focusing on longer term planning” The Red Crescent, supported by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and other partners, is building new shelters that will meet the basic standards for space. They also provide greater protection against the heavy winds common in Cox’s Bazar during the cyclone season, helping to keep families safer. These new shelters are being constructed now. Families will be able to move voluntarily, freeing up space in other parts of the camp. Many houses and shelters in nearby host communities are similarly poor. The Red Crescent is supporting 245 families from host communities to build new durable homes that will protect them from risk during the monsoon and cyclone seasons. Many more are receiving advice and guidance on how to safely and securely repair damage to their homes. Overall, the Red Crescent will assist 60,000 people in host communities. Bangladesh Red Crescent also continues to provide people in the camps with food and relief items, water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, along with other important services including health care and psychosocial support. Bangladesh Red Crescent delivers this assistance through its health facilities, community safe spaces, outreach programmes, and hundreds of volunteers from both Bangladesh and Myanmar. Despite the efforts of the Red Crescent and other partners, meeting basic needs remains a challenge for all aid groups in Cox’s Bazar. Sanjeev Kumar Kafley, head of IFRC’s sub-office in Cox’s Bazar said: “Until long-term solutions that address the causes of this crisis are found, hundreds of thousands of people will continue to live precariously in an area that is worryingly exposed to the elements.” Over the past two years, Bangladesh Red Crescent and its partners have reached over 260,000 people with emergency help including food, water and shelter. More than 268,000 medical consultations have been delivered through 11 health facilities. Some 60 million litres of safe drinking water have been distributed. About IFRC: IFRC is the world’s largest humanitarian network, comprising 191 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies working to save lives and promote dignity around the world. www.ifrc.org - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube

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29/07/2019 |

Article

Luimer Guerrero has taken his music from Venezuela to Colombia

Luimer Guerrero arrived to Bucaramanga, Colombia, over a year ago with his two children, his wife and his mother-in-law on a bus that they took with the help of their religious congregation in Venezuela. Luimer undertook his journey full of dreams and expectations with the conviction that he would have new opportunities to reemerge in a country he did not completely know. And as if it was a sign, the first place they approached was the Center for Solidary Attention and Support (CASA by its acronym in Spanish) of the Colombian Red Cross. There they received information that would be among the most important for him and his family, the explanation on how to obtain the Special Permit of Permanence (PEP), a document that the Colombian Government gives to Venezuelan migrants. For Luimer, that was his first contact with a group of people he now considers a family and an "impressive" organization, the Colombian Red Cross. After this, there were other opportunities; the Colombian Red Cross arrived with medicine and organized health days in the place where Luimer was living together with dozens of people. On another occasion, Luimer says that in the middle of a dental emergency, and without knowing exactly where to go, they approached the humanitarian institution and paid attention to them. “They helped us get to the nearest place where we could get help; I can say that whenever we ask for help we find a helping hand for myself and my family. ” Music, a blessing of life Today, this Venezuelan migrant is a music teacher thanks to the Red Cross staff who encouraged him to teach and to the people who met him and recommended him with his friends. He has 25 students among children, adults and groups of young people who are taught an art that makes their hearts happy and it is also the work that allows him to support his family. Bucaramanga (Santander) has been for Guerrero a space in which he has been able to learn from Colombian culture and at the same time has been an opportunity to be an ambassador of the Venezuelan chords with which he grew up. Music has been and will remain a seal throughout his life. Guerrero insists that to get ahead in Colombia and anywhere in the world you need to have an entrepreneurial mind. For this reason he has formed his StaffGL music academy, and thanks to his entrepreneurship he has been on several stages, one of them the Casa del Libro in Bucaramanga (Santander). His wife, meanwhile, is also working on an espresso coffee initiative. Luimer is hopeful and ensures that with effort and dedication he will keep moving forward.

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22/07/2019 |

Article

Providing safe spaces for child migrants in Ecuador

“It is emotional work. When children arrive they are so exhausted and need time to rest, play and not be seen as migrants,” says William Guerra. He is a volunteer with the Ecuador Red Cross supporting a safe space for children in the town of Lago Agrio, in the Province of Sucumbíos, which is a border point with Colombia. Many of the migrant children and families who arrive at the border come to Colombia from Venezuela as their country experiences severe political and economic distress. The numbers of children who cross this border point can fluctuate each day. Recently there have been as many as thirty and forty children each day, many with a parent or grandparent, but some also migrating alone. In response to the needs faced by migrant children, the Ecuador Red Cross implements 14 safe spaces in 11 provinces across the country. It also has additional mobile safe spaces it deploys when the number of migrants increase. The mobile spaces support children as they walk for long distances in hard to access locations. Marisol Pallo, another volunteer in Lago Agrio explains that each safe space provides an assortment of humanitarian services to children and families that seek to improve psychosocial wellbeing and protection. “We see that children here have many needs so we help with first aid, restoring family links, discussing child rights, play, and just let children be surrounded by normal things. We also provide shoes to replace the broken and worn down ones.” Marisol notes, “We need to work hard because we know this is not normal and childhood should not be this way.” Priscila Naranjo, a local college student who volunteers at the safe space, tell us, “We see so many bad stories about migrants in the news but the reality is so different. Here you see the humanitarian needs and that these are just children like all other children.”

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05/07/2019 |

Article

Iraqi teen dreams of becoming a doctor

By Katarina Zoric, IFRC The smiling face of 17-year-old Mxabn from Iraq masks the hardships of the last year and a half. She is hundreds of kilometres from home, has lived in a migrant centre for eight months, and still hasn’t reached her hoped-for final destination – Germany. Together with her family, the teenager left Iraq fearing for her life and started down a path full of uncertainty. “The situation in Iraq wasn’t and still isn’t good. Because of the conflicts and constant explosions we were scared for our lives. My father couldn’t earn enough money for a normal life. We all wanted a better life and that's why we’ve decided to leave our country,” says Mxabn. Mxabn is currently living in the temporary migrant reception centre Sedra, in Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She has found new friends there; she’s learning new languages and in her spare time, she likes to draw. "I've been in Sedra for eight months now and I like it here. My whole family likes it here.But we still want to go to Germany. We would like to start our new life as soon as possible," says Mxabn. She also likes to spend time with the Red Cross volunteers. "I like talking to them, and we often laugh together. It means a lot to me to have these nice people in my life. I think of them as my friends," she says. Mxabn’s journey from Iraq to Bosnia and Herzegovina was arduous. She walked hundreds of kilometres and stayed in many camps throughout Turkey, Greece and Macedonia. There wasn’t always enough food for her and her family and they struggled with heat and cold, but Mxabn tries not to focus on the difficult situations she experienced. Instead, she looks toward the future. "I hope we’ll soon get to Germany. I want a normal life with my family. I would like to become a doctor, but I know I have to learn German language first,” Mxabn says. Despite all the obstacles she has faced and the uncertain future, Mxabn remains optimistic and truly believes that one day all her dreams will come true.

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12/04/2019 |

Article

Light at the end of the tunnel: displaced persons in Zamai Camp (Cameroon) find a reason to smile

By Mirabelle Enaka Kima, IFRC The long-awaited day has finally arrived: The lives of internally displaced persons in communities settled at the Zamai camp, in the Far North region of Cameroon are changing for the better. It was a sunny morning. The smiles on the faces of people at the Zamai IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp were already showing signs of their joy and excitement as Red Cross volunteers were getting set to start the distribution of farming aid and tools destined to support 150 people in farming activities. Clad in a special attire, Sherif Moussari is one of the people who received the grant at the Zamai settlement hosting 2562 IDPs. “I have been waiting for this day for a very long time. Farming has always been my passion and my only source of income to cater for my family. I have not been able to work as I used to do back in my village, and this has affected me and my household. We have never been used to begging from others but being in a foreign land, with no means, we have been living thanks to the generosity of well-wishers.” Moussari hails from the Mayo Mouskota village in the Far north region of Cameroon. His village and many others along the border between Cameroon and Nigeria have, for the last few years, witnessed armed groups’ attacks, including kidnappings, killings, looting, burning of villages and theft of foodstuff. Moussari sought shelter at the Zamai camp two years ago, alongside his two wives and 12 children aged between two and 20. To survive in his new host environment, Moussari has been working in people’s farms and keeping the livestock of those who need that kind of service. “I do not earn money for the work I do. I am being paid with foodstuff, which helps me to feed my family. Sometimes when I have much food, I take part of it to the market and retail to be able to buy oil and in some rare occasions I buy meat. For the livestock, my contractor has promised to give me one small ram for each ram that delivers. If he keeps his promise, I should be able, in a few years to come to have my own livestock and start my own animal farm. I just have to be patient and keep working hard,” says Moussari A livelihood programme launched by the Cameroon Red Cross in three divisions of the affected Far North region, has mobilized 130 volunteers to support targeted families. These volunteers have been trained in farming and livestock techniques. “At the Zamai camp, we have trained 15 volunteers who in return have extended the training to 150 people supported by the project. Each volunteer will have to follow up a group of 10 people as the latter shall start the farming activities. The volunteers shall assist the families in each of the stages of the farming process; from the reception and distribution of the farming inputs to the preparation of soils, the seeding and plowing, watering fertilization and phytosanitary treatment,” explains Ichaga Saidou, IFRC food security and livelihood supervisor. Encouraged by Red Cross teams, most potential beneficiaries started a home garden as an experimental stage of the project and as a measure to test their level of commitment to carry out the agricultural project and be eligible to support. The pilot stage of the project was a success for the Moussari family who, in addition to the home garden, has already identified a piece of land measuring 50 square metres to start commercial gardening. “I am confident that with the support we received we will be more resilient and fully integrated in our new host community,” adds Moussari. “For 2019, as part of the project, there are plans to extend its actions to support river crops, in addition to commercial gardening and animal farm. However, the two major challenges faced by farmers remain the scarcity of arable land and limited access to water. Most of the land given to displaced families is arid and unproductive and the problem of drying water points is a general concern in the region,” concludes Saidou. The ongoing project supported by the IFRC and the Swedish Red Cross intends to improve the livelihoods of 540 internally displaced persons and host communities in targeted Mora, Mokolo and Maroua localities through agriculture and livestock farming. The overall intervention is part of the lake Chad basin initiative to provide emergency assistance to vulnerable IDPs from armed conflicts who live in dire conditions in settlements and host families.

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12/04/2019 |

Article

Cameroon: Fleeing violence and searching for stability

By Mirabelle Kima, IFRC It is in the neighbourhood of Sararé Lougueo—in the Far North capital city of Maroua in Cameroon—that Hadja Bintou, together with her husband and their seven children found refuge. For the 35-year-old woman, what she thought would be a temporary situation became permanent as her village Amchide in the Far North and other villages near the Cameroon border with Nigeria have been targets of recurrent suicide bombing attacks for close to five years now. “My return to my home village has only been a dream which has never come true. I have become a permanent internally displaced person in my country, living from hand to mouth with the little savings we had and depending on others. Finding myself in this condition and getting to survive with my children has been a heavy load for me to carry especially as I left my house leaving every belonging behind. After three years of struggle with my husband, he died and left me all alone to face the hard realities of life,” sais Bintou. The Far North region has, for the past years, witnessed massive displacements of close to 246,000 people, most of whom are women and children in dire need of assistance. Most of these poeple settled in the Diamaré, Mayo sava and Mayo Tsanaga divisions of Cameroon. “At the beginning of the crisis, spontaneous solidarity was expressed by host communities who shared their food and provided shelter and clothing to vulnerable internally displaced people (IDPs). But after few months of constant assistance by the host communities, the burden became too heavy for them to bear given their limited means and other life challenges which they also face,” explains Ali Adoum, Red Cross local President in Maroua. Bintou’s family, just like for many others, has been struggling to rent a house, feed, pay school fees for children and provide medical care for them. “I was able to raise capital from the sale of my valuable jewelleries in order to start a business to support my family. However, no matter how hard I have had to work, I still have not been able to cope up with my responsibilities. Sending my daughters to school has always been a matter of honour to me as I was not lucky to enjoy that privilege. I hope that if my daughters are educated, they will stand a better chance to succeed in life,” adds Bintou. Today, because of the precarious condition in which Bintou finds herself, she has had no choice but to send three of her children to a neighbouring village where they assist her sister in her business, in the hope that she would, someday, be able to have all of her family back together to live in a more dignified way. “All I am crying for is to have an income generating activity to relieve me from the chaotic condition in which I presently am and to enable me to care for my children with dignity.” In response to the most urgent needs of IDPs in the Far North region, the Cameroon Red Cross has been involved, for the past two years, in water sanitation and hygiene promotion activities. The actions which have been implemented by 148 volunteers and senior staff include providing communities with awareness-raising messages on good hygiene practices, improving their knowledge on environmental hygiene, handwashing and food hygiene. These activities were all carried out with a view to reducing the risk of exposure to waterborne diseases, and particularly the cholera endemic in that part of the country.

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02/04/2019 |

Press release

Red Cross Red Crescent Mediterranean National Societies to tackle cross-cutting migration issues

Sarajevo/Geneva, 2 April 2019 – More than 150 Red Cross Red Crescent delegates from 23 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea are meeting in Sarajevo this week to discuss approaches to aiding vulnerable migrants and the communities receiving them. Hosted by the Red Cross Society of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Centre for the Cooperation in the Mediterranean (CCM), the meeting’s theme is “Standing for Humanity”. The focus on will be on the safety and protection of migrants, improving social inclusion, preventing trafficking and exploitation, mobilizing more volunteer assistance and the National Societies’ role in implementing the recently adopted Global Compacts on refugees and migration. “While our main focus is assistance for migrants, the Red Cross also assists the host communities,” said Rajko Lazic, Secretary General of the Red Cross Society of Bosnia and Herzegovina. “It was not long ago that our people experienced what it means to be a refugee, and some are still displaced in their own country and in dire need. We seek to balance assistance for both populations.” Maria Alcázar Castilla, spokesperson for the Centre for Cooperation in the Mediterranean (CCM) said the humanitarian issues faced by the Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies in the region are interlinked, so common analysis and approaches are needed. “The Mediterranean region is facing multiple humanitarian challenges - due to unrest and violence, the ongoing flow of vulnerable migrants, economic crises and climate change impacts. The conference intends to reaffirm the urgency of principled humanitarian action, promote humanitarian access and reinforce the absolute necessity of placing the safety and needs of people at the heart of our action,” she said. The President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Francesco Rocca will also address the conference. “Every human being, especially people fleeing conflict and insecurity, should have unhindered access to aid and also to information, at all phases of their journeys. Every human being has the right to protection, health care, education and social services” said President Rocca. “Human dignity should be respected and protected, regardless of their legal status.” Migrant arrivals in the Mediterranean region and other areas of Europe usually rise during spring and summer months.

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22/03/2019 |

Article

World Water Day: Leaving no one behind in Cox’s Bazar

“We have good water like medicine. It tastes good and does not cause disease but if we have this water and not enough toilets how can we stop disease?” said Halama Khaton, 40, who fled to Bangladesh from Rakhine in August 2017. “When we came at first, the water was not good. There was one borehole and the water had too much iron. You could see the iron colour and it tasted bad but we had no choice. People were sick but we didn’t know if it was because of the water or something else.” The Bangladesh Red Crescent is providing clean water and sanitation for people from Rakhine, with the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Perched on top of a hill at the camp are at least two 5,000 litre tanks that supply water to seven tap stands. Community volunteers maintain the pump and carry out chlorine treatment and testing to keep the water safe. Mosi Ullah, a camp volunteer from Rakhine who works with the IFRC water and sanitation team, said: “During the rainy season, the solar panels were not working because it was cloudy. We had to install a generator to pump the water from the borehole to the tank up on the hill.” Access to clean water is not the only challenge in Cox’s Bazar – helping people to reduce hygiene risks in tough conditions is also crucial. Bangladesh Red Crescent volunteers go door-to-door, sharing tips and doing practical demonstrations with camp residents. Since August 2017, the Red Cross Red Crescent has reached more than 93,000 people through hygiene promotion. Over 40 million litres of safe water have been distributed to more than 170,000 people living in Cox’s Bazar camp and close to 500 toilets and 200 washing facilities have been built. Nearly 70,000 jerrycans have been provided so residents can safely store water for use at home. However, the needs are immense. More must be done to meet minimum humanitarian standards to ensure that no one is left behind.

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22/03/2019 |

Article

Reema from Qatar Red Crescent: I encourage Arab women to be part of the emergency surge system

“My dream is to go back to Cox Bazaar and meet the two years old twins, a boy and a girl called Reema, named after me,” said Reema Al-Merekhi, a volunteer with the Qatar Red Crescent who was deployed in 2017 to Bangladesh to assist displaced communities from Myanmar. By then Reema, assisted the pregnant mother to access life-saving health services when her labor started. “I will never forget the joy I felt when I held the twins in my arms. Even in disasters situations, life continues, and hope prevails,” she said. Reema is a member of IFRC Field Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT) that is mandated to assist people in need as soon as a disaster happens. She is one of few women from the Middle East who are on the surge list, ready to be deployed whenever needed. “I recommend that Arab women from MENA Red Crescent and Red Cross should be represented in the surge system. It is important for localization and ensuring that MENA national societies can support each other in emergencies.” Reema believes that the deployment has increased her: “Confidence in myself and my negotiating skill with host and partner national societies and has given me a better understanding of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. The best moments are when you work with volunteers to assist the people who are in need.” Initially Reema felt overwhelmed with the scale of the population movement and the scope of the needs. “It was tough, all the displaced people were in need. The number of people arriving to Cox Bazar increased day by day. We had to prioritize our work and use our FACT training and QRC experience to know where to start,” she said. During her 45-day deployment, Reema undertook emergency needs assessments and supervised distributions to affected communities. During her mission to Cox Bazaar, Reema trained 20 Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BRC) volunteers in emergency needs assessment, ensuring sustainability of quality service delivery after the end of her deployment. Reema Al-Merekhi attended the IFRC’s Global Surge Meeting in Geneva last month, which brought together 80 participants to discuss progress against the IFRC’s surge optimisation process. Reema, a volunteer with the Qatar Red Crescent since 2013 and a QRC Board Member, was FACT trained in 2016 in Doha. After violence in Rakhine state, Myanmar, on 25 August 2017, more than 700,000 people crossed the border into Bangladesh. Since then, BRC supported by the IFRC and Red Cross and Red Crescent partners from around the world, has reached more than 250,000 people with emergency help including healthcare, food, water and shelter. More than 160,000 people have received medical care.

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13/03/2019 |

Press release

New interactive classroom tool and game teaches kids about Syrian refugee crisis

Budapest/Geneva, 13 March —As the devastating conflict in Syria enters its 9th year, a Red Cross Red Crescent partnership is launching a powerful interactive classroom tool to help European students understand and empathise with the dangers and difficult choices faced by young Syrian refugees and their families. “Brothers Across Borders” is a web-based interactive game and movie, accompanied by an in-depth teaching and discussion guide in eight languages. It was developed by the Danish Red Cross, in partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and 14 other National Societies that aid Syrian refugees. In the game, students and other players become Ismael, a young Syrian refugee from Aleppo, who crosses into Turkey in search of his missing brother. The player uses Ismael’s mobile phone and his brother’s Instagram account to receive clues and follow his brother’s trail. He meets many interesting characters on his journey who offer help. As the search goes on, the player, as Ismael, is forced to make tough choices and manage their consequences, impacting the action of the movie and Ismael’s life. All the while, Ismael communicates by text with his mother, who remains with the rest of the family in an area of Aleppo under bombardment. Klaus Nørskov, Head of Communications with the Danish Red Cross, said: “We decided to use gaming techniques that young people are familiar with to captivate and engage them in the stories of Syrian refugees. By making the game lifelike, students and other players outside of classroom settings experience the characters’ fears, uncertainties and dilemmas as if they are living through it themselves.” The teaching materials include a range of discussion topics and exercises on the Syria conflict, regional geography, culture, family life and language and on themes such as displacement, refugees and asylum. Simon Missiri, Director of IFRC’s Europe region said: “Young people today are exposed to heated public debate about migration, but few understand the desperation and difficult choices refugees and migrants face before, during and after taking flight. “We hope teachers in Europe and beyond will use this innovative classroom tool to spur learning and discussion about the Syrian conflict. We also hope it will give students insight into the impact of war and displacement on ordinary people, including Syrian children they may now share a classroom with.” The characters in the movie are played by Syrian refugees, people from Turkish communities who host them and staff of the Turkish Red Crescent. Brothers Across Borders is funded by the European Union Regional Trust Fund as part of a larger programme, Madad, which assists displaced Syrians and host communities in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.

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06/03/2019 |

Press release

Venezuela: Health care at core of expanded humanitarian operation

Geneva, 6 March 2019 – In the face of rising humanitarian needs in Venezuela, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has announced a significant expansion of its support to the lifesaving activities of the Venezuelan Red Cross. IFRC is now looking to its partners for 13 million Swiss francs for 2019 – close to triple the 4.8 million Swiss francs initially sought at the beginning of 2019. In total, the Red Cross aims to reach 220,000 highly vulnerable people. Announcing the revised plan, IFRC President, Francesco Rocca, said: “Our commitment is to the people of Venezuela. Putting politics to the side, the situation is steadily deteriorating, and many people need our help. “This is a plan that responds to pressing humanitarian needs that our volunteers have independently identified and verified. Health is a key priority for us, and this is why we are strengthening our support to Venezuelan Red Cross health facilities as well as to the work they do in local and vulnerable communities. Our response is built on concrete actions that we know can be delivered in a neutral and impartial manner despite the highly complex situation in the country. We look now to our partners and donors to support us,” said Mr Rocca. This revised plan builds on the work already underway in Venezuela, including during recent demonstrations where Red Cross volunteers provided first aid to people injured. Central to it are efforts to provide a range of critical health services. IFRC Secretary General, Elhadj As Sy, said: “Health needs in Venezuela have been increasing in recent years. There are critical gaps that, through this plan, we aim to address by leveraging the Venezuelan Red Cross’ network of eight hospitals and 33 clinics across the country, as well as its thousands of community volunteers and trained first aiders.” The plan also complements the work that is underway elsewhere across the region to aid and support people seeking humanitarian assistance in neighbouring countries. For example, in Colombia, Red Cross volunteers and staff have supported more than 740,000 Venezuelans with a range of services, including emergency and primary health care, food and nutrition supplies, shelter support and even cash assistance. The UN announced last month that the number of Venezuelans who have left the country since 2015 has climbed to 3.4 million IFRC’s Secretary General, Elhadj As Sy, said: “While we ramp up efforts inside Venezuela, we also continue efforts to support people in need of humanitarian assistance in neighbouring countries. Red Cross volunteers and emergency teams are stationed at border crossings and along roadsides, offering care and support to thousands of people every day. However, these efforts may falter without additional resources,” said Mr Sy.

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27/02/2019 |

Article

“I have seen my children suffering” – tackling chicken pox in Bangladesh’s mega-camp

Three-year-old Mohammed Sofit lies on the cold bare earth inside his family home. For the past 24 hours he has been suffering from chicken pox – an all too familiar ailment in the sprawling Kutapalong camp, built into steep hillsides close to the Myanmar-Bangladesh border. While the common childhood illness is generally low risk, chronic overcrowding in the camps near Cox's Bazar mean the disease is able to spread rapidly among the population. With over 34,500 cases of the disease reported since December, the worry is that this illness risks compounding many other vulnerabilities of the people who live here. “I have seen my children suffering” Fatema Khatun, a mother of four, lives nearby in her small shelter in the Kutapalong mega-camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Among her four children, three are already affected by the recent outbreak of chicken pox. Fatema’s youngest daughter, one-year-old Nusrat has been suffering from chicken pox for five days. Two of her other children have had the tell-tale itching for two days. “I wasn’t much worried at the beginning,” said Fatema. “Everyone in my neighborhood was saying it will go away, but I have seen my children suffering for the past few days. That’s when I came here, and it takes an hour of walk to get here.” Fatema visited one of a handful of Red Cross clinics in the area. They treat a wide variety of health conditions among the people displaced by violence in Rahkine, Myanmar. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the recent chicken pox outbreak is spreading fast in the densely populated settlements in Cox’s Bazar. The nature of the disease, as any parent knows, is that it is very contagious. But it is also particularly miserable condition in the hot, stuffy tents that perch precariously on these hillsides. “Stay clean and washed” Abdus Sattar lives in a nearby area of the mega-camp. Two of Abdus’ five children have chicken pox. Abdus was asked to come to the clinic close to his home on the advice of a Red Cross and Red Crescent community mobilizer. These volunteers, recruited from the camp, go door-to-door to ensure people are getting appropriate and timely information. At present, they are spending a lot of time speaking to families about chicken pox. “After talking to the doctor, I came to know about the dos and don’ts during this period,” said Abdus. “My children should not scratch the body. We should cut the nails short, stay inside the mosquito net, drink plenty of water and stay clean and washed.” It has been a month since the beginning of the chicken pox outbreak, and still patients come with a fever, a cough, itching, and scabs. In severe cases these scabs can become infected. Dr. Faisal from the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society is working in the clinic that saw Abdus. “This disease is a contagious kind,” he said. “We are advising patients to stay in their homes. Non-affected family members should come to the health center to receive advice and medicine.” Health messages on the wireless Noor Mohammad usually attends a community safe space run by the Red Cross and Red Crescent to weave fishing nets with his friends. This week the 65-year-old has instead listened to a radio programme, broadcast to community groups on mobile speakers via USB, about the chicken pox outbreak. “It’s been two days since one of my grandsons has been affected by chicken pox,” said Noor. “Today I have listened to the radio show and got to know what should be done. I also learned that the nails must be trimmed, the person must be kept clean and needs to have a shower once a day. I will go home today and tell my daughter to do the necessary things.” Caring for a newborn Back in the home of Mohammed Sofit, his mother Saynuwara sits quietly by his side. “My husband is working,” she said stoically. “So we have not had time to take him to the clinic.” Beside young Mohammed lies her young daughter Tamana. She is just 16 days old. Checking the temperature of her son, Saynuwara said: “I feel a pain in my stomach because we cannot go home. I worry about my children’s future – there is no education here.” With support from IFRC and sister National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society has been tackling the chicken pox outbreak from the very first day it began. To date, we have provided health care to 1,451 people suffering from the disease at six health facilities in the mega camp. 191 volunteers continue to go door-to-door of 13,370 households and disseminate key messages to 66,850 community members to ensure that people receive correct medical advice for this and other health conditions.

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12/02/2019 |

Article

In pictures: Teens from Rakhine hang onto hope in Bangladesh camps

Written by Farjana Sultana, IFRC. Photos by Matthew Carter, IFRC Many of the children growing up in the sprawling camp surrounding Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, have no access to formal education. On the cusp of adulthood, they face an uncertain future. For some of the luckier youngsters, Red Cross Red Crescent community centers provide some structure to their days and a safe space to play and learn with their friends. I visited one such center in early February and was struck by how well it brought people of different age groups together to share, learn and connect with each other. In one room, old men sat around a speaker listening to a radio programme about the recent chickenpox outbreak here. In another, a line of Singer sewing machines sat waiting for a women’s group later that day. And in the far room, with the midday sunlight streaming in through bamboo walls, I saw a group of children playing with Red Crescent volunteers who are themselves members of their exiled community. Twelve-year-old Faisal (far left in the main pic) comes every day to the community safe space run by Bangladesh Red Crescent Society. “There’s more to do in the camp than there used to be,” he said. “But I still miss my life back in Myanmar. Our life used to be quite different. My favorite dish is rice with beef, but my family cannot afford the meat here.” A year and half have passed since his family came to Bangladesh across the Myanmar border. He wants to be a teacher. In the adjoining corridor Assia tells me how she loves to embroider clothes and hopes to become a tailor when she grows up. She likes to sing and act with her friends here. She lives in a nearby shelter with her four brothers, three sisters and their parents. Their shelter will need upgrading before the monsoon rains come. Tares is Assia’s older brother. Seventeen is an awkward age here as he is too old to attend many of the youth groups and he instead hangs around with his friends of a similar age. He is paying for private tuition in Kutupalong camp where he is learning English and Burmese. “My brother and I used to run a computer shop in Myanmar,” he said. “We used to do very well in it but here I found that there is no hope for us to exercise those skills and that is quite frustrating for me.” Syed Ahammod is another of the young men who comes every day to the community safe space. One of his brothers is a shopkeeper in the camp. Occasionally, Syed will sell snacks for him. Despite being in Bangladesh for a year and half, he is yet to fully come to terms with the conditions in the camp. “My family used to have fish ponds and livestock back in Myanmar,” he said. “Life used to be different.” Eleven-year-old Minara comes to the community center to play, read and embroider with her friends. After finishing here, she goes back home to have lunch, eating mostly fish and vegetables. Later she goes to the madrasa before playing with her friends in the evening. Minara’s father also comes to the community center where he weaves fish nets and socializes with other men. The popular Anwar told me how he feels restless and uncomfortable inside his shelter. “We used to have big rooms in our house in Myanmar,” he said. “The space inside the shelter here is not enough for my entire family. It doesn’t feel good here.” His brothers and father renovated their shelter to make it feel like home a few months ago. But it is very cramped space for seven people. “My father used to have a shop back in Myanmar and I want to own a shop just like him when I grow up,” he said. Sixteen-year-old Taslima has a great interest in embroidery and tailoring work which she gets to practice at the community safe space. In her leisure time she likes to talk with her neighbors and discuss how life used to be back in Myanmar. For her, feeling at home is an important issue. “During my period I lose my appetite,” she said. “I don’t feel comfortable inside the shelter as there is no separate facility for me to go to. Our shelter was rebuilt eight or nine months ago and my family made a separate shower space inside.” Eighteen months after a wave of violence uprooted families from their homes in Rakhine state, Myanmar, over 700,000 people are living in unsuitable accommodation made from bamboo and tarpaulin. Among them 350,000 children still trying to adjust to life here. Community safe spaces like this go a little way to restoring a sense of normality and routine for children in the sprawling camps of Cox’s Bazar. Coming away, you can’t help thinking that while eighteen months would feel like a long time for anyone, for a child it must feel like a lifetime.

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08/02/2019 |

Press release

Venezuela: Respect and protect our neutrality and impartiality, says Red Cross President

Caracas/Geneva, 8 February 2019 – The President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has strongly defended principled humanitarian action, calling on stakeholders in Venezuela and around the world to respect the neutral, impartial and independent nature of the Red Cross’ humanitarian work in the country. Speaking at a press conference in the Venezuela capital Caracas, IFRC President Francesco Rocca said: “The focus of the Red Cross in Venezuela – as it is around the world – is on responding to the needs of the people, without regard for their social status or political views”, said Mr Rocca. “This commitment to humanitarian principles – to neutrality, impartiality and independence – means that Red Cross volunteers are trusted and able to reach communities and people in need. Our work is not political. Don’t politicize us,” said Mr Rocca. The situation in Venezuela is evolving constantly. According to the UN, more than 3 million people have left the country since mid-2017 – an historic phenomenon that has triggered humanitarian relief efforts across the region, while also creating knock-on effects in Venezuela. The Venezuelan Red Cross has more than 2,600 active volunteers across the country and operates eight hospitals and 38 outpatient clinics. In 2018 alone, these facilities provided services to more than 1 million Venezuelans. “I want to also recognize the tremendous dedication and courage of Red Cross volunteers,” said Mr Rocca. “We salute you, we stand with you, and we are ready to scale up and expand our support so that you have the resources to reach all those who need your help.”

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