Update From: Michael Stone, President IFRC Alumni Association

Dear Alumni,

A series of important meetings has just ended in Geneva. From 21st - 31st October there has been the General Assembly, the Council of Delegates, and the International Conference of the Red Cross Red Crescent. The International Conference includes the 191 National Societies, IFRC, ICRC and the 196 States Party to the Geneva Conventions.

Below is an email from Jagan Chapagain, the Secretary General, outlining the Federation's Plan for 2025-26. This was presented to the General Assembly.

A very serious point made is that there is now in our world a hierarchy of pain. Death and suffering in one part of the world is a high-profile tragedy, in others it is minimised or ignored altogether.

This is a direct contradiction to all we stand for in the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.

There is also a reference to a wonderful statement from Mother Teresa: "None of us can do great things. But we can all do small things with great love"!

From: Office of the Secretary General, Jagan Chapagain, CEO

Dear Colleagues, 

I am happy to share with you that the IFRC’s 2025-2026 Plan and Budget was successfully approved by the General Assembly today. This important milestone reflects the dedication and collective effort of all of you, and I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your hard work and contribution. 

The Plan and Budget was formally presented to the membership yesterday, during my report to the General Assembly. The presentation - made by the Senior Leadership Team - included a detailed outline of our strategic priorities, enabling actions and financial allocations, and the key initiatives we aim to champion over the next two years.

My address to the General Assembly is available on Our IFRC. Both the Report and the Plan and Budget were well received by National Societies, approximately 75 of whom (either individually or collectively) made interventions during the plenary session this morning.

During these interventions, several key themes emerged: 

• A strong call for unity and solidarity across our membership.
• A demand for authorities to respect International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and our Fundamental Principles, and to safeguard access for humanitarians, ensuring that no one is instrumentalised.
• A focus on investment in localisation, National Society Development, youth, leadership, volunteers and staff.
• A positive reception of the ‘back to basics’ approach, focusing on our core mandates.
• Support for enhanced accountability measures and a strengthened emphasis on safeguarding.
• A clear priority to leverage the power of our Network.
• The importance of being a data-driven, learning organisation was also highlighted.

This feedback underlines the importance of our collective work and the path we are on. I look forward to seeing the impact we will continue to make together. 

Thank you again for your hard work.

With my best regards,  

Jagan Chapagain Secretary General, CEO

Read more about the Red Cross and Red Crescent meetings at the Devex website, here.

NEW YORK TIMES OPINION

GUEST ESSAY

Humanitarians Are Dying. Why Doesn’t the World Care?

Aug. 26, 2024

By Kate Forbes, president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

A Palestinian member of Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reacts over the bodies of his two fellow paramedics, who according to medics, were killed when an ambulance on a mission to rescue people was hit in an Israeli strike, during their funeral in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, May 30, 2024.Credit...Hatem Khaled/Reuters

In February I met a man. Three hours later, he was dead.

Mohammed Al-Omari was a paramedic with the Palestine Red Crescent Society; we met in southern Gaza. As the president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, I’ve been one of very few people able to visit there this year. Mohammed smiled; we shook hands and had a brief conversation. That afternoon, while rushing to give medical aid to those in need, Mohammed was killed. He is one of 21 Palestine Red Crescent volunteers to have lost their lives while on duty in the conflict in Gaza so far.

It’s not just in Gaza where humanitarian aid workers are in peril. Since the beginning of 2024, the Aid Worker Security Database has recorded 187 humanitarian deaths worldwide. This year is on track to be the deadliest on record.

Long-established norms that protect humanitarians don’t seem as recognized today as they once were. Misinformation, whether inadvertent or deliberate, can suggest humanitarians are taking sides or participating in conflict or conspiracy. That can fuel local resentment and hostility, putting them at greater risk. The attention paid to protecting humanitarians is also insufficient. Some deaths, like those of the international World Central Kitchenworkers in Gaza in April, make headlines. But in general it seems the world has hardly noticed the extent to which humanitarian workers are dying. When civilians, including humanitarians, are being killed in unacceptable numbers, all — particularly those in governments — must ask why and address it.

Every death is a profound loss for the communities we serve, leaving fewer trained hands to care for those in need. From wildfires in California and landslides in India to earthquakes in Turkey and Syria and drought in Lesotho, our teams respond without hesitation. Every humanitarian death makes our ability to respond that much harder.

Many people on our teams live in the communities we serve and provide comfort and care immediately after disaster hits, whether that’s with a warm blanket, water, a meal or psychological support. In the long term, they can coordinate recovery and financial assistance to help the most vulnerable people get back their futures. Our local focus allows us to help our neighbors and friends. It also makes us vulnerable when geopolitical conflicts escalate. When discussing the Sudanese Red Crescent, which has lost seven humanitarian workers this year, a volunteer recently told me that with each humanitarian killed “our hearts break just a little bit more, and a piece of the community is torn apart each time.”

Since the attacks of Oct. 7 and the escalation of the conflict in Gaza, the violence against our volunteers and staff in both Israel and Palestinian territories has been like nothing we’ve seen before. Among the dead are ambulance drivers, medical personnel and staffers who worked with young people. The paramedic volunteer Amit Man was tending to wounded patients in her community when she was killed. She was one of six staffers and volunteers from Magen David Adom (the name of our national society in Israel) to die in the line of duty. Recently, her boyfriend shared with me the psychological trauma he has experienced since her death. “All she wanted was to help others,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense.”

For the past year, my colleagues and I at the I.F.R.C. (as well as at the International Committee of the Red Cross, which leads conflict responses as part of our movement) have called for the international community to protect humanitarians. But our pleas remain unanswered.

I propose three concrete actions for world leaders, governments and other stakeholders to protect those of us who serve others. First, all parties must ensure unrestricted and safe access for humanitarians to reach those in need. In over 100 years of doing this work alongside many partners, our group has found again and again that open communication with all sides saves lives. While safety can never be guaranteed, it can be increased through good transport, communication tools such as radios and telephones and proper visibility for people, vehicles and buildings. This is an area where donor support helps.

Second, these parties must prioritize the safety and security of humanitarians. In most cases, the only protection our volunteers have is the emblems on their vests. As the situations in Gaza, Israel and Sudan show, more training in international humanitarian law is needed. When you see our emblems, it should be widely understood that the Red Cross and the Red Crescent do not take sides in a conflict. We maintain neutrality. To further guarantee safety, we continue to encourage open communication between governments and others involved in conflict.

There are glimmers of hope. When deadly protests erupted in Bangladesh this summer, people recognized our teams’ neutrality as they provided lifesaving assistance. A robust presence within the community and the continued advocacy to protect the emblem contributed to the positive outcome.

Third, society as a whole must invest in long-term solutions that address the root causes of these complex crises. Every day our teams support community resilience before disasters and conflict strike. But sustainable development, climate adaptation and conflict resolution initiatives can address the underlying issues and help communities reduce their dependency on aid.

Mohammed and Amit are gone, but their deaths don’t have to be in vain. Let’s honor their memory with action.

See the New York Times OpEd at: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/26/opinion/humanitarian-deaths-red-cross.html?smid=url-share

The Hawaii Wildfires: One Year Later

 

Edwin Heilscher has a hard time talking about the day the fires forced his family outof their home. He remembers quickly grabbing his things and making it to the highway, only to see his town begin to burn as he drove away.

After days of searching for a place to stay, he brought his family to an American Red Cross shelter. There, he found not only a safe place to sleep and a warm meal, but also the compassion he needed to begin to heal.

Edwin is one of the more than 32,750 people who received disaster relief from the Red Cross after the devastation of the Hawaii wildfires — one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history. 

And today, as we mark one year since this tragic disaster, we want to share how Red Crossers have helped — and are still helping — the people of Maui to recover.

In the heat of August 2023, the island of Maui was ravaged by one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history. Over the course of eight days, the small historic town of Lahaina suffered the worst of the destruction. In all, 101 people were killed, some 2,200 structures were destroyed and thousands lost their homes.

The Red Cross Responds

Immediately, the Red Cross mobilized to Maui. Dedicated volunteers rushed to open shelters for those who had been displaced, offering respite from the devastation and a safe place to sleep. 

We provided:

• More than 2.2 million overnight shelter and hotel stays with our partners
• More than 3 million meals and snacks served with our partners

“[The Red Cross staffers are] compassionate, generous, [they] don’t ignore anybody. Everybody is an equal.” — Edwin Heilscher, Lahaina resident

The Road to Recovery

After the fires dissipated, thousands were left without homes, livelihoods and communities. Many had no idea how they’d get back on their feet or even pay for their next meal.

That’s why the Red Cross offered cash assistance to help families make their own choices and begin to rebuild their lives. As of July 8, we provided a total of $25.1 million to help cover necessities like groceries, clothing and shelter. 

“With everything going on in the world, to receive all these blessings is incredible.” — Linda Santella, Lahaina resident 

Maui Today

In all, the Red Cross reached an estimated 32,000 people with disaster relief and recovery services. Our ongoing aid was especially critical for the more than 6,000 residents who couldn’t return home and were cared for by Red Cross volunteers and employees in dozens of local hotels as part of our non-congregate shelter (NCS) program.

The Red Cross is committed to seeing people through their darkest moments in the days, weeks and months after, because the impact of a disaster lasts a lifetime.

“This is going to be a long recovery. They are resilient people, and they'll rebuild. It is going to take time.” — Raybo Frank, Red Cross volunteer

You Can Make a Difference

Every day, the Red Cross works around the clock to be there for those facing the most challenging moments of their life. We’re there whenever disaster strikes, no matter the time, the place or size of the disaster.

But we don’t do this work alone. Everything we do is powered by compassionate, generous people like you who believe in our mission to help those in need.

As we respond to more frequent and intense disasters than ever, we’re counting on your support to continue being there, wherever we’re needed. So, please: Will you give today to help us respond to disasters like wildfires, hurricanes and home fires?

https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html/?cid=fy25bluesky&med=email&source=adobefr&campdesc=08052024&scode=RSC24080E001&subcode=nhqfy25hawaiienggen

The American Red Cross is helping Texans as they return to their neighborhoods after Hurricane Beryl and will be there in the challenging weeks and months to come as people get back on their feet.

Red Cross disaster workers are helping people plan their next steps while continuing to provide emergency shelter and delivering supplies such as food, water and other critical support to people in need.

Sunday night, over 215 people stayed in 6 Red Cross and partner shelters seeking relief from the heat and hurricane damage. Hundreds of Red Crossers have provided some 76,000 meals and 1,200 cases of water to communities that were heavily impacted by Hurricane Beryl. Mobile teams have also provided 480 clean-up kits to help households kickstart their recovery.

RECOVERY After a disaster, no two roads to recovery are alike as different families face different obstacles. The Red Cross prioritizes financial assistance to help empower people to cover their most pressing needs.

Depending on the disaster, we may offer several different types of financial assistance to help eligible households recover. Financial assistance can help families with any number of urgent expenses such as clothing, lodging and transportation, to longer-term essentials such as replacing lost items, security deposits and home repairs.

Helping families and communities recover after a disaster is a team effort — no one organization can meet every need. We work closely with partners to address the most critical gaps and ensure people are not overlooked.

YOU CAN HELP Please click, text or call to help people affected by the Hurricane Beryl in the United States. To donate, visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or text BERYL to 90999. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster.

CARIBBEAN RESPONSE Beryl left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Barbados and Jamaica.

Local Red Cross societies are currently leading the response efforts in each country. They are focused on the distribution of relief items and short-term shelter solutions to cover people’s immediate needs. Hygiene kits, water treatment kits, cleaning kits, kitchen sets, tarpaulins, blankets and mosquito nets have already been dispatched to the hardest hit islands to meet the immediate needs of the affected communities.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and its global Red Cross partners are also supporting relief efforts. The American Red Cross has deployed international crisis responders to Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica to support of those affected by Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean. These highly trained crisis responders are lending skills such as information management and operations leadership and are supporting on-the-ground relief efforts alongside local Red Cross teams.

See full July 22, 2024 report on the Red Cross website:

https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/2024/red-cross-societies-respond-to-beryl.html

Tree-planting champions of Sierra Leone: Leading the fight against climate change, one seedling at a time

Mariam Albert carefully waters tree seedlings as part the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society’s Tree Planting and Care Project, which empowers women like Mariam to lead and facilitate the tree planting in their communities. 

Photos: Sierra Leone Red Cross Society

With her watering can in hand, Mariam Albert carefully sprinkles each of the many tree seedlings that cover the ground around her.   

Someday these young trees will bear fruits and nuts, and provide oil, cacao and wood for local communities. Just as importantly, they will help diminish the impacts of climate change and deforestation, while providing a vital source of local income.

The tree seedlings were planted by Miriam and others in a community nursery as part of the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society’s (SLRCS) Tree Planting and Care Project. As one of the project’s Tree Planting and Care Champions, Miriam sees her hard work as not just a duty; it is a passionate pursuit to secure a greener and healthier future for generations to come. 

“I take deep pride in seeing my community embrace our initiative,” she says. “The trees not only provide green cover but also benefit families nutritionally and economically. This is because we focus on fruit trees like cashew, oil palm, cacao, avocado, and timber trees such as Gmelina”.

Her role as a Tree Planting and Care Champion goes beyond tending for plants. It’s also about inspiring a sense of environmental stewardship among fellow members of the Gbandi community, within the Baoma chiefdom of Bo District, Sierra Leone.

Her responsibilities are multifaceted. She mobilizes the community, educating them on the importance of nurturing seeds, transplanting them, and providing ongoing care. Her leadership is pivotal in organizing regular community activities centered on environmental conservation.

The key aims of SLRCS’s Tree Planting and Care Project are combating deforestation, promoting biodiversity, and mitigating climate change. It’s a vital response to the urgent need for environmental action in Sierra Leone and beyond.

A woman tends of one of the thousands of seedlines under her care as part of the Sierra Leone Red Cross’s Tree Planting and Care Project. She is one of 52 dedicated women Tree Planting and Care Champions taking part in the project.

5 billion new trees across Africa by 2030 

The tree planting in Sierra Leone is part of a larger initiative that spans the African continent. In the face of increasing natural disasters and humanitarian crises in Africa, which are exacerbated by climate change and conflict, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) launched the Pan-African Tree Planting and Care Initiative in 2021. 

This initiative tackles these challenges by integrating environmental interventions with traditional humanitarian aid. It emphasizes large-scale tree planting and nature-based solutions to enhance climate adaptation, disaster-risk reduction, and improved food security. 

With a goal to plant and care for 5 billion trees by 2030, the initiative promotes sustainable practices, strengthens community resilience, and advocates for stronger policies that support environmental protection.

Trees play a critical role in absorbing carbon dioxide, thus mitigating the causes of climate change while adapting landscapes to its consequences. They also reduce soil erosion, conserve biodiversity, and enhance water quality. 

The SLRCS empowers individual women, like Mariam, to lead and facilitate the tree-planting process in their respective communities. These women champions establish and maintain nursery sites, mobilize community members, and ensure the ongoing care of the trees until they reach maturity.

Read more at IFRC.org:

https://www.ifrc.org/article/tree-planting-champions-sierra-leone-leading-fight-against-climate-change-one-seedling-time

https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/get-help/pdfs/heat/EN_Extreme-Heat-Safety-Checklist.pdf

Red Cross opens new 60-bed field hospital in Gaza

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and 12 Red Cross National Societies (or their branch) are combining efforts to open a field hospital in Rafah, Gaza, to help address the overwhelming medical needs emanating from the ongoing conflict.

Details in the press release:

https://www.icrc.org/en/document/red-cross-opens-new-60-bed-field-hospital-gaza

2024 Hurricane Season Could Set Records - Experts say Get Ready Now

NOAA predicts as many as 25 named storms and 7 major hurricanes from June 1 through November 30

It’s time to get ready for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season which experts predict could bring a record-setting number of storms and landfalls to the Southeast and Gulf coasts.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts there is an 85% chance of an above normal Atlantic hurricane season which could see 17 to 25 named storms with 8 to 13 becoming hurricanes and as many as 7 developing into major hurricanes. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.

According to NOAA, the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season is expected to have above-normal activity due to a confluence of factors, including near-record warm ocean temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean, development of La Nina conditions in the Pacific, reduced Atlantic trade winds and less wind shear, all of which tend to favor tropical storm formation.

CLIMATE CRISIS According to the U.S. government’s Fifth National Climate Assessment, the continued rise in the intensity of hurricanes can be tied to the climate crisis. The increase in hurricane activity this year is thanks to a warmer Atlantic Ocean and the possible development of La Niña conditions. In addition, Atlantic weather patterns could result in more hurricanes making landfall.

The number of billion-dollar disasters in the U.S. has increased 85% in just the last decade as disasters grow in frequency and intensity, and hurricanes are eight of the 10 most costly weather disasters in U.S. history.

More than 2.5 million people across the country were forced from their homes by weather-related disasters in 2023, with more than a third displaced for longer than a month. These powerful storms not only cause problems for people in coastal areas but can also cause damage hundreds of miles inland. Communities in the possible path of these storms need to get ready now.

GET READY NOW The American Red Cross is preparing to respond to hurricanes this season and urges families to get ready too. Red Cross readiness includes having a sufficient number of trained disaster workers available, an adequate inventory of relief supplies and technology, programs and systems ready to provide assistance to individuals and communities in need. In addition, the Red Cross builds and supports relationships with our disaster partners all year long to help us deliver services when needed.

It's critical to make your own emergency preparations. Check out the important information available at these links to help get your household ready for the upcoming hurricane season:

·       HOW TO GET READY Take three important steps ─ get a kit, make a plan and be informed.
·       STEPS FOR OLDER ADULTS If you need extra attention during an emergency, planning ahead is crucial. Consider what you may need if the power goes out, you have to stay home for two weeks or more, or if you have to evacuate. What help do you need and who can help you.
·       PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Individuals with mobility challenges and hearing, learning or seeing disabilities might face additional complications during an emergency, which means planning ahead is critical. Create a personal support network and make a plan centered around what help you may need.
·       DOWNLOAD RED CROSS APPS Download the free Red Cross First Aid app so you’ll know what to do if emergency help is delayed and the free Emergency app for weather alerts, open Red Cross shelter locations and safety steps for different emergencies. Pet owners can download the Red Cross Pet First Aid app for more information on how to include pets in emergency preparedness plans and step-by-step instructions for first aid emergencies and more.
·       BUILD A FIRST AID KIT To be prepared for emergencies, keep a first aid kit in your home, your car, carry one with you and know where they are located at your workplace.
·       HELP YOUR COMMUNITY ─ VOLUNTEER Hurricane season is just ahead and we need help supporting families and communities who may be impacted by these more frequent, intense disasters. Visit redcross.org/volunteertoday to get started. Support your neighbors and community in their time of need. Training is free but your gift of time and talent is priceless.
·         SUPPORT DISASTER RELIEF You can help people affected by disasters like hurricanes, flooding and countless other crises by making a donation to support Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

American Red Cross - https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/2024/2024-hurricane-season-could-set-records-critical-to-get-ready-now.html