The Round-up offers a weekly sample of what our sister Red Cross Societies are working on around the world.
BANGLADESH: More than 1 million people have been affected by the floods that followed torrential monsoon rains in
late June. They have lost their homes, farms and belongings. The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society has been providing emergency relief to almost 10,000 of these families, including food, drinking water, emergency shelter and clothing. Families will also receive small cash grants to meet other immediate needs. Medical teams from the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society have been working throughout the flood zone to help prevent the spread of potentially deadly waterborne diseases, such as diarrhea and dysentery.
PHILIPPINES: Of the 19 tropical cyclones that entered the Philippines’ territory in 2011, 10 of them brought significant destruction. Among them was Typhoon Nesat, which hit during the last week of September, and was immediately followed by Typhoon Nalgae, during the first week of October. Three months after the typhoon, 25,000 families had been assisted with food packages while 15,000 others received water storage containers, blankets, sleeping mats and mosquito nets. An additional 18,000 others received hygiene kits. One year on, intervention now focuses on the early recovery phase. The IFRC and Philippine Red Cross aims to provide transitional shelter to 900 families whose houses were destroyed by the storm. As yet, only 200 families have been identified to benefit from shelter assistance as the appeal is significantly underfunded.
GLOSSARY:
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies