The Round-up offers a weekly sample of what our sister Red Cross Societies are working on around the world.
CUBA: As Hurricane Sandy battered Cuba, many community volunteers from the Cuban Red Cross were not only in the
front line of the response, but also had to deal with the damage and destruction of their own homes. With over one million people affected by the storm, the recovery will take both time and effort. In Santiago – one of the provinces hardest hit – 94 per cent of volunteers who are members of the municipal operations and relief teams were affected, with many seeing severe damage to their homes. Regardless of the difficulties they have faced, volunteers have been working around the clock to provide assistance to those most in need.
SRI LANKA: Since December last year Sri Lanka has been waiting for rains that finally arrived last month. Adding to the problems caused by the drought, Cyclone Nilam hit the island last week, affecting over 50,000 people and displacing close to 5,000 across the island. Since July, the government of Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Red Cross Society branches have delivered water to the worst-affected villages. The IFRC aims to provide safe drinking water and water storage to communities and schools, and cash grants and vocational training to restart farming, home gardening or other ways to make a living.
BOTSWANA: Heavy downpours that started October 24 damaged or destroyed 72 homes, dozens of valuable animals were killed, and food stocks have been left soaked and inedible. The Botswana Red Cross Society responded immediately, deploying volunteers to assist the village of 641 people, where almost half the population was left vulnerable. Loaded down with prepositioned stock, volunteers began delivering shelter kits and tarps to help people rebuild their shelter. They also distributed blankets and food kits containing milk, maize, sorghum and tea and other vital provisions to 282 people. In addition to relief operations, the Botswana Red Cross Society has embarked on a mission to educate villagers preparing for the rainy season, how to reduce their risks, and how to sound alerts about potential disasters.
GLOSSARY:
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies