The Round-up offers a weekly sample of what our sister Red Cross Societies are working on around the world.
MALI: Severe flooding is causing chaos across several countries in the Sahel region of Africa. To date, more than 200,000
people have been affected in six countries, including Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Senegal. Buildings have collapsed, roads have been rendered impassable, and valuable farmland is submerged beneath flood water. Volunteers at the Mali Red Cross, in collaboration with the government’s civil protection office, were immediately deployed to provide assistance to affected families with essential relief items, including mosquito nets, blankets, sleeping mats, jerry cans, hygiene kits and tents. Volunteers have also been mobilized in other flood-affected countries, providing much needed support to those who have had their lives washed away.
JORDAN: There are 554,000 Syrian refugees registered in Jordan, and the majority of them are in host communities struggling with rent and other costs of living. To address this issue, the Jordan National Red Crescent Society started a Cash Transfer Program earlier this year in cooperation with the IFRC and Swiss Red Cross. So far the program has reached 1,660 families.
The Canadian Red Cross is currently accepting donations to support Syrians both in Syria and in surrounding countries – click here to make a donation to the Syria Crisis Fund.
INTERNATIONAL: Earlier this week, the Kenya Red Cross Society's response to an oil pipeline explosion and the American Red Cross' contribution to a Green Recovery and Reconstruction Toolkit were recognized with Green Star Awards. The biannual awards recognize those who have made remarkable efforts to prepare for, respond to, and mainstream actions to prevent environmental emergencies.