The
Round-up offers a weekly sample of what our sister Red Cross Societies are working on around the world.
INDONESIA: Natural disasters pose a constant threat to the
people of Indonesia. Most recently, seasonal but heavy and prolonged rains along the north coast of the Island of Java have resulted in major flooding in
Jakarta. Further west in neighbouring Sumatra, incessant volcanic activity in recent months has displaced over 25,000 people. Since the onset of both disasters, the Indonesian Red Cross has been involved in the evacuation of affected communities. They are supporting displaced individuals through the provision of food, first aid, water and sanitation, and medical relief including psychosocial support. They are also assisting the local authorities in ongoing damage and needs assessments. In Jakarta, the Society is supporting the evacuation of more than 50,000 people, and providing aid assistance to displaced families in collaboration with local authorities including the Ministry of Social Welfare, military and the police.
SYRIA: Starting on December 29,
Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) Rural Damascus teams worked continuously to deliver much-needed aid. Adra residents displaced by the fighting were accommodated in temporary shelters located in an industrial area outside of Adra City, where SARC teams distributed over 14,000 food parcels, 31,000 blankets, 7,000 mattresses and 4,500 hygiene kits, in addition to towels, baby and elderly diapers, clothes, candles, kitchen sets and bread. They have also provided first aid to 500 people, as well as health services and medical supplies to over 8,000 people. SARC staff and volunteers were working around the clock to ensure that 30,000 people have access to clean drinking water through distributing more than 90,000 bottles of mineral water, providing shelters with water tanks, and delivering water to displaced people by truck. To support efforts to provide assistance to millions of Syrians affected by the conflict, donate to the Canadian Red Cross Syria Crisis Fund.