Union of Comoros

Approximately 840,000 people share the three islands that make up the Union of Comoros, located in the Indian Ocean off the eastern coast of Africa. According to the World Bank, nearly 45 per cent of the population lives in poverty.

Comoros is a country that faces many development challenges and recurring natural disasters. Apart from the threat from the Karthala volcano on the Island of Moroni, the population is often affected by cholera epidemics, malaria and other diseases of poverty.

The Canadian Red Cross is supporting the Comorian Red Crescent, to enhance the resilience of the most vulnerable communities in Comoros.

Red Cross / Red Crescent Response

The Comorian Red Crescent was officially recognized in 2005, and is one of the newest Members of the Red Cross Movement. This National Society is striving to become strong and competent in order to meet the enormous needs of the country's vulnerable populations. The Canadian Red Cross is supporting the Comorian Red Crescent and its highly dedicated team to reach its potential through a programme of organisational strengthening and community based risk reduction.

Organizational development

This includes core systems strengthening in programme management, strategic planning, governance, financial systems and volunteer management at both the central and branch levels in order to improve the Comorian Red Cross Society's ability to reach and support vulnerable communities

Support to vulnerability reduction

In order to reduce risks from the highly active Katharla Volcano, the Canadian Red Cross has joined the French Red Cross and the Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to support the Comorian Red Crescent in its work with communities threatened by the volcano. Communities are learning to mobilise to ensure that effective early warning systems, evacuation plans and other mitigation strategies are in place.

The Canadian Red Cross provided training to the Comorian Red Crescent team to conduct vulnerability and capacity assessments with communities throughout the country. With the support of the Comorian Red Crescent, communities will identify risks, such as cholera for example, and work to mitigate those risks through community-based learning and mobilisation.

How You Can Help

The Red Cross could not continue to do the work that it does in Comoros and throughout Africa without the support of the Canadian public.

Make your donation:
Toll-free at 1-800-418-1111
In person at any Red Cross office
By mailing a cheque or money order to Canadian Red Cross, 170 Metcalfe Street, Ste 300, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2P2. Earmark your donation "Africa Region".

Posted December 4, 2008