The Round-up offers a weekly sample of what our sister Red Cross Societies are working on around the world.
CAMBODIA: The Mekong River Basin serves as a vital resource to over 70 million people in the region but in 2011,
heavy rains in Cambodia caused the river to overflow to dangerous levels leaving 1.2 million people in need of assistance. The Cambodian Red Cross, with support of the French Red Cross, began the immediate distribution of relief to nearly 2,000 families. This was followed by the launch of a one-year project, funded by ECHO, which focuses on building the resilience of communities likely to be hit by future floods. The program includes improving access to sources of food and livelihoods, as well as education on the importance of clean water and good hygiene. As the program nears its first anniversary, Red Cross activities also include the distribution of ceramic water filters, water pumps, rice seeds, and education on techniques for resilient rice-cultivation and wetland planting, as well as multi-purpose farming.
LESOTHO: A food crisis is consuming great swathes of Lesotho, Malawi, Angola and Zimbabwe. To address this issue, the Lesotho Red Cross Society, in partnership with the German Red Cross and with financial support from the European Union, is helping families establish gardens that produce a year-round supply of vegetables. Seed fairs have provided access to seeds suitable for both the location and season and training was offered to ensure the seeds didn’t just provide one harvest, but would go on making a difference for years to come.
SUDAN: Armed tribal clashes occurred in January in Jebel Amer. Tens of thousands of people were forced to flee their homes to Kabkabiya, Al Sireaf, Saraf Omra, Garra Al Zawia and Abu Gamra. The ICRC and the Sudanese Red Crescent Society has begun distributing one-month food rations and essential household items to over 7,200 people in Kabkabiya, North Darfur. The ICRC is also planning to support the work of the Garra Al Zawia health clinic in conjunction with the State Ministry of Health in North Darfur. It will contribute, when needed, to staff pay incentives and provide the facility with medical supplies and technical advice for up to six months.
GLOSSARY:
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
ECHO = European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department