The Round-up offers a weekly sample of what our sister Red Cross Societies are working on around the world.
IRELAND: In June 2009, Ireland became the first country in the world to introduce a community-based health and
first aid (CBHFA) approach into a prison setting at Wheatfield Prison in Dublin. The program operates under a partnership between the Irish Red Cross, Irish Prison Services and Vocational Education Committee. The CBHFA program takes a unique approach to raising community health, hygiene awareness and first aid in prison communities through peer-to-peer education provided by inmates working as Irish Red Cross volunteers. Today, the initiative is being implemented in ten prisons across Ireland. It has benefited 3,273 prisoners directly and 9,829 indirectly, including staff and the families of prisoners. Evaluation of the program has demonstrated a significant impact in terms of improvement within the prison environment, as well as projects that have lead to a significant increase in healthcare awareness and prisoners’ personal well-being.
SYRIA: In the face of increasing needs in Syria, the IFRC president called for full protection of volunteers, free access to people in need and full compliance to Red Cross Red Crescent Fundamental Principles. To address the growing needs, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent has expanded its operations, providing assistance to almost 2 million people each month through 3,000 active volunteers, operating in 14 branches and 80 sub-branches across Damascus and in many other vulnerable parts of the country.
GLOSSARY:
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies