The Red Cross Round-up

The Round-up offers a weekly sample of what our sister Red Cross Societies are working on around the world.

ZIMBABWE: As millions of Zimbabweans head to vote in the presidential election today, more than 1,000 local Red Cross volunteers trained in first aid will be positioned at polling stations and political rallies across the country. In the lead up to the election, Red Cross volunteers have been busy administering first aid at dozens of political rallies, during which they have treated 2,500 people, many for fainting and fatigue, a result of spending all day in a hot crowd.

TANZANIA: In the first four months of 2013, more than 11,000 cases of malaria were reported in Nyarugusu camp. As the lead health care provider in the camp, the Red Cross is collaborating with the government to provide a long lasting insecticide-treated net to every person living there.  Following guidelines for universal coverage set by the World Health Organization, they are distributing one net for every two people. More than 110 volunteers will fan out across the camp, handing out nets to refugees.

SOUTH SUDAN: Around 450,000 people in Darfur are being provided with food, seed and farming tools by the ICRC. The distributions, many carried out with the Sudanese Red Crescent Society, will be completed in the coming days. Over 54,000 families are being given groundnut, sorghum, tomato, okra and onion seed, out of which 46,000 families will also receive tools such as ploughs and hoes. A further 21,000 families will only receive farming tools.  In addition, food items such as sorghum, beans, sugar, and cooking oil are being distributed to some 50,000 families.

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