In the days and months that followed the wild fire, we saw an incredible outpouring of support from across Canada. And throughout the past year we have seen just how resilient the people in the Fort McMurray area are. But, as many are aware, the work is not yet over.

This can make a person wonder...

It’s been a year; why aren’t things back to normal?

In honour of National Volunteer week, we’re taking a closer look at the fundamental principle of voluntary service. This principle is very basic, but it has a huge impact on the Red Cross and Red Crescent, because there is no way we could do the work that we do without our volunteers. 

Nearly one year later, how your donations have helped people recover and rebuild following the devastating wildfires in Alberta. 

When people are facing an emergency or disaster, there’s a natural desire to seek as much information as one can find, as there’s an urgency to take action. Knowledge is empowering. It helps people make the best possible decision for their family, such as how to prepare for the disaster, whether to evacuate, when to remain safely at home, where to go, and what services are available. Knowledge also alleviates fear of the unknown.

The Red Cross and Red Crescent movement is governed by seven fundamental principles. Today we're taking a closer look at the principle of independence, and why it is important to our work in Canada and around the world. 

Two Canadian aid workers, perioperative nurse Dianne Hyra-Kuzenko from Winnipeg, and anesthesiologist Louis Fraser from Calgary are part of an ICRC surgical team providing critical medical care for war-wounded people in Iraq.

A series of record-breaking downpours in Peru engorged rivers and caused the worst flooding in decades to hit the country.  Almost 800,000 people have been impacted, and over 176,000 houses have been damaged or destroyed.  The waters also triggered landslides which wiped away people, crops, and buildings. The Red Cross is actively scaling up its response to flooding, mudslides and other issues caused by the rains. 

In early March, we had the great pleasure of hosting Nelly Tangua Tangayani, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Red Cross, and Touré Nènè Traoré, from the Mali Red Cross. They spent a week with our Communications team to discuss our respective practices and strengthen their communications capacities.