International Aid Work (Page 11)

After a devastating tsunami in 2004, survivors had many needs – one that emerged in Sri Lanka was the need for child protection.

From February 4-10 it’s International Development Week, and we’re highlighting some of the work being done to help build more resilient communities around the world. This project in Pakistan is assisting communities in getting access to one of our biggest needs – water. 

February 4 to 10, 2018 is International Development Week (IDW), an initiative led by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada that celebrates Canadian contributions to international development and engages and inspires Canadians, particularly youth, to learn more about global issues. The theme of the 28th annual International Development Week: ‘Partners for a Better World’ highlights Canadians’ collective efforts to achieve sustainable development at home and around the world.

Recently the Red Cross and Red Crescent in Bangladesh received much needed hygiene kits, thanks to support from the Government of Canada. The kits were distributed to people in Hakimpara Camp, Bangladesh. 

As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. In the humanitarian sector, particularly in emergencies, innovations often come about in response to a specific challenge that forces organizations like the Canadian Red Cross to adapt and change processes.

“The stress and anguish (people) go through, especially right after a disaster, and the emotional toll it takes to recover or deal with the situation – it affects everyone,” says Angelo Leo.  The Canadian Red Cross humanitarian from Vancouver has helped people impacted by disasters and emergencies as far away as Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Philippines. But this summer, he volunteered to help much closer to home. Leo is part of the Red Cross Safety and Well-being team and he went to Williams Lake to help people work through the trauma left behind by the massive wildfires that swept across much of British Columbia.

When people think of hospitals, they think of doctors and nurses. They don’t always think of scientists in lab coats. But we are always there, hidden in the background, providing those doctors and nurses with critical patient information to guide their diagnosis and treatment decisions. Even in a field hospital in Bangladesh.