Africa

Canadian Red Cross impact in the Africa region

In our work across the Africa Region, we strongly value the principle of community-driven action, recognizing the inherent strength and knowledge of communities in addressing their needs. 

The belief in partnership and collaboration with local and regional organizations and communities is key to our approach. We prioritize listening to local voices and perspectives, ensuring that our interventions are rooted in local context, culture, and wisdom. By fostering meaningful partnerships with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies across Africa, we strive to co-create initiatives that are relevant, effective, and sustainable. 

Our collaborative efforts focus on empowering us collectively to work on anticipatory action, preparedness, leading emergency responses to crises and driving long-term recovery and resiliency efforts. Learn more about our work across the region below.

Donate to the International Programs Fund


Working with local partners in the Africa region

A woman in colourful clothing sitting while holding her baby in her lap.

Photo: IFRC

The Canadian Red Cross has worked alongside the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) since 2015, supporting programming that focuses on building the capacity of ERCS to prepare and respond to humanitarian crises, with intentional consideration for women and girls.

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Mali Red Cross volunteer, wearing a white bib, sitting on a motorcycle.
Photo: Mali Red Cross

The Canadian Red Cross has been supporting the Malian Red Cross and the Malian Ministry of Health since 2008 with a focus on improving healthcare and wellbeing services for local communities, with particular attention to the health of mothers, adolescents, children and newborns.

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Community members meet with a Somali Red Crescent worker at a rehabilitated water point in Ijaara.

Photo: Angela Hill / Canadian Red Cross

The Canadian Red Cross has worked alongside the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) since 2017, supporting health, programming around protection of women and girls, and increasing SRCS’s ability to respond to emergencies.

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Group of Malian Red Cross volunteers standing outside a local household

Photo: Juozas Cernius / IFRC

The Canadian Red Cross has been supporting the South Sudan Red Cross since 2011, with a focus on building capacity to respond to disasters, migration and displacement, and improving health and wellbeing with a focus on women and girls.

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Support to people and countries impacted by the humanitarian crisis in Africa


You can help support people hit hard by multiple humanitarian crises in Somalia, Sudan, and other impacted African countries by donating to the International Programs Fund.

Donations will support the work of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Somalia and other impacted African countries to provide support to people hit hard by multiple humanitarian crises. Your donation could provide healthcare, relief supplies, and assistance for individuals, families, and displaced populations affected by droughts, floods, and severe weather effects, or those experiencing food insecurity. Donations may also help to support immediate and ongoing relief efforts, long-term recovery, resiliency, and preparedness for future events in and around the impacted regions.