Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up
Welcome to the Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It’s a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work…
[The place names link to maps so that you can get a quick idea of the region.]
SUDAN: “I did not expect to see the kids again. I had given up hope,” says the uncle of one of six children recently reunited with their families after being separated amid armed violence. The ICRC has also been restoring clean water for thousands and training doctors to treat the wounded.
YEMEN: There’s no place like home for the holidays. But since fighting erupted in the north of Yemen, thousands of people have fled for safety, leaving their belongings behind and no home in which to celebrate the recent Eid Al-Adha holiday. Though it is becoming increasingly difficult to reach those who need aid, the ICRC and Yemen Red Crescent have been providing medical support, water, food and other essentials.
AZERBAIJAN: “The families have a right to know what happened to their loved ones.” That’s the motto for the ICRC and Red Crescent Society of Azerbaijan as they have redoubled their efforts to help collect information on people still missing in connection with the Nagorny-Karabakh conflict.
MALAWI: The Malawi Red Cross offices were damaged in an earthquake a few weeks ago but Red Crossers have still been distributing tents, shelter kits and other relief supplies – now to even more people after a second quake struck the area.
JAPAN: The Japanese Red Cross recently ran a huge, three-day disaster drill involving hundreds of staff and volunteers from across the nation.
PHILIPPINES: Tens of thousands have been evacuated, and the Philippines Red Cross coordinating drills and pre-positioning supplies in anticipation of an violent eruption of Mt. Mayon, which scientists say is imminent.
INDONESIA: In honor of the 5 year anniversary of the Dec. 26, 2004 tsunami, the IFRC and Thompson Reuters Foundation have partnered to create an interactive, multimedia website to share – and collect – the stories of hope, compassion and dignity that arose from the tragedy. The IFRC is also focusing on lessons learned and how to reduce disaster risk in the future.