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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.

 “Although women and children have particular vulnerabilities following a disaster, they are also extremely resilient,” says Esmé Lanktree, Program Officer for Emergencies and Recovery for the Canadian Red Cross.

There is nothing I love more than being cozy and warm on a cold day. So it might seem a little odd that I opted to take a winter vacation in Yellowknife, NWT. I got a little nervous about the cold, so  I decided to learn as much as I can about how to stay safe and warm in the freezing cold, and what to do in the event of a cold-related emergency.  

“I dare you to stick your tongue on that post!”
Who hasn’t heard this as a child? As we get older, we know that lips and other wet areas of skin can stick to cold, metallic objects and that it can, in fact, be downright painful! But many young children unfortunately learn this the hard way. 

Asking children to wear sunglasses isn’t just to make them look cooler and cuter. When you go outside to play with your child in the winter, don’t forget that his or her little bright eyes are more sensitive than yours

Every program and activity done by the Red Cross and Red Crescent is guided by our seven fundamental principles. Today we’re taking a closer look at fundamental principle #3: Neutrality.