International 13

Red Crosser Joanne Abshire looks back on Typhoon Haiyan, and how she chose to help following the disaster. Now a member of the Red Cross, Joanne looks at how we are still working in the Philippines. 

In the early days of a disaster, Red Cross communications aid workers are under immense pressure to respond. These early days are also a key time for communications aid workers to reach the media to harness the public’s attention and increase donations, which have a big impact on the disaster assistance that the Red Cross can provide. That’s why the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) held its first-ever international emergency communications training in Finland in September.

Humanitarian worker Jean-Baptiste Lacombe just got back from a mission to North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to combat the Ebola outbreak. He is here to share a touching story about a courageous young woman.
 

For the second time in a matter of months, Ebola once again threatens lives in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). With an outbreak of Ebola in DRC’s North Kivu declared in August, fast response is needed to contain the disease’s devastation on communities already weakened by armed conflict. Canadian aid worker Jamie LeSueur has led the Ebola response operation for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

During times of chaos and upheaval it can be easy to lose contact with family members. The Restoring Family Links program aims  to prevent separation and disappearance, look for missing persons, restore and maintain contact between family members and clarify the fate of people considered as missing, as consequence of a disaster, conflict or migration.

The Canadian Red Cross and the American Red Cross have a long-standing relationship supporting each other during large disasters. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that when Hurricane Florence first made landfall the Canadian Red Cross was ready to send staff and volunteers over to help. 

The Canadian Red Cross is working with the Cayman Islands Red Cross to help teach kids about their rights, bullying, promoting health dating relationships and more. Read how the programs work, and how we are collaborating to spread the message to young people. 

The Canadian Red Cross has sent operations and communications personnel to support the American Red Cross response to Hurricane Florence. Below are reflections from three Canadians based in Wilmington, NC.