World Red Cross Day commemorated
Red Cross building, George Town
(CNS Local Life): Every year on 8 May, the Red Cross, Red Crescent and Red Crystal Societies celebrate World Red Cross Day, which marks the birthday of the movement’s founder and winner of the first Nobel Peace Prize, Henri Dunant, and has been observed annually throughout the world since 1948.
Here in Cayman, May is observed as Red Cross Month and the Cayman Islands Red Cross (CIRC) marks this by enhancing its programme activities throughout the community, stated a CIRC press release.
“The reality is that when it comes to the work, May is another month with additional activities,” said CIRC Director Jondo Obi. “However, it is important for us to celebrate not only May 8th but highlight the work throughout the month because there is something really special about the Red Cross Movement, and May offers us an opportunity to remind ourselves, our volunteers and our community of that.”
The Disaster Management programme utilises the month to finalise training initiatives undertaken to prepare staff and volunteers for disasters. This month, the programme will be concluding national intervention team training, hosting an internal shelter management training, assisting specific Community Emergency Response Teams finalise their response plans, as well as undertaking activities to prepare for hurricane season in conjunction with the government.
The First Aid and Aquatics programme will continue to deliver its training to the community and will finalise efforts to re-certify volunteers who will be deployed to the non-emergency shelters to provide first aid coverage for shelterees.
The Thrift Shop programme will be scaling up its community outreach by extending its Deal on Wheels efforts, which take the mobile thrift shop to one of the outer districts each month, but during each Saturday in May will visit one of the four districts outside of George Town. The Thrift Shop programme also utilises the month to liaise with partner agencies making referrals for clients, as well as preparing to facilitate the transition to shelter operations should such a need arise.
The Child Protection and Sexuality Education programme will continue working on raising awareness of child safeguarding and child abuse prevention. The multi-agency grassroots Protection Starts Here recently completed another two-day policy development workshop for youth-serving organisations and continues to offer ongoing support for individuals, families and agencies through referrals, assistance in accessing services, policy development, awareness sessions, and the twice-monthly free Darkness to Light training to the public.
“Around the world there are over 115 million people who give their time, skills, blood, sweat and tears to help assist the most vulnerable and empower their community,” said Carolina Ferreira, Deputy Director for the CIRC. “We are a voluntary service humanitarian organisation unlike any other, and everything that we do, here and abroad, is because everyday citizens believe in the power of humanity and act on that belief. That is something worth celebrating.”
For information on volunteering for the Red Cross, email the Volunteer and Resources Manager
Category: Community
