World Red Cross Day: celebrating humanitarian aid
As there were no longer any wars, The Red Cross Society’s focus shifted to assisting during natural disasters.
WORLD Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, celebrated on May 8 every year, acknowledges the movement that has grown into the largest international humanitarian aid organisation in the world.
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The day has been commemorated since 1948 and falls on the birthday of Henry Dunant, the founder of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
The South African Red Cross Society, founded in 1921, is a member organisation of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
The provincial office is based in Durban North.
Speaking to Northglen News about the movement, provincial manager Siyabonga Hlatshwayo said the Society has seven offices in KwaZulu-Natal with Durban being at the head.
“When Henry Dunant was travelling from Switzerland to Italy, he noticed a war in Solferino and that many victims had died due to a lack of medical intervention. He then cancelled his trip and went to mobilise help for victims of war,” Hlatshwayo said.
Dunant wrote a book in 1862 called A Memory of Solferino, reflecting on what he had witnessed, and he made recommendations for a movement to come into existence where assistance is given to people of war voluntarily.
“Countries came on board and became signatories,” added Hlatshwayo.
South Africa was one of the countries that became a signatory, but as wars were no longer in existence, The Red Cross Society’s focus shifted to assisting during natural disasters.
“Red Cross’ core values are to encourage and promote the improvement of health, the prevention of disease and the mitigation of suffering,” he said.
He said The South African Red Cross Society provided relief during the Covid-19 pandemic by providing free testing, community education, fumigation of schools and centres and clothing and food distribution.
They also train volunteers in first aid, home-based care and disaster management.
“Providing education, maintaining garden projects, taking care of orphans and vulnerable children, tree planting and holding youth programmes are some of our daily projects,” said Hlatshwayo.
“The South African Red Cross Society works hard towards ensuring that we implement disaster risk reduction in the community. We do this together with our 18 staff members and 351 volunteers,” he said.
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The South African Red Cross Society is situated at 201 Kenneth Kaunda Road.
For more information, visit www.redcross.org.za
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