Two days ago, humanity celebrated two very important events: World Red Cross Day and World Red Crescent Day.
Free online encyclopedia Wikipedia and the Red Cross website, say this day: “remembers and recognises the efforts of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies worldwide...Worldwide efforts to advocate for the relief of human suffering, whether from disease, famine, disaster, or war. On May 8, the American Red Cross puts special focus on our programmes that keep children healthy and safe around the globe.”
It goes on to say that the Red Cross provides humanitarian efforts and disaster relief around the world, wherever it is needed. And there are millions of Red Cross volunteers.
Founded by Henry Dunant in1863 in Geneva, Switzerland, the distinctive Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems, symbols from which the movement derives its name, have become instantly recognisable in any site of natural catastrophe, manmade disaster, blood bank appeals, and famine-ravaged regions.
First to arrive
In Kenya, the Red Cross Society boasts 800 permanent staff and just over 97,000 volunteers dispersed across the eight administrative regions of the country. Despite their not getting paid, the volunteers are often the first to arrive at scenes of destruction that would make the unpracticed eye tear and the weak of heart faint.
The Kenya Chapter Secretary General at Kenya Red Cross Society Mr Abbas Gullet, who is also an instantly recognisable face of the humanitarian team, says they exist through an Act of Parliament to legitimise their interventions and formalise the partnership with State organs.
He has paid tribute to the enabling environment the Government has ensured through linkages with District Officers, District Commissioners, Provincial Heads, chiefs and their assistants, who often have a detailed knowledge of the localities that disasters occur.
No war zone is complete without the ubiquitous over-shirts and overalls of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and unmistakable ambulances.
What started out as a mercy mission at a war zone that Dunant witnessed and mobilised village women and children to treat the injured and bury the dead, has become a global phenomenon and stuff of legend.
And since where two or three people are gathered, there is likely to develop differences of opinion, tussle over resources (pasture, water, oil, minerals, timber) or even spheres of influence at strategic locations.
Indeed, this last is why there is a race for pole position in the Arctic Circle, Antarctica, the Moon and indeed, the habitable planets in our solar system. And when such competition and attrition sets in, the services of the Red Cross are required.
With 97 million volunteers, members and staff to call upon worldwide, they are uniquely qualified to “protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human suffering, without any discrimination based on nationality, race, sex, religious beliefs, class or political opinions”.
There can be no nobler ideal.
Today, the society has millions more volunteers as each Twitter account user is uniquely placed to forward alerts that need the society’s attention. This particular social media is redrawing the humanitarian and crisis response landscape.
This write-up will not be complete without mention of some of the most remarkable moments that Red Cross volunteers have registered a mark.
Ever ready
We all recall the US Embassy bombing in Nairobi’s Haile Selassie Avenue. Then came the Sunbeam Supermarket cave in, the Kenyans For Kenya Initiative, Nyamakima building collapse, Mathare 4A rockslide, Nakumatt Downtown fire, annual flooding of Budalang’i and Nyando river systems, most horrific road accidents, Sinai river of fire, Sachangwan tanker tragedy and myriad others.
They are to be seen smiling, polite and ever ready to serve and treat and protect at public events like national celebrations and the like. To these selfless men and women, this media house pays glowing tribute. a
