Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean. February 2019 by IFRC Americas Communications

VOICES OF THE AMERICAS AND THE CARIBBEAN FEBRUARY 2019

Content Our progress as a Federation in the Americas region

When there is will, there are no boundaries 5 Humanitarian Hub 6 Alone and Unsafe 8 Project “Sumando fuerzas ante los desastres” 9 DAG visit 10 CREPD: Summary of activities 2018 12 Early warning can transform lives 13 Preparing for a greener Red Cross response in the Americas 14 A goodbye in the border 15 Summary Emergency Operations 17 Curso Online: Migración 18 Land Rover supports Red Cross disaster projects 19 No human being is illegal 21 New curriculum in Restoring Family Links 22 Acapulco en los ojos de cuatro patinadores 23 Cuban Red Cross prepares volunteers as National Disaster Intervention Team 24 Training of students on topics of the Cuban Red Cross 24 Cuban Red Cross, like a tornado of humanity 25 Brazilian Red Cross 110th anniversary 26 Video: Mexican women united in the search for their disappeared 27 “They were mistaken, but it was a beautiful mistake” 28 Video: Círculos de apoyo psicosocial para familias afectadas por el Zika 29 `Without any shoes’ 30 Huddled together 31 CEA training for Latin America 32

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Americas Regional Office City of Knowledge, Clayton. Panama. Phone: +507 317 3050 Many thanks to all who have contributed to this number of Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean.

OUR PROGRESS AS A FEDERATION IN THE AMERICAS REGION From the Regional Office for Americas of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) we have undertaken various initiatives through wich we are directly contributing to the One Billion Coalition and the Sustainable Development Goals (ODS). We are building one (1) Integral and Integrated Information System (IMII), as a fundamental element to document the evidence, promote transparency and have an orderly and reliable record of our actions. This information system is based on the Development of National Societies (NSD), the implementation of Programs and the management of Operations and Support Services crosssectional to the Regional Office for America (ROA), its Clusters Offices and National Societies. A first step was the launch of Go Platform, a pioneering tool in the operations of our region that came to replace the DMIS. On the other hand, the (2) Matrix Management of the Federation has come to renew the way in wich we monitor the management; preventing mismanagement or non-compliance with the policy of zero tolerance for fraud and corruption, as well as sexual and labor harassment. A reflection of the elements described above is the (3) Humanitarian Hub, recently inaugurated by the Panamanian State. The Hub is a logitics space for our operations in the region, but also integrates three components: a) Knowledge management; b) Training â&#x20AC;&#x201C; eLearning and c) Coordination of operations. To guarantee the sustainability of the system the we have set out, we need (4) leadership to empower the networks and thus improve management, the subsidiaries, as focal points and keys to know the real need of the communities, and our volunteers who the are our pillar as a humanitarian movement. From the point of view of the Focus areas, specifically in terms of (5) disaster risk management and emergency response, we are working towards a modern and inclusive system of all National Societies to achieve a more efficient functioning of our Pan-American Disaster Response System (PADRES), defined in the Toluca Declaration.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean â&#x20AC;˘ February 2019

Currently, (6) Migration is one of our greatest challenges at the regional level. The regional migration strategy is clear, aimed at: a) addressing the prevention of violence and promoting gender equality, diversity and social inclusion; b) increase the influence of Red Cross services and programs aimed at displaced populations and vulnerable migrants, including protection, improvement of living condictions and access to basic services; and c) work with civil society, public authorities, the private sector and academic institutions to advocate for equality, addessing both stigma and discrimination, and promoting the Fundamental Principles of our Movement. On September 6, the Federation launched a Regional Population Movement Appeal involving eight National Societies. Under the context of migrants from Venezuela. This without neglecting the historical migration scenarios of the (7) Northern Triangle and Nicaragua. We continue working in the 35 countries of the region with certain particularities, attending to meet the needs and contexts of each country. (8) in Haiti, for example, the implementation of a binational strategy has been prioritized among the goverments of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, to ensure the continuity of our functions and follow-up on the programs we carry out. This includes the creation of a humanitarian corridor between the two countries in times of disaster. On the other hand, we have promoted the (9) North Cluster through the North American Humanitarian Response Initiative (NAHRI), which integrates the National Societies of Mexico, the United States and Canada. This initiative aims to assist vulnerable populations affected by disasters, facilitate cross-border access by humanitarian teams, personnel and supplies to manage risk and response to disasters. We continue to deepen our approach to health, promoting healthy lifestyles, preventing noncommunicable diseases and responding to health emergencies. An example of this is our (10) ZIKA program at the regional level. The Red Cross, through all its actions, actively contributes to the (11) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), within which our main contributions focus on health and well-being (SDG3), water clean and sanitation (SDG6), reduction of inequalities (SDG10), sustainable cities and communities (SDG11), action for climate (SDG13) and alliances to achieve these objectives (SDG17). All these advances and projects are a reflection of our compliance as Secretariat to the (12a) Houston Commitment, established at our last Inter-American Conference. Additionally, we want to invite you to join us to celebrate the (12b) 100 years of the Federation on May 5, 2019. This celebration is a sign of the relevance and relevance of the humanitarian action of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in the world.

Walter Cotte W.

Americas Regional Director

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean • February 2019

When there is will, there are no boundaries By Ecuadorian Red Cross

For many, being a person with special needs seems as an obstacle for pursuing goals in life, but not for Alexander Jesus Cifuentes. For him being a blind person was not an obstacle to get out, in search of better days. Even though the journey was not easy, Alexander found in his path great friends that helped him getting on and off buses and guided him on the way to Ecuador´s northern frontier, Rumichaca. Moreover, since Alexander did not have a cell phone, when he got to the assistance point of the Ecuadorian Red Cross, he received immediate help from the volunteers in order for him to communicate with his relatives. That was possible thanks to the service of free calls that the Red Cross provides to restore family links. The strength, bravery, and enthusiasm showed by Alexander when we spoke to him was impressive, he irradiated a lot of positive energy to everyone. His wife and family were the first he had to convince that a visual disability could not be an impediment to migrating to another country in search of better opportunities for him and his family.

“I assume the leadership of my National Society without doubt, but, I consider it not as an adjective, but as a verb since it is lived with actions. I learn every day about how to feel more comfortable leading, and the way it had been changing through this year. A leader does not need to have all the knowledge, but must represent an excellent manager for the people around him. A leader must build teams, delegate functions, establish spaces of trust and have an assertive communication. We must fall in love with what we do for it to flow naturally, to obtain better results. The motivation is internal, so that makes it hard for a leader to motivate the entire team. However, what we can do is convey the love for what they do, and there the emotion and the commitment of the other with the objective is mimicked.” Ins. Ximena Pardo Casaretto, President Uruguayan Red Cross

the

HUMANITARIAN HUB On 19 November, the inauguration ceremony of the Regional Logistics Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (CLRAH) in Panama took place. From this Center the Red Cross will coordinate its emergency supply chain in the region and support the processes of purchasing relief items, taking advantage of Panamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commercial advantage as the HUB of the Americas, its strategic geographical position and the regional procurement strategy of the IFRC, which reduces direct and indirect costs. The Humanitarian Hub aims to provide the necessary infrastructure and services for better coordination and efficiency to control humanitarian crises and articulate a relevant response support, allowing a 24-hour support capacity. This, in turn, will improve emergency response capacities, cooperation and the efficiency of the organizationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; resources in the region.

ALONE AND UNSAFE Thousands of unaccompanied and separated children are at daily risk of sexual and gender-based violence along the world’s migratory trails, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warned today. The shocking situation is revealed in a new report, Alone and Unsafe, launched as governments prepare to meet in Marrakech, Morocco, to adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (9-11 December). Francesco Rocca, IFRC’s President, said: “The number of children migrating alone or without their families has grown substantially and alarmingly in the past decade. Tragically – unacceptably – these children are easy prey for abusers, exploiters and traffickers. “A child who is migrating alone, without the love and protection of a parent, family member or guardian, is arguably one of the most vulnerable people in the world. The world is failing these children and we all need to do more to help them.” Exact figures on the number of unaccompanied and separated migrant children are not available. However, the most recent UN estimate from 2017 suggests that there were 300,000 such children. IFRC believes the figure is much higher today. Alone and Unsafe shows that when children are in transit alone or without their families, they are at very high risk of being assaulted, sexually abused, raped, trafficked into sexual exploitation, or forced into “survival sex”. It further shows that these threats extend from countries of origin, through countries of transit, and into countries of destination. IFRC’s report calls on governments and aid groups to support it in the creation of dedicated ”humanitarian service points” along major migration routes where children and other migrants can receive assistance and support. It also calls on governments and aid organizations to scale-up investment in the training of frontline responders so that they can identify at-risk children and refer them to specialized services. It also recommends that governments keep families together during immigration proceedings and avoid detaining children or their relatives as a result of their immigration status. IFRC’s Rocca said: “This report serves as a timely reminder of just how important the coming Marrakesh Conference is. The Global Compact for Migration is a chance for governments to make life safer for tens of thousands – perhaps hundreds of thousands – of incredibly vulnerable children. It is an opportunity that governments simply cannot afford to miss. “The Red Cross and Red Crescent stands ready to help turn those commitments into a safer, more dignified reality.” The full report is available here.

PROJECT “SUMANDO FUERZAS ANTE LOS DESASTRES”

After twenty months the project “Sumando Fuerzas ante los desastres –Strengthening of disaster risk management systems in South America through civic-military relations and update of the regulatory framework”, came to an end. The objective of this project was to improve the preparedness for disaster response in South America, strengthening existing capacities in the institutional and regulatory structures that are part of the systems for disaster risk management. Activities were carried out at regional and national levels, with specific results in the countries of Peru and Ecuador. The activities at a regional level were developed into two main components: civic-military relations (CMR) in disaster or crisis, and the disaster law programme. The main achievements at the regional level were: • Development of an inventory in civic-military relations, containing instruments, policies, strategies, mechanisms, and resolutions of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, as well as those of international and regional organizations, and national governments, to frame and optimize this relationship. • Regional course in CMR in disaster preparedness and response, which included the participation of civil protection institutions and the Armed Forces of Peru, Colombia and Ecuador, five National Societies, IFRC and ICRC. The course was able to strengthen coordination in the preparation and first response in tasks of humanitarian assistance in national territory and in international humanitarian assistance, taking into account the existing guidelines and reference frameworks in civic-military relations, in inter-institutional coordination and communication in situations of disaster, to assist vulnerable people, taking into consideration the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. This Regional Course proved to be of great importance because it was the first of its kind in the region, and for bringing together different sectors that act in the preparation and response to a disaster, considering their different mandates and missions. It should be noted that this course has been a pilot to validate the relevance of the content, the relevance of the curriculum, and the pedagogical approach; the observations and suggestions have been presented to be considered for future replicas. • Development of a proposal of guidelines in CMR in preparation and response to disasters, which seek to provide operational guidance to the National Societies of America, with emphasis on the Andean region countries, on how to relate to the components of the Armed Forces and Security, of the affected and assistants States before, during and after a disaster of natural origin. • Regional workshop on Law on Disaster Law and CMR, with the participation of five National Societies, IFRC and ICRC. As a result of the workshop, focal points were designated in DRR and CMR in each National Society, and a roadmap proposal was drafted to advance the national DRR agenda and a regional roadmap for DRR and CMR. “Sumando Fuerzas” project began in April 2017, led by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, in collaboration with the Spanish Red Cross, the Ecuadorian Red Cross, the German Red Cross and the Peruvian Red Cross, and with the support of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, ECHO. For more information about the results of the project, contact: Daniel Rejas daniel.rejas@ifrc.org

DAG VISIT The Donor Advisory Group (DAG) visited Colombia from 22 to 24 January. The purpose of the visit was to present the Red Cross response to migration flows in Colombia and the Americas region through first-hand experience of the humanitarian needs of migrants.

SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES 2018 CREPD I. CREPD The general objective of the Reference Center for Disaster Preparedness (CREPD) is to assist the components of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in strengthening the capacities of National Societies. It helps in disaster preparedness, through the development of methodologies, tools, learning techniques and harmonization processes, considering the expertise and best practices of the National Societies themselves, and under the coordination of the Regional Office for America of the Federation in association with the Salvadoran Red Cross. II. Quality Policy “We are committed to implementing timely and reliable processes aimed at meeting the needs of our clients, supported by the strategy 2020, the Inter-American Framework for Action and the Houston commitment, IFRC policies, through training actions, technical assistance, development of tools and generation of knowledge guaranteeing the effectiveness of a quality management system and continuous improvement according to ISO 9001: 2015.” III. Work axes 1. Training: Generating competences in the different thematic lines. 2. Technical advice: Offering an orderly process that guarantees the gradual improvement and validation of various tools. 3. Instruments and machines: Supplying the needs through the systematization, compilation, development, and validation of devices and tools. 4. Generation of knowledge: Generating new knowledge that contributes to improving understanding and acting

60 National Societies National Societies that receive methodological and technical support and share effort in the exchange of experience through the network center facilitators and staff.

Harmonized methology and tools

Harmonized methods and tools, developed among Reference Centers to guarantee high quality and standardize services: Virtual ENI RIT curriculum; DREC Virtual, Civic Military Relations, RCF participation in Preparation for an Effective Response, NDRT Harmonization, Public health course in level B emergencies, Differentiated PSS care guides for migration.

New educational products

New up-to-date educational products: Civic Military Relations, NDRT Harmonization, Level B health course, RFL.

292 Certified as facilitators Certifications granted to facilitators in the framework of projects developed by National Societies, IFRC.

496 Certified courses Certifications granted in the specialties of: ZIKA CAZ, Surveillance and Monitoring based on the Community-ODK basic, SPAC, PSS / Zika, Sanitation and hygiene promotion, OFCOE, Zika, logistics, Civic Military Relations, Lodging, Vector control with focus community, Data collection using mobile devices, ODK MV, response plans, ENI.

127 Facilitators´network 127 participants in the facilitators´ network in national and international processes.

Webinar 2059 attendees 3 languages 79 countries 13 sessions The webinars are a tool for the socialization of trends, good practices and knowledge exchange, coordinated with IFRC departments and other organizations.

EARLY WARNING CAN TRANSFORM LIVES

If you knew 20 minutes before that a severe flood or tsunami would occur, what would you do? Early warning systems allow individuals and communities a window of time for fight or flight. For time-critical events such as tsunamis, mudslides and flash floods, the warnings are a trigger to action â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to move quickly out of the danger area. For more moderate hazards e.g. street flooding, or slower arriving hurricanes, warnings provide an opportunity to fight to protect your family and property, either by relocation or barrier protection in doorways and windows. October 13 marks the United Nationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; International Day for Disaster Reduction. For 2018 the UN emphasizes that Reducing Economic Losses from Disasters has the Power to Transform Lives. Economic loss can be minimized where early warning systems provide timely and usable information. The national and regional agencies of the Caribbean are partnering to substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in collaboration with national disaster offices are working to assess and improve the national early warning systems in Antigua Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Also collaborating on the project are the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) as well as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Local and regional partners are trying to raise awareness, and to merge the many national hazards authorities into an integrated national multi-hazard EWS and improve warning messages communication. The collaboration includes regional experts e.g. Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology in Barbados. CIMH, UNDP, IFRC and CDEMA are working together to adapt the IFRC Community Early Warning System Field Guide for the Caribbean. This training of trainers course will build national capacity to engage with vulnerable communities to establish local hazard monitoring, warning and response. This will give communities more time to protect themselves. Community early warnings will be integrated into the national warning system. Financial assistance for these multi-hazard EWS is provided by the European Union through its Disaster Preparedness Program of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DIPECHO). As we mark the International Day for Disaster Reduction, take some time to get to know more about you national early warning systems and help your community to develop localized early warning systems, because minutes of warning are critical to saving lives and reducing losses.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean • February 2019

PREPARING FOR GREENER RED CROSS RESPONSE IN THE AMERICAS

Through a partnership with the Canadian Red Cross under the CERA project, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has provided training and technical support on green recovery and reconstruction to the Red Cross National Societies of the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, and Nicaragua. Through this partnership, CERA National Society staff and volunteers were familiarized with the Green Recovery and Reconstruction Toolkit (GRRT), a WWF resource that promotes better awareness and knowledge of environmentally responsible disaster response approaches. It was developed by WWF following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in collaboration with the American Red Cross. With each of the CERA National Societies, WWF’s technical team completed a Desk Review of strategic and operational documents. The follow-up trainings were based on the GRRT with workshops tailored to the emergency response needs, priorities, and capacities of each National Society. Different areas of focus included water and sanitation, livelihoods, risk reduction, and shelter. The Canadian Red Cross also coordinated with the IFRC’s Green Response Working Group, led by the Swedish Red Cross, to brief the National Societies on upcoming Movement initiatives to mainstream Green Response in trainings, policy development, the surge optimization process, and improved technologies. The response to the partnership has been overwhelmingly positive and many participants expressed interest in further learning opportunities including additional trainings and technical support. One of the participants from the Dominican Republic said that the “training will help [the Red Cross] to design projects that include green recovery and reconstruction to guarantee a long-term, healthy environment” and the Jamaica Red Cross is now creating a technical group together with the Nature Conservancy and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) to start conversations regarding mainstreaming Green Response within emergency operations.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean • February 2019

In terms of next steps, all five National Societies that participated in the pilot now have access to follow up support from WWF’s technical experts. Both the Canadian Red Cross and the CERA National Societies have learned a lot from this pilot and received recommendations from WWF and participants on how to improve the implementation of Green Response initiatives in the future. This includes the importance of preparing people within National Societies to train their own staff and volunteers and to engage with local agencies and national institutions to promote the multi-sector, integrated approach needed to advance environmental mainstreaming in disaster management. The Canadian Red Cross will continue to explore opportunities to continue promoting Green Response in the Americas and beyond.

A goodbye in the border By Ecuadorian Red Cross

Vigmary and Vigmar are sisters and left together in search of a better future for their mother and their children that are still in their country. Like other migrants, they had not had contact with their family for several days. But when they arrived in Rumichaca, Ecuador’s northern border, they went to the Ecuadorian Red Cross service post and thanks to the free calls that were offered as part of the Restoring Family Links (RFL) service, they were able to communicate to let them know that they had arrived well to Ecuador. “For us who have just arrived, it is very helpful; we thank God you are here, you are here to help, not everyone does it “, were the words of Vigmary to Gustavo, a volunteer of the Ecuadorian Red Cross after having spoken with her mother. At this point the sisters separated, Vigmary decided to stay in Ecuador and Vigmar continues her way to Peru. A sad moment because they had never had to separate.

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS

CHF

(FEBRUARY.2019)

active emergency

appeals

Regional Guatemala Colombia

34.3 million

DREF

Swiss francs needed

Operations

Pop. Movement

Guatemala

Pop. Movement

Volcanic Eruption

El Salvador

Floods

Pop. Movement

Costa Rica

Floods

Paraguay

Floods

Argentina

Floods

Cuba

Hurricane

Antigua and Barbuda & St. Kitts and Nevis

Hurricane

Dominica

Hurricane

369,000 people to be assisted

CRUZ ROJA EN AMÃ&#x2030;RICA

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Mexico

Land Rover supports Red Cross disaster projects

The risk of disaster, due to a natural phenomenon, can happen at any time, so Land Rover and the Red Cross are helping people in remote areas to prepare for any emergency. Such support has never been more important: the World Disaster Report 2018 estimates 134 million people will need humanitarian assistance this year. The report, by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), says challenging terrain, limited infrastructure, conflicts and natural hazards can all make it hard to get help to where it’s needed. To mark the release of the report, Land Rover and the Mexican Red Cross have released a film about the lifechanging threats of natural hazards and the humanitarian work to help vulnerable people in isolated communities. Land Rover funds a community preparedness project in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, which aims to support 55,000 people in vulnerable communities. In the last two years, the Mexican Red Cross has travelled over 23,000 miles in order to reach these isolated communities. Following the 2017 earthquake, the Mexican Red Cross were able to mobilise 1,200 search and rescue specialists and 31,000 volunteers to support the rescue efforts to deliver earthquake relief and response to more than a million people. Chris Thorp, Responsible Business Director, Jaguar Land Rover said: “Through our partnership with the Red Cross we are committed to providing support to isolated communities like those in the Chiapas region of Mexico. The technology and capability of Land Rover vehicles enables them to get to the hardest to reach people in some of the world’s most challenging terrain.”

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean • February 2019

Alexander Matheou, Executive Director of International at the British Red Cross, said: “Millions of people worldwide are in crisis and need urgent humanitarian aid. In the past decade earthquakes have caused more than 350,000 deaths and the recent disaster in Indonesia has left a trail of destruction, bringing the importance of our humanitarian work to the forefront. “These events are truly devastating. Through our partnership with Land Rover we’re able to gain access to some of the hardest-to-reach areas and support vulnerable people throughout the world. We’re committed to working together to continue helping communities prepare for and recover from disasters.” The National President of the Mexican Red Cross, Fernando Suinaga Cárdenas, said that the institution works on prevention and resilience as a strategy not only to save lives, but also to strengthen communities and residents so that they know how to act and overcome emergencies and the disasters with the support of the volunteer of the institution that trains them in first aid, in forming community civil protection brigades, in the elaboration of emergency family plans and evacuation protocols, “The settlers are ready to reduce risks before nature strikes”. He thanked Land Rover for its support to the unit working for the institution’s volunteer in Chiapas, because it allows them to move in a safer way through difficult access roads. Jessica Lara, Chiapas Programme Co-ordinator, said: “Working in such remote communities can be a challenge. We work with lots of people from different cultures and we have to earn their trust. The earthquake was one of the factors that have let us into these communities, who now understand they are exposed and that disasters can happen at any moment.” For more information about Land Rover and the Red Cross, please visit: https://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/land-rover/

Mexico

No human being is illegal Mexico, October 2018. “We are walking towards our dream, we do not intend to stay here, we are going to our specific goal and we will continue heading to it… Returning to our country means death.” Those are the words of Ramón, an Honduran migrant who left his country with his two younger brothers with the intention of reaching the United States. Also, these are the words of the majority of people that conform the migrant caravan that currently is passing through Mexico. While Ramon was assisted by volunteers from the Mexican Red Cross, in the municipality of Huixtla in Chiapas, he stated how he decided to leave his mother alone. His mother, with tears in her eyes, asked him to take their siblings away from the life that waited for them in their country, which due to the conditions of poverty, inequality, violence, unemployment and among others, have forced more than six thousand migrants, mostly women and children under 6 years, to start a journey in search of a better quality of life. On the way through Chiapas they were accompanied by a team of 15 volunteers and four ambulances from the Mexican Red Cross, who daily gave more than 400 attentions to the migrants. They clean and heal wounds, attend cases of fever and dehydration and act quickly to install medical assistant points in the different municipalities where the caravan was resting every night. Since the caravan entered Mexico, volunteers from various Red Cross delegations in Chiapas have decided to keep close to them from the southern border and to the border with Oaxaca where they were lived in good hands. While the caravan continues its journey towards the north of the country, in Tapachula, more than 1,600 people decided to carry out the legal process to be considered as refugees in the country. The facilities of the Mesoamerican fair have been set up as a temporary shelter where migrants must wait for their refugee application to be studied and approved by the Mexican Commission for Assistance to Refugees (COMAR). It is in this place that the local team of Restoring Family Links of the Mexican Red Cross goes daily to provide migrants with calls to their relatives and loved ones, whether they are from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador or the United States. More than 150 calls are offered daily, where the main message is to let their family know where they are and how they are. The institution installed 1,200 tent houses and from Mexico City sent a trailer with humanitarian aid to alleviate the needs of migrants in this place, especially of the more than 200 children under 6 years old who, immediately upon arrival of this aid to Tapachula, received food and diaper packs.

Honduras

New curriculum in Restoring Family Links

In July 2018, the Honduran Red Cross hosted a pilot training for National Intervention Teams in Restoring Family Links (RFL) in Tegucigalpa. This regional initiative, which is the first of its kind in the Americas region, was supported technically by the Red Cross National Societies of Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, and the United States, the IFRC through the Reference Centre for Institutional Emergency Preparedness (CREPD), and the ICRC. Funding for the pilot was provided by the Government of Canada, through the CERA project, and the ICRC. Restoring Family Links is a worldwide Red Cross program led by the ICRC which aims to prevent family separation and disappearance, look for missing persons, restore and maintain contact between family members, and clarify the fate of people considered as missing, as a consequence of disaster, conflict or migration. The new curriculum is meant to prepare National Intervention Teams in the Americas to provide effective RFL services during emergencies and disasters.

Promoting attention to gender, diversity and protection

The new RFL curriculum includes a variety of topics including migration, management of cadavers, disappeared people, psychosocial support, and data protection, as well as discussions regarding the diverse needs of different social groups during emergencies, armed conflict and other crises. The Canadian Red Cross contributed expertise to integrate the themes of gender, diversity, and protection into the new curriculum through sessions on psychosocial support, gender-based violence, and attention to vulnerable populations.

The power of a phone call

Honduran Red Cross volunteer Yahely Serrano understands the power of a phone call. She has been a Red Cross volunteer for over seven years, most recently in a migrant assistance center which provides hygiene kits, first aid and phone calls to the people passing through its doors. Honduras is a necessary stop on the way for migrants

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean • February 2019

from countries as diverse as Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Pakistan. Free telephone calls are provided by the Honduran Red Cross through the RFL program to restore and maintain contact between family members. “A phone call seemed like something so small, until I saw the faces of people who were able to speak to their families for the first time in weeks or months,” Yahely noted. Yahely was one of the 20 participants of the pilot training and learned new skills that will serve her well in her work at the migrant assistance centre. “Before we did not have the knowledge or procedures to provide the most effective RFL services. Now, we feel more prepared because we know which situations we may encounter, and we have the skills necessary to respond.”

For a long time, Acapulco, in southern Mexico, has been known as one of the busiest tourist destinations in the country. In contrast, the city has registered high rates of violence, which have caused numerous affectations for its inhabitants. Taking into account the situation, the Delegation of the Mexican Red Cross in Acapulco, with support from the ICRC, has developed a community project in which, among other activities, artistic and sports spaces have been remodeled, such as the skate park of the colony Zapata.

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Cuba

Cuban Red Cross prepares volunteers as National Disaster Intervention Team

From October 22 to 28, 2018, with the participation and supervision of four specialists (two Salvadorans and two Nicaraguans) of the Reference Center on Institutional Preparedness for Disasters (CREPD) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, based in El Salvador, a group of 25 people were trained to coordinate, facilitate or execute actions in favor of the most vulnerable in disaster reduction, response and recovery, following the principles and values of the International Red Cross Movement in the territorial area. The National Intervention Teams (NIT) are made up of multisectoral volunteers at a national level, who can travel to areas affected by a disaster within their territory in less than 48 hours. “You should be deeply proud of the human and intellectual quality of this group, because they have really facilitated the classes and presentations that we brought,” said Nicaraguan facilitator Dulce María Lezama to Dr. Luis Foyo Ceballos, Executive President of the Cuban Red Cross National Society. With this trainign the Cuban Red Cross, enhances its human resources, in the response to disasters that inevitably increase due to the damages suffered as a consequence of climate change.

Training of students on topics of the Cuban Red Cross In order to get first hand knowledge on some of the Cuban Red Cross Society activities, two groups of students from various courses at the University of Havana visited the Red Cross Central Headquarters.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean • February 2019

Guided by Dr. Zadiezka Martínez Remigio, General Secretary of Teaching of the university, who coordinated as in previous years the meeting, these students received a training as part of their internship during the course, which includes topics that adds to their university extension such as: Restoring Family Links (RCF), Operations and Relief, Aquatic Security, International Humanitarian Law, Development of the Special Programs of the MINSAP, Vía a la Vida (in collaboration with Transit), Community Education (fundamentally in community trainings against disasters, depending on the territory) and some other fronts of the wide spectrum of issues that the Cuban Red Cross is currently working on. The students commented their satisfaction for the productive meeting and thanked the possibility of meeting an Organization such as the Red Cross, which does so much to calm the suffering of others in every way.

Cuban Red Cross, like a tornado of humanity Havana, 8:30 p.m. What until then seemed like a quiet and peaceful Sunday night, perhaps a little cold for some lovers of the usual Cuban heat, from that moment, became for some the worst of the nightmares lived during their life. A tornado qualified by the specialists as (F 4) Force Four, of up to 320 km/hour, lashed out with rage some areas of four of the fifteen municipalities that make up the capital of the country. After the meteorological event on January 27, 2019, the Notice Plan of the Provincial Red Cross of Havana was activated, mobilizing the Specialized Operations and Relief Group (GEOS), and the Municipal Groups (GMOS) of the four affected municipalities, which were already in the alert phase in response to the information provided by the Institute of Meteorology. Since the passage of the tornado that affected the municipalities Diez de Octubre, San Miguel del Padrón, Guanabacoa and Regla, the Red Cross began the mobilization of Staff. Under the command of Dr. Giselle Garrido Amable, Provincial General Secretary, and Diango Martínez Alonso, Provincial Head of Operations and Relief, more than 115 members of the Red Cross were integrated. They were assigned, among others, the task of assisting the people in danger from the rise of the sea in the low areas of the Havanan seawall and support the evacuation of the Mother Hospital of Diez de Octubre (Hijas de Galicia), which was severely damaged as a result of the event. More than a hundred young mothers with their babies in their arms and others about to give birth, who received medical attention in the capital hospital, were helped by the young Red Cross staff to put them in a safe place. The Cuban Red Cross after the passage of this atmospheric phenomenon, which upset the lives of hundreds of Cuban families, also generated a tornado, but a tornado of humanity and respect for the life of the community. .

Brasil

Brazilian Red Cross 110th anniversary

Founded on December 5, 1908, the Brazilian Red Cross was the first humanitarian aid institution in Brazil. Throughout its long history, it had a fundamental role in crucial moments of the country, such as their participation in the Second World War. The volunteer nurses of the institution were sent to the battlefields in Italy to care for the wounded, without making any distinction of race, religion or political position, as is the duty of the Red Cross around the world. A lot has changed in a century of existence. Since the end of the war, the Brazilian Red Cross has been working on behalf of people in times of peace. However, the principles, which drive the actions of the institution, continue the same, as well as the centrality of the volunteers, something that the president of the National Society, Julio Cals Alencar, recognized. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The strength of the Brazilian Red Cross is found in its 60,000 volunteers, scattered throughout the country, and always willing to act, without them, we would not reach so many cities, so many houses, so many families, in our humanitarian actions. We owe them our sincere gratitude.â&#x20AC;? Two volunteers, who excelled in humanitarian actions in 2018, received a special tribute. They got recognized for their the services provided with a plaque. Another person honored that night was the activist Andrea Betiati. She won the Cross of Distinction, honoring her expressively contribution to the humanitarian cause. After the death of her nephew, who got trapped on a school trip, Andrea fought for the approval of legislation that would force teachers and school officials to receive training in first aid. The first aid law in schools was approved on October, by the Brazilian National Congress. The annual ceremony, at the headquarters of the Brazilian Red Cross, in Rio de Janeiro, had the participation of the Young Symphony Orchestra, recently awarded at a music festival in Germany. The group, which thrilled everyone with a repertoire ranging from Mozart to Brazilian popular music, is made up of by musicians from lowincome communities. The creator of the orchestra, Fiorella Solares, was also honored for her transformative work. The orchestra changed the lives of many young people who, before, had few prospects for the future and are now musicians of recognized talent in Brazil and in the world. The Ceremony was highlighted by the work of a group that played bagpipes, the Brazilian Piper. The sound of their instruments, unusual in Brazil, made the audience go to tears at each chord played. In addition to Rio de Janeiro, there were celebrations for the 110 years of the Brazilian Red Cross in almost the entire country. The institution is present in 21 states of the country, with branches that act in first aid and promote humanitarian actions, always focusing on the most vulnerable people who, often, depend on the help of the institution in disasters and even for getting primary health care.

MEXICAN WOMEN UNITED IN THE SEARCH FOR THEIR DISAPPEARED Chilpancingo (Guerrero, Mexico). Mothers, friends, sisters? Guadalupe and Olga are all that and much more, they are two mothers who have been looking for their missing children for years in the southern Mexican state of Guerrero, one of the poorest and most violent in Mexico. Both belong to the civil association Relatives of Disappeared and Murdered in Chilpancingo, Guerrero, and the country. Guadalupe presides over the committee that accompanies more than a hundred families in search of their loved ones in Chilpancingo, the state capital. Olga plays another role in the association. Nobody has assigned it to her but she has assumed it for years attending meetings with relatives of missing people who have been knocking on the door of the association. In these appointments Olga is one more, a volunteer difficult to distinguish from other people. Next to them, she listens to them, holds their hands and looks into their eyes. Other times she embraces them, above all, she understands them. So many years of searching for a missing son has taught this woman to understand those wives, mothers, women, parents or husbands. She knows that each case is different, unique, although from 2007 to January 2018, 1,688 people have disappeared in Guerrero, according to data from the National Data Registry of Missing Persons (RNPED). She confesses that she will be close to other people who are looking for a loved one and will be for them all her life: “The friends, the sisters with the same sorrow keep hugging us, with the same strength we get up and give ourselves that support, that strength, and we say ‘Go ahead, until you find them’”, Olga adds.

WATCH VIDEO

“They were mistaken, but it was a beautiful mistake”

Andreina is one of the thirty women that take part in the psychosocial support activities for Zika organized by the Colombian Red Cross in the Bello Horizonte Community, in the outskirts of Valledupar. As many of them are, when she arrives at the community centre where the activity is taking place, she is carrying her daughter into her arms. Talking about her daughter, Andreina describes the beginning of her pregnancy: “I got pregnant with Sofia in 2015 and it was a normal pregnancy. When I was about three weeks pregnant, I got a really strong headache and something that looked like an allergy, and I was hospitalized. The doctor told me it was just a rash, most probably caused by the drugs I took for the headache. He told me everything was fine – the ultrasounds, the check-ups, everything was fine”. Sofia, who turned two in June 2018, looks around with curiosity but doesn’t speak yet. As she is not walking yet either, an adult usually carries her, or she lays on the floor. When she was born, doctors detected an anomaly in her head and, after many exams, they told the family that the girl had microcephaly, probably caused by the Zika virus. An impact at the social, financial and psychological level The Zika virus global public health emergency was declared in February 2017. By then, the outbreak’s consequences were already becoming apparent in the Americas. Microcephaly is probably the most visible and most striking of them, as it causes life-long complications in the new-born’s health and has repercussions on the family, affecting their social relationships, health and financial situation. Andreina reveals that the psychological impact is particularly severe for mothers: “At the beginning, when Sofia was just born, I kept her a secret: it was something painful. But the community helped me. They told me that she was my daughter and that they would love her all the same, that she was a normal girl and that I must be strong because if I was feeling down, she would also feel down. They told me they would help me, they would be on my side and be there for whatever I needed”. Andrina can consider herself lucky, as in most cases the families of children that suffer from microcephaly are excluded from the society and stigmatized– this is also the case for people that get Zika or other diseases. However,

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean • February 2019

Sofia’s condition is affecting the care and attention that her brothers and sister receive from their mother, as well as having an impact on the family’s financial situation. “I can’t work because I have to take care of her. She always needs a lot of attention, she can’t be left alone for too long and I must take her to therapy every day. At therapy, they tell me to stimulate her at home, to give her massages, because she is strong. I’m stimulating her, so that she can progress. It’s also very important to pay attention to her diet, because she can’t eat solid food, and everything needs to be liquified, or pureed or made into soup”. Care, support and social transformation The Red Cross has been implementing psychosocial support activities in the community of Bello Horizonte for over a year – activities that are targeting pregnant women and families of children with microcephaly in particular. Volunteers and community members have been supporting Andreina, who, thanks to her participation in the group and the home visits from the Red Cross, has been receiving support to take care of her daughter and herself in the best possible way. Thanks to the Red Cross’ work, Andreina is now informed about Zika and she has become an important actor in sharing key messages at the community level: “We now keep an eye out for the containers where water can accumulate so that there are no eggs. We keep everything clean we make sure we will never get sick again – us and other family members.” “When I talk to other pregnant women, I tell them to keep their house tidy, to stay vigilant, especially during winter, to clean their yard, their indoors, and to use mosquito nets. To always attend their check-ups, to ask a lot of questions of their doctor. If there is an outbreak, to ask about it. I tell them not to be blind – because I was blind. That they mustn’t be as naïve as I was. Before having Sofia, I knew nothing about Zika, I didn’t know what it was”, she explains. Seated in her backyard at the end of the day, repeating the stimulation exercises that she learned with the Red Cross with Sofia, Andreina talks about her love and devotion for her child, despite all challenges. She ponders: “When I learned that Sofia had microcephaly I thought: “Why didn’t they warn me, why didn’t they tell me she would be born like this?” They were mistaken, but it was a beautiful mistake”.

WATCH VIDEO: CÍRCULOS DE APOYO PSICOSOCIAL PARA FAMILIAS AFECTADAS POR EL ZIKA

Red Cross Red Crescent magazine goes on the road with migrants as they make the exhausting journey through the freezing mountain passes of northern Colombia. By Andrew Connelly / Pictures: Erika Pineros

Colombian Red Cross’ volunteers help a group of migrants who have made the journey unprepared for the cold temperatures of the highlands. The operation of the Colombian Red Cross is being supported and funded by Movement and external partners

‘Without any shoes’ Most migrants have already sold their mobile phones to raise funds for the trip and therefore keeping in contact with fellow travellers is an anxious exercise. The shelter managers share information through WhatsApp groups and can help field enquiries for migrants who have been split from their group. High up above the city at a Colombian Red Cross rest stop near a gas station, the harsh realities of the journey begin to bite. Under a plastic awning, some migrants lie wrapped in duvets, some shiver in hoodies and shorts. Venezuela is much warmer than Colombia, and many migrants on the road have never needed the kind of clothing necessary to insulate against the Andean mountain chill. Some are wearing flip flops. One man bound for Ecuador, Alfonso, displays a pair of battered trainers in his bag which he is saving for when he arrives. “I won’t be able to get a job without any shoes!” He smiles. Young volunteer Xiomara Carvajal from the Colombian Red Cross helps her colleagues dismantle the plastic awning for the night. She explains: “They can’t sleep here because the owner of the gas station doesn’t allow it. It’s dangerous because sometimes they sleep inside trucks that are parked here.” Despite months of working with migrants, Carvajal is still shocked by what she encounters: “They arrive in very poor conditions and sometimes we have to refer them to the local hospital. We get lots of older people who are dehydrated when they arrive, they look as if they can go no further. There are also lots of pregnant women, some even bleeding. It can be very alarming for us.”

Huddled together The corkscrewing roads from Pamplona to Bucamaranga is a 3-to-4-hour drive, or a journey of days on foot. As the treeless mountain plateau opens up, the bitter wind whips across scrubland and rocky outcrops. The Colombian Red Cross have begun mobile patrols in pickup trucks to distribute water and energy-rich snacks and administer first aid but also to give advice and pep talks for the trickiest part of the road ahead. Victor Leon, 26, a construction worker from Valencia, rubs his hands together. “Last night we all slept huddled together in an alleyway. It is far too cold here; my hands are burning from frostbite. I never experienced temperatures like this in my life, I come from a town where it’s about 20 degrees every day!” As the mist clears and the road begins to finally descend, Bucaramanga reveals itself with a sea of twinkling lights. The thrill of going downhill towards civilisation restores migrants’ spirits, but for most it is merely the beginning of another chapter. Juan Juarez, 28, sits on a wall outside the Las Aguas park at the entrance to the city as his son Santiago runs rings around him. Juan smiles: “For him it’s a big adventure, he even started to learn how to ask for rides on the road.” It’s been several days of hiking with Santiago sitting atop his shoulders, but Juan was relieved when they got a lift in a truck across the paramo, the part of the journey he was dreading the most. In the middle of boarding one ride, he became separated from his suitcase – with both their clothes and, crucially, his passport – that a fellow Venezuelan was carrying for him. Now he waits in hope that the man arrives soon. Looking into the distance, Juan remarks: “I know I have to get used to this. We are probably going to be away for a long time.”