Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean. May 2018

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VOICES OF THE AMERICAS AND THE CARIBBEAN May 2018


Content WHAT MAKES US SMILE IN THE AMERICAS

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IFRC SECRETARY GENERAL VISITS THE CARIBBEAN

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OPERATIONS 6 Facts and Figures 7 Ecuador Earthquake, two years later 8

Cover picture

26 November 2016, Lahaie, Petitie Riviere, Haiti. A community devastated by Hurricane Matthew. Hati Red Cross volunteer and local resident Michel Marie-Michena assisting the mobile clinic with crowd control.

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

Ecuadorean Red Cross starts scoping for forecast-based response to volcanic ash 10 Salvadoran Red Cross promotes culture in search of prevention of violence 12 Developing and strengthening livelihoods through community agriculture 13 Risk Reduction and Adaptation to Climate Change 14 Terencia Gaillard – A resilient woman of the Red Cross 17 Shelter in Emergency training 18 Drone management workshop 19 Resource mobilization workshop 19 Regional youth gathering 20 Guyana Red Cross is listening to rumours to combat disease outbreaks 22 Young programmer develops his talent in one of the most difficult areas of El Salvador 24 The Cuba Red Cross was also a champion 26 Red Cross in the International Book Fair 26 Planning workshop between Canada and Cuba 27 Well-prepared National Societies Workshop 27 Cuban Red Cross receives the IFRC Secretary General 28 Promotion of responsible sexual and reproductive health 29 Experts in penitentiary systems in Latin America promote good practices 30 Geographic Information Systems to be better prepared for outbreaks and disasters 32 Civic Military Relations and Disasters Law workshop 34 CEA training for the Caribbean 36


WHAT MAKES US SMILE IN THE AMERICAS Being part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement provides us with the opportunity to be agents of change, transforming lives and generating happiness through respect, inclusion and empowerment. The Red Cross and Red Crescent day reaffirms our commitment to saving lives, changing mentalities and promoting happiness wherever our paths take us. To our volunteers and the staff of all of the National Societies, and to the ICRC and Federation Secretariat teams in the Americas, I send you a greeting of respect and solidarity. You are the heart of this Humanitarian Movement. Thanks to your commitment and dedication we can be everywhere for everyone.

Walter Cotte W.

Americas Regional Director

#Everywhere4Everyone

2018 World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day


SECRETARY GENERAL VISIT TO THE CARIBBEAN

“The devastation brought on by Hurricanes Irma and Maria is extreme, and the road to recovery for many of these islands is long and uneven,” said Elhadj As Sy, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), following a visit to Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, and Dominica. “I see the dedication and endurance of Red Cross staff and volunteers working alongside communities that have lost everything but have started to rebuild their lives from scratch.” During his visit, Mr Sy met with senior government officials and Red Cross staff and volunteers in the island nations. He stressed the need for urgent investment in programmes designed to strengthen resilience and help communities withstand the impact of future storms. “Investment in recovery is a critical priority to ensure these Caribbean islands are ready and resilient for when the next hurricane hits,” said Mr Sy. “More domestic resources, and stronger coordination between governments and local actors such as Red Cross societies is needed to help people rebuild their lives and jumpstart the national economies,” he said. In Barbuda, where 95 per cent of the island’s buildings were destroyed by Hurricane Irma, the Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross is working with other humanitarian organizations to rebuild homes, re-establish clean water supplies, hygiene, sanitation and healthcare. On the island of Dominica, schools and health services have started to reopen, but only 10 per cent of the population has access to electricity and 80 per cent of homes remain damaged. The Dominica Red Cross Society is providing cash, shelter and building materials to affected residents. Access to clean water remains a serious challenge. The Red Cross has distributed more than 600,000 litres of water and has scaled up sanitation and hygiene promotion. In Cuba, the Red Cross has been working in partnership with the national disaster management committee, to intensify recovery efforts. More than 4,500 Red Cross volunteers are working to restore access to clean water, improve sanitation and rebuild damaged homes.



OPERATIONS


FACTS AND FIGURES

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS (MAY.2018)

APPEALS People affected:

12,544,313 People assisted:

242,000 Budget:

24,511,220 CHF Actual appeal coverage:

22,522,571 CHF (84%)

EMERGENCY APPEALS Country

Emergency

Pop. Affected Pop. assisted

Budget (CHF)

Coverage

Closing Date

Antigua and Barbuda & St. Kitts and Nevis Cuba Dominica Costa Rica Colombia Dominican Republic Peru

Hurricane

3,000

3,000

3,316,893

94%

Sep 08, 2018

Hurricane Hurricane Floods Pop. Movement Floods Floods

10,000,000 75,000 509,000

25,000 15,000 24,000 120,000 20,000 35,000

7,570,948 6,506,149 1,523,001 2,500,414 889,798 2,204,017

117% 90% 74% 31% 91% 91%

Sep 15, 2018 Dec 31, 2018 Jul 11, 2018

1,292,000 665,313

Aug 30, 2018 Jun 22, 2018

DREF OPERATIONS Country Uruguay Nicaragua El Salvador

Emergency Drought Civil Unrest Earthquake

Pop. Affected

Pop. Assisted

2,499

1,200 807

Budget (CHF) 83,976 81,395 22,072

Closing date Jun 23, 2018 Jul 18, 2018


International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean • May 2018

ecuador earthquake two years later In 2016, an 7.8 degrees earthquake affected the provinces of ManabĂ­ and Esmeraldas in Ecuador. From the first moments, volunteers of the Ecuadorian Red Cross provided humanitarian aid and have been present during these two years through Operation Earthquake.

Watch video

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Ecuador

Ecuadorean Red Cross starts scoping for forecast-based response to volcanic ash

The Ecuadorean Red Cross has begun scoping work for a new German-supported forecast-based financing (FbF) programme to centre on the danger from volcanic ash clouds. The ERC is the first National Society anywhere in the world to deploy FbF for this hazard. Ecuador has various active or eruptive volcanoes and the FbF assessment mission focused on one of the most active: Cotopaxi, 50 kilometres south of the capital, Quito. Volunteers from several ERC branches and specialists from national headquarters gathered information and conducted interviews with residents of the communities of San Pedro de Tenería and La Libertad. Both are very close to the volcano and suffered from ash impacts in ‘phreatic’ (steam) eruptions of Cotopaxi in 2015; the movement of ash clouds depends largely on wind speed and direction that can be forecast, opening up the possibility of early humanitarian intervention to reduce impacts. Volcanic ash is harmful to human and animal health, and can disrupt infrastructure, industry and agriculture.

Cash transfers Using Open Data Kit methodology and focus group discussions, the Red Cross team probed issues centred on livelihoods, access to food, and the local market economy in the predominantly agricultural communities.

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Interviews were also conducted with local businesses on how they have been affected by previous eruptive activity at Cotopaxi, which at nearly 6,000 metres is Ecuador’s second-highest peak and one of the highest volcanoes in the world. The Red Cross has also been working with Ecuador’s Geophysical Institute (IGEPN) to develop scenarios for eruptions and patterns of ash dispersal for several other active volcanoes. All this information will aid a feasibility study for a cash-transfer programme as part of FbF in Ecuador, supported by the German government and Red Cross with technical assistance from the Climate Centre.

Volcano preparedness At a conference in Quito last November the ERC became the second South American National Society after Peru’s to embrace the FbF operating model, with agreements with IGEPN and the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology. An earlier IFRC DREF operation for US$ 125,000 for volcano preparedness was extended in early 2016 after a second surge of activity at the Tungurahua volcano in the Andes 140 kilometres south of Quito. Volcanic emissions late the year before reached 3,500 metres above the crater and dumped as much as 6 millimetres of ash on nearby villages and several parts of Tungurahua and Chimborazo provinces; the international operation in 2015–16 assisted 5,000 people.


El Salvador

Salvadoran Red Cross promotes culture in search of violence prevention

Within the framework of the Project “Promoting Opportunities for Social Inclusion”, the Salvadoran Red Cross held an artistic festival to promote art and culture with children and young people of Ciudad Delgado, with the aim of reducing the factors that generate violence and social risk. In the activity carried out in the Monseñor Romero Plaza, in Ciudad Delgado, inhabitants of seven communities and five schools participated. “It is the first festival we do in the year with children and young people, so that they can show the advances in learning that the children have had. Besides that they can teach their parents and the general public their abilities in the different disciplines that the project promotes”, explained the Project Coordinator, Arquimedes Flores. The project includes workshops on fine arts, drawing and painting, modern dance, folkloric and musical instruments, as well as participation in Andean music, break dance, batucada and peace band groups., being this the areas that allows children and young people to expand their skills to make productive their leisure time. According to the Project Coordinator, this festival saw the integration of young people from different communities, “they fused the songs they had been rehearsing, they managed to put together the demonstrations and be a single group,” he said. “With this we give an alternative of personal growth to the boys and girls, especially through art, which is extremely positive for their lives. Through these opportunities that the project offers, there are many young people who have totally changed their perspective of life,” acknowledged Arquimedes Flores. With the execution of the Project, approximately 2,500 people benefit, thanks to the technical and financial support of the consortium formed by the Swiss, Italian, Norwegian Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

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Haiti

Developing and strengthening livelihoods through community agriculture Picture by Enock FRANCK, Haitian Red Cross.

As part of the community farming project, we used the Terra Preta technique (Terre Noire). This technique is used for the purpose of improving or increasing soil fertility in a fast and sustainable way, especially in order not to use a chemical substance and to have a purely biological production. This project aims to improve the efficiency of agricultural production by promoting self-support and community spirit. The intervention in the project framework is focus on three main axes: • Strengthening livelihoods and community resilience; • Strengthening capacities and community development; • Strengthening the social capacity of 27 families through agricultural production. During the implementation of the project, a relevant augmentation of the yield has been observed so that, the beneficiary households of the project use the harvested products both for self-consumption and for sale on the market. The products harvested are, among others, pepper, eggplant, spinach, Swiss chard and tomato. Before integrating the project (December 2015), each beneficiary has been trained on four subjects: Terra Pretta, natural plant treatment, management of a horticultural and natural seed preparation. Furthermore, the participants attended several presentations on the following modules: Self-esteem, community living, interpersonal relationship and nutritional health. These modules were presented in order to prepare the beneficiaries to generate a positive change in community and know the importance of the consumption of vegetable. The beneficiaries have not only learned but also experienced the production of the own vegetables. Now they are able to stand on their own, provide food for their families and start-up a sustainable source of income. This project is a way, for us, to provide a sustainable solution that significantly reduces the level of vulnerability of beneficiaries towards the constraints that prevent the development of their community.

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Honduras

Risk Reduction and Adaptation to Climate Change

Project: “Risk Reduction and Adaptation to Climate Change” implemented by the Honduran Red Cross / Italian Red Cross.

Implementation of programs on food and nutrition security (SAN):

The Risk Reduction and Adaptation to Climate Change Project (PRRACC) is framed in intervention results related to livelihoods, environment, risk management and health. In the framework of food and nutrition security, livelihoods, work is being done on the use of soils for temporary and permanent crops through cultivation techniques under protected structures and friendly to the environment, which allow for availability, accessibility, acceptability and consumption, and the biological use of the food produced by the different beneficiary families. The use of their local resources accompanied by the implementation of these techniques has improved the living conditions of 760 families in the project intervention area.

Homegardens

The implementation of protected culture technologies arises as a response to the problems found through the diagnosis of Vulnerability and Capacity Analysis (VCA) carried out in the community, related to poor nutrition and nutrition of families due to lack of essential energy and nutritious foods. Lack of knowledge of how to take advantage of local resources has caused families to be affected in health. The plan called “PRODUCTION OF VEGETABLES AND OTHER CROPS” establishes the strategies to make more efficient the production of vegetables and thus achieve a better nutrition and feeding of the benefited families.

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We currently have 3 structures with protected crops directly benefit 21 families.


Conservation and slope stabilization works

Faced with the problem of unstable and non-productive land by marked slopes and bare soils that put the production of them at a disadvantage, causing different types of erosion, degradation and constant loss of organic material due to deforestation and the loss of organic matter. For the conservation of these soils, the Honduran Red Cross has adopted a system that complements and combines structural works, agronomic, fertility and agroforestry measures. Same are: Barriers and dead barriers.

Currently, 7 stabilization works have been built in the communities

In Honduras each year, 3.1 percent of the trees are destroyed by the hand of man, so the reforestation approach as a means of protecting the soil in areas that have been deforested and another as a means of seed production for selling, is an alternative offered to the communities addressed. The project has promoted the construction of two regional nurseries (department of courts and Santa BĂĄrbara) making alliances with local authorities and carrying out reforestation days in micro-basins.

Livelhoods - Reactivation of coffee farms

The economy of the families has been affected by the loss of their crops because of the rust virus, which affected some 80,000 hectares of coffee plantations nationwide, having a severe economic impact on the families that produce this coffee. 35% of the country’s agricultural gross domestic product. In this sense, the Honduran Red Cross through the project has promoted the reactivation of 139 hectares of coffee, benefiting 400 small producers, with improved seed, accompaniment, fertilization and technical assistance. In this way, it has contributed to the improvement of the family economy of the communities addressed.

649,500 new coffee plants resistant to rust virus have been donated to small coffee producer.

Centre of livestock production of the Honduran Red Cross

With the objective of Encouraging livestock production with swine production processes and providing added value. The construction of the first livestock production centre has been achieved, with quality standards and the implementation of basic biosecurity measures. With this, the Honduran Red Cross through the project we will be contributing to avoid the genetic degradation of the products, which guarantees a high yield at the production level.

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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean • May 2018

Implementation of the SPAC methodology

Community Health and First Aid (SPAC) is a community-based proposal in which Red Cross volunteers work with their communities to prevent diseases, promote health, first aid and disaster preparedness and response. Through this approach, different aspects of vulnerability are determined and addressed. At all times, the community is at the centre of the process.

Fairs of knowledge in Health Risk Reduction and Climate Change

At the community level, the beneficiary population has been sensitized through knowledge fairs in health, with the aim of promoting healthy lifestyles, healthy habits and behaviors that enable the harmonious and integral development of the mind and the environment of children, young people, adults and seniors in their homes and community, preventing illnesses and accidents within the home and thus can contribute to a quality of life. The activities have been coordinated through the intersectoral health committees promoted, involving local and municipal health institutions, as well as community health committees. The project has developed 24 knowledge expo-fairs reaching an approximate of 3,541 people.

Organization and training of local emergency committees

From a development perspective, disaster risk reduction is vital to build more resilient communities, constituting and preparing the Local Emergency Committees (CODELES) of 12 communities in the Department of Santa Barbara in the process of forming 5 modules of which four have been developed: Introduction to risk management, Early warning system (SAT), Damage assessment and needs analysis (EDAN) and Community response and prevention plans. To this end, a training process for volunteers called “Facilitators in risk management� was developed, framed in the formative curriculum of the Permanent Contingency Commission (COPECO), which assumes the responsibility of replicating the knowledge.

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Saint Lucia

Terencia Gaillard – A resilient woman of the Red Cross The name Terencia Gaillard or “Terry” has become synonymous with Saint Lucia Red Cross. Having served as Director General of the organization for more than twentyseven years, the mother of four has dedicated countless hours of humanitarian assistance to the citizens of St Lucia and the Caribbean Region. Terencia identifies herself as a devoted humanitarian who grew up with the understanding for and appreciation of humanity, something she attributes to her involvement in Girl Guides and the Legion of Mary. Terry’s humanitarian spirit caused her to be a member of the Kiwanis Club and St Lucia Blind Welfare where she held every position including three terms as President. Whilst her participation in these voluntary groups set the stage for developing her humanitarian spirt, Red Cross provided the avenue to stretch her humanitarian spirit even further. According to Terencia, her role within the Saint Lucia Red Cross is demanding and requires a deep commitment of time and compassion, “you must be committed and compassionate. This job demands time and effort whether it is to raise funds or to attend to someone whose house has burnt down. You cannot sit at the desk and get the job done. You have to be on the go, think outside of the box.” She continues, “Look at this time, we have limited staff, but the work must go on, so I take up the role as driver when needs be, instructor when needs be, secretary when needs be, because there are people in need.” Over the years, Terry has ensured that the National Society has the basic resources it needs to meet its mandate. Of recent has been an ambulance through the Japanese Grassroots Project. The ambulance offers hospital transfers to those in need, whilst providing a source of income for the organization to meet its most basic operating costs. Despite the challenges, Terencia has found her work at the Red Cross very rewarding particularly when she is able to make a difference in the lives of those in need. “I feel good when I know that I was able to give a helping hand to someone in need. Sometimes it’s just a listening ear that they need, nothing much. You know when you have done a good thing when you pass and they remember and call on you and say thank you,” she says. She acknowledges however, that the one thing that disappoints her are those who seem never satisfied. “The greedy ones,” she says. “They never seem to have enough and try ways to get more. That is the one thing that I don’t like.” The disaster recovery efforts in Antigua and Montserrat following the devastation caused by Hurricane Hugo in 1989, remains her most memorable Red Cross experience, although she acknowledges that the hours were long and challenging. Ironically, Terry’s worst experience would be during that same time period traveling on a boat from Antigua to Montserrat. After that experience she swore that she would never travel by boat again. “The ride was rough. I turned green. I turned yellow. I turned all colours. They gave me a motion sickness tablet with no water to take. My throat and tongue got so numb.” Yet still, when asked to do the trip again, Terencia took up the challenge. “I went,” she exclaimed with pride. To date, every member of the Saint Lucia Red Cross knows of this boat experience.

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Ecuador

Shelter in Emergency training

The Red Cross developed a Regional Workshop on Shelter and Settlement in Emergencies, which aims to strengthen knowledge and skills in the emergency shelter sector of humanitarian actors working in different disaster scenarios, through the understanding and application of international standards, coordination mechanisms, emergency strategies, among others. 19 participants from 11 countries of the Americas region and the facilitators, who belong to the Global Shelter Department of the International Federation of the Red Cross, of the delegations of Geneva, Panama and Ecuador, as well as the Reference Centre on Institutional Disaster Preparedness, participated. Based on theoretical and practical exercises (drills) that aim to strengthen the local and regional capacity of disaster response, through the development of the essential knowledge on the management of emergency accommodation. At the end of the training, participants will be prepared to: • Evaluate the needs and resources of emergency survivors, from a housing perspective. • Plan settlement options, impact and vulnerability for displaced people, in adverse situations. • Elaborate and reflect strategies to face different situations and needs in shelter from the humanitarian point of view. • Adapt basic principles, standards, approaches and complexities to the design and execution of shelter in programs or emergency responses, considering property options. • Strategically organize the coordination of functions and actions of the different multisector actors in the shelter sector. • Document shelter interventions with benefits and consequences, according to international principles and standards. The workshop has the support of the Canadian Red Cross, the German Red Cross and the Single Recovery Plan of Operation Earthquake Ecuador.

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Dominican Republic

Drone management workshop Through the different programs of national scope undertaken by the Dominican Red Cross, it has started the Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis workshop by using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or Drones for volunteers, specifically in the municipality of Guaraguao de la Duarte province. The objective of the workshop is to train the assessors of damages and needs in the use of drones equipment and the usefulness of the data obtained for the management and analysis of information. The workshop is given by Mr. Rafael NuĂąez, in charge of the data bank of the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INDRHI); Mr. RaĂşl Sosa Cruz, of the National Office of Seismic and Vulnerability Evaluation of Infrastructures and Buildings (ONESVIE); and Mr. Deyvy Roa of the World Food Program (WFP). This workshop has financial support Capacity Building for Emergency Response in the Americas (CERA) and the Government of Canada and the Canadian Red Cross.

Resource mobilization workshop In the framework of the implementation of the training lines of the project Capacity Building for Emergency Response in the Americas (CERA), the Dominican Red Cross carried out the Workshop on Resource Mobilization for Emergencies. The workshop is aimed at presidents, authorities and key personnel of all the branches at the national level and is taught by the facilitator Paula Ameijeiras, Senior Officer of the Department of Partnerships and Resource Development of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Americas Regional Office, with the objective of strengthening response capacity of the Dominican Red Cross, to prepare and respond in a timely manner before, during and after emergencies and crises, as a means to contribute to the main result of: saving lives, alleviating suffering and maintaining human dignity. This workshop provides participants with specific tools and knowledge for the proposal of initiatives for generation and / or acquisition of resources at the local level in their branches, aimed at responding to emergencies. At the same time, it allows them to develop and maintain a mechanism for preparing and responding to emergencies, support systems and a greater capacity to lead emergencies. The workshop is carried out thanks to the financial support of the Capacity Building for Emergency Response in the Americas (CERA), the Government of Canada and the Canadian Red Cross. 19


Nicaragua

Regional Youth Gathering

With much excitement and adrenaline, more than 150 young people from the Red Cross Youth Program gathered at the Youth Life Camp, at the Regional Meeting of Youth of the Sub Region I of America, based in Nicaragua. With the participation of Red Cross National Societies from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Guatemala. In addition to the participation of volunteers from Haiti and the Italian Red Cross, the latter being one of the National Societies that has contributed financially to the execution of the meeting through the project “Young People Committed of America”. For Roger Perez, National Head of the Nicaraguan Red Cross (NRC) Youth Program, the purpose of this meeting is to foster the exchange of experiences among the different National Societies of the Red Cross, in addition to strengthening the leadership of young people in all areas; as well as to identify the advances and challenges and generate opportunities, to the new generational relays. During the opening ceremony Dr. Oscar Gutiérrez Somarriba, President of the National NRC Council, warmly welcomed all the participants. “He urge young people to continue united and working under the Seven Fundamental Principles, leaving indelible marks in every humanitarian action they undertake. Because you are not the future, you are the present, so keep projecting our Red Cross Movement.“

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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean • May 2018

“First of all, we thank the Nicaraguan Delegation for its reception. We are happy to be part of these processes, which allow us to transfer knowledge. What I like most about this experience, is that we can share with each other, the good practices that we have developed from each of our National Societies, these help us define new lines of work and continue to achieve an active role in the internal and external aspects of the Red Cross, “said Esteban González. Likewise, Dr. Flavio Ronzi, Secretary General of the Italian Red Cross, said that his National Society feels committed to youth, through the definition of the “YES” Strategy, which specifies the future projection of youth. At the same time, he reaffirmed the commitment to continue supporting these processes, to further strengthen the capacities of young people, as agents of change in the face of the global humanitarian challenges that they face every day. The inauguration was chaired by Dr. Oscar Gutiérrez, President of NRC, Mr. Auner García, General Director of NRC, Dr. Flavio Ronzi, Secretary General of the Italian Red Cross, Mr. José Juan Castro Hernández, President of the Honduran Red Cross, Elisee Pierre, Delegate of the Global Youth Commission for America -Haiti, Mr. Nelson Antonio Aly Rodríguez, Head of the Country Cluster Office for Central America of the IFRC and Roger Pérez, National Head of the NRC Youth Program. It was also attended by Ms. Gabriela María Perullo, Responsible for the Americas Unit of the Spanish Red Cross, members of the Executive Committee and the Departmental Council of the Nicaraguan Red Cross branch of Jinotega.

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Guyana

Guyana Red Cross is listening to rumours to combat disease outbreaks

In the early days of the Zika outbreak, Andrea Phillips, coordinator of the Guyana Red Cross Zika outbreak response, and her team of volunteers at Guyana Red Cross realised they had a challenge. Zika, a mosquito-borne and sexually transmitted virus was getting a lot of global attention and scientists were scrambling to learn more about the virus and the risks it posed to unborn infants. Zika was previously unknown in Guyana and Andrea and her team were quick to get essential messages out to communities. Decreasing the risks for being bitten by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, that spreads the virus and decreasing the risk of transmission to pregnant women were key. But they were hearing questions from communities that did not align with facts. People were asking whether Zika was made in a lab on purpose, whether it was really spread by mosquitoes, and whether it was just a method of population control. The Guyana Red Cross team would be collecting data on where they were working, who they would reach and what messages they would be giving but this other kind of feedback they were hearing seemed too important to ignore. “If people believed these rumours they might not take action to protect themselves and their communities.” says Andrea. Before starting household visits Andrea briefed her team of volunteers on the importance of capturing this feedback. She explained that, “Even when the information is wrong, I need to understand the rumours that are spreading so I can make sure our volunteers are equipped to respond and I can develop messages to combat these rumours.”

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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean • May 2018

At the end of every day of household visits Andrea debriefs the volunteers on what they heard and how they responded. The next day, before they return to the field she briefs them on what rumours to be ready for and address through improved messaging. Andrea documents the rumours in a simple spreadsheet, recording when and where they were heard. She uses this spreadsheet to make sure Guyana Red Cross messages are addressing community concerns and combatting misinformation. “We work closely with communities and they are the experts, so we don’t just want to tell them what to do. Every time we are in communities we are there to have a conversation, we are there to both share and listen” explains Andrea. The work that Andrea has pioneered in Guyana will help them to respond to future health threats and disease outbreaks. The experience of Guyana Red Cross was used in the development of a brief regional guide on Rumour management – “Rumours: Listen, Verify, Engage!”. The guide is based on the CDAC Network rumour guide “Rumour has it: a practice guide to working with rumours” and helps 13 countries in the Caribbean in their response to the Zika outbreak.

The Caribbean Zika Prevention and response project works in 13 countries in the Caribbean to reduce the risk of Zika virus and other Aedes mosquito-borne diseases in the English-speaking Caribbean and Suriname. This work is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the terms of USAID PIO Infectious Diseases Grant 2008-2018 Grant No. GHA-G-00-08-00006. The contents of this article do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Government.

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El Salvador

Young programmer develops his talent in one of the most difficult areas of El Salvador

Jeffry, 19, wants to become a systems engineer to help his brothers continue studying and other young people to have the opportunity to be professionals. CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / L. Ortiz By the International Committee of the Red Cross Coming from Ciudad Delgado, one of the most populated and problematic areas of San Salvador, Jeffry, 19, got the opportunity to receive training as a computer programmer. It all began with the Opportunities for social inclusion Project (OIS), which brought him closer to a technology company to receive training in an area of high labor demand in El Salvador. Just two years ago, Jeffry finished his high school education. Due to his limited economic resources, he considered the idea of working on the first thing that was offered to him. However, his aspirations would define that he would spend a good part of his life chasing a dream in front of a monitor and a keyboard. “Living in El Salvador, within a difficult community, is what has made me stronger,” says Jeffry. The municipality where he lives is one of those that has been included in the country’s governmental plan to prevent violence, due to reports of high rates of homicides, the presence of gangs and difficult access to basic services as a result of violence. “People think that living in a violent zone can stop a person’s desire to get ahead, but that’s not the case, the opportunities to achieve dreams are there and you have to go out and look for them,” adds Jeffry. According to his neighbors, Jeffry has become an example to follow. “At the age of 19, he has accepted the challenge of facing difficulties and striving to achieve the goal of becoming a systems engineer,” says a resident of the neighborhood. 24


International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean • May 2018

Jeffry performs his internship as a programmer, contributing to the registration of patients on the website of a French hospital. CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / L. Ortiz The company Central American Software Services (CASS) leads a program to establish Software Development Centers (CDS) aimed at young people living in risk areas. In El Salvador, CASS approaches communities through the OIS Project and Bridges for Employment of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). As a result of this partnership, Jeffry was one of the young beneficiaries who has had access to the project and has managed to train to be a computer programmer. As a result of his good performance as a student, he has earned a paid internship within CASS. Thus, he has been able to materialize his dreams, contributing to the construction of a website for a hospital in France. Being part of this project fills him with satisfaction and with the salary he receives for the work he does, he can pay for his systems engineering career. Roland Despinoy, founder and director of CASS, believes that “young people need hope, a direction and moral values, and this is reinforced when they feel involved in projects like these. Part of the violence in any country, has to do with the lack of inclusion, of not belonging to something concrete”. The goal of Despinoy is that this plan extends more and more in other municipalities and departments of the country and by doing this, involve more young people in this activity. This initiative could improve the living conditions of many people. The life project that Jeffry now considers is very different from the one he had two years ago. He has been able to expand his technical skills; he has developed more confidence in himself, and has known the world of work. He says he is ready to be part of a company that offers him the opportunity to demonstrate his knowledge and to combine this activity with his internship. “It’s difficult, I know, only my parents know all the effort they make to pay for transportation to attend and receive classes, but that drives me to want to be more. Young people in El Salvador are productive, just we have to approach the opportunities that exist,” reflects Jeffry. The OIS Project, which is led by the Salvadoran Red Cross and supported technically as well as financially by the consortium formed by the Italian, Swiss and Norwegian Red Cross as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), works to mitigate the consequences of the violence. It implements programs that help empower youth and counteract the stigmatization of young people as a result of the social risk they face in their communities, limiting their opportunities to develop and be resilient to the context. 25


Cuba

The Cuban Red Cross was also champion With an average of 20 to 26 volunteers per game, the Cuban Red Cross supported the recently concluded 57th edition of the National Baseball Series throughout the length and breadth of the country, mobilizing more than 2,500 Red Cross volunteers during the season, all ready to provide your knowledge in first aid to anyone who might need it. Since 2013 on the occasion of the 52nd National Baseball Series, in the country 16 ball teams representing each of the provinces, plus the Special Municipality of the Isle of Youth, the town has always been able to count in each game held, with the assistance of volunteers of the Cuban Red Cross, always at the Community Service.

Red Cross in the International Book Fair The Cuban Red Cross was part of the the 27th edition of the International Book Fair of Havana that took place in the Morro-CabaĂąa Complex. A tent was set up with material about the work of the Red Cross, attended by a total of 15 students, members of the Sierra de CojĂ­mar pre-university in the municipality of Habana del Este. Through the exhibition material, the public was able to learn about the principles that govern our Movement, as well as about the humanitarian work carried out by the Cuban Red Cross and the different programs it carries out, such as, for example, action before disasters, training to the communities in the prevention of illnesses and the functioning of the Agencies for Restoring Family Links, among others. As expected, it was a great attraction for children, young people and the public, the deployment of the Riesgolandia didactic game. The attendant population was provided with First Aid, guaranteed by 26 members of the Red Cross belonging to the Specialized Provincial Group of Operations and Relief and the Municipal Group of Operations and Relief of Old Havana. The Cerro Municipal Red Cross, represented by its General Secretary, Carina Moreno Borrego and 4 volunteers, provided accompaniment to a group of ANCI members interested in attending the massive book festival.

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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean • May 2018

Planning Workshop between Canada and Cuba The objective was to identify the areas of collaboration and actions to be taken that contribute to the strengthening of the Cuban National Society of the Red Cross. Catalina Terry and Lourdes García, specialists of the Red Cross of the province of Matanzas, accompanied by their Provincial Secretary participated in the national part; Dr. Ernesto López Letuset, Dr. Giselle Garrido; Provincial Secretary of the Red Cross of Havana and Drs. María de Los Angeles de Varona and Virginia Huergo Silverio, specialists of the National Society. For the Red Cross Canada delegates Daniel Arango, Program Coordinator and David Campfens, Regional Representative participated.

Well-prepared National Societies Workshop Achieving as objectives; support National Societies to take the initiative in the evaluation, planning, implementation and monitoring of their preparation for response actions, ensuring a more cohesive and harmonized approach of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement worldwide, as well as training its members to achieve a common approach to strengthening preparedness and response capacity, a Workshop of Well Prepared National Societies was held in Cuba. Sponsored by the Red Cross of Canada, with accompaniment in the implementation of the tool, by the professors Edgardo Barahona and Gustavo Hernández, of the Reference Centre on Institutional Disater Preparedness of the IFRC. The instructor Miguel Vega participated for the Canadian Red Cross. As national delegates, 25 members of the Cuban Red Cross participated, including 10 Provincial Secretaries-General, 8 Municipal Secretaries, 4 Provincial Specialists, 1 Municipal Secretary, and 2 Officials from the Headquarters.

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Cuba

Cuban Red Cross receives the Secretary General of the IFRC

“We go to the countries to help them solve some disaster situation or to facilitate some problems that they present, fortunately, we are in Cuba to share as part of a family, to generalize the knowledge that you have in this sense, to exchange, continue to make progress in this cooperation that exists and that the work of our Societies is ever stronger”, these were the words of Mr. Elhadj As Sy, Secretary General of the IFRC to he press on the occasion of the visit made to the Cuban Red Cross National Headquarters. Accompanied by the IFRC Regional Director for the Americas, Mr. Walter Cotte, Ms. Inés Brill, Head of the Country Cluster Support Team for Haiti, Dominican Republic and Cuba and Ms. Diana Medina, Communication Manager of the Regional Office for America, he was able to receive from the Executive President of the Cuban Red Cross, Dr. Luis Foyo Ceballos, a broad explanation of the internal work of the Cuban Red Cross, as well as its strength in the disaster prevention, the first aid training, restoring family links, the Dissemination of International Humanitarian Law, and other lines of work and more than 47,000 volunteers throughout the country. “We are very happy to be here, and to be able to confirm the value and respect that the Cuban National Society of the Red Cross has towards its State and its people, because that is how it is valued in the International Federation”, said the Secretary General before saying goodbye.

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Ecuador

Promotion of responsible sexual and reproductive health

The Ecuadorian Red Cross (ERC) develops the campaign “With me with Condon” for the fourth consecutive year. The initiative plans to reach 10 thousand beneficiaries nationwide. Volunteers will place information posts throughout the country where games and dynamics will take place. The objective is to inform about the care of the body, methods for prevention of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STD), myths and truths of sexuality and life plan. This year, our motto is “I Decide” (protect myself, inform myself, plan, break prejudices, love myself). ERC will give special attention to adolescents and young people; because in these stages physical and emotional changes are experienced, in addition that sexuality begins to integrate with its different components. In this way, ERC offers a range of options in the promotion of a safe and responsible sexuality for each person. Data of interest: • Ecuador is the third country in the Region with the highest rate of teenage pregnancies, between 10 and 19 years old (Source: ECLAC). • In less than a decade, Latin America and the Caribbean went from being the least affected, to being the second Region with new cases of HIV on the planet, second only to sub-Saharan Africa (Source UNAIDS). • Sexually Transmitted Infections (STD) tests must be performed at least once a year, or when we believe we have been exposed to an STI. • 67.7% of women aged 15 to 24 did not use contraceptives in their first sexual relationship. (Source Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador, National Plan for Sexual Health and Reproductive Health: Vice Ministry of Governance of Public Health, March 2017). • 2 out of 3 pregnancies occurred in the country are not planned (Source Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador, National Plan for Sexual Health and Reproductive Health: Vice Ministry of Public Health Governance, March 2017). • 2 out of 3 adolescent women, aged 15 to 19, are mothers or are pregnant for the first time (Source Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador, National Plan for Sexual Health and Reproductive Health: Vice Ministry of Public Health Governance, March 2017). 29


Mexico

Experts in penitentiary systems in Latin America promote good practices

“When places of detention do not meet their objective, individuals in prison and society are also ruled out: we all lose. The ICRC invites the countries of the region to lay the foundations for common work to define the criteria that will allow the construction of national design standards and penitentiary infrastructure taking advantage of each one’s experience. We believe that better results can be achieved when working together,“ said Anton Camen, Deputy Head of the ICRC Regional Delegation for Mexico, Central America and Cuba at the opening of the event. Summoned by the Mexican Government and by the ICRC, the more than 70 public officials and representatives of international organizations will work from April 24 to 27 in the city of Cuernavaca, Morelos, on the correlation that must exist between prison management and infrastructure. be in accordance with internationally recognized standards and standards in the field, especially with the “Nelson Mandela Rules”. The discussions in the III Latin American Workshop on Infrastructure and Penitentiary Management will be guided precisely by the five fundamental principles of those minimum standards for the treatment of inmates approved by the United Nations General Assembly on December 17, 2015. For the ICRC these rules are essential because they allow to establish a penitentiary system that guarantees humane treatment to persons deprived of their liberty. For his part, the Commissioner of the decentralized Administrative Body for Prevention and Social Readaptation of Mexico, Rogelio Figueroa Velázquez, stressed that one of the great challenges facing nations in the XXI century is to consolidate a global vision of the prison system. He pointed out that the criminal dynamics, the relationships between organized social sectors, the new threats in the different areas of security are priority issues of attention for democratic governments throughout Latin America, and even around the world.

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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean • May 2018

Therefore, he said that the challenge is to strengthen the infrastructure of the penitentiary system, as well as the professionalization of our staff to comply with the paradigms established by legislation. Throughout the workshop emphasis is placed on the situation of women, a group that in deprivation of liberty is often in special conditions of vulnerability, in the need to allow inmates to maintain their family and social ties, at work and training for employment as essential tools for social reintegration, and the need to have prisons where the treatment of people living there is in accordance with the International Law of Human Rights (IHRL).

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Barbados

Geographic Information Systems to be better prepared for outbreaks and disasters

National Societies need to be better equipped to collect information in the field, analyse it and share it with other actors, to monitor changes and progress more effectively and improve their response to outbreaks and disasters. To this end, from 16-18th of May, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies held its first training on GIS for the Latin America and Caribbean region, in Bridgetown, Barbados. The training, designed in collaboration with the Red Cross Caribbean Disaster Risk Management Reference Centre (CADRIM) and the Refence Centre for Institutional Preparedness (CREPD), targeted volunteers and staff from 11 National Societies who had no previous knowledge in this field, introducing them to GIS and its relevance in the humanitarian sector. More specifically, the participants were trained on how to use GPS technology (such as mobile phones) to collect and process data in the field, to use basic tools from the software QGIS to design and edit maps, and share the data collected on relevant platforms. Special emphasis was given to promoting the use of GIS technology in vector control activities that are implemented by Nacional Societies as part of the Zika Caribbean Project. Through a practical exercise, participants collected GPS data with mobile phones, visualized it with QGIS, and produced maps that showed the location of mosquito breeding sites. When asked about the course, one volunteer said: “The course was quite difficult as I got deeper in. However, it was more a case of it being introduced to me for the first time, which makes my understanding of it a bit elementary. I’m very sure that as I got this far, things will become easier”. Many participants stressed that Red Cross National Societies in the region are aware of the usefulness of data collection and data visualisation tools but have not had the opportunity to learn about the technology and adopt it in their work: “There has always been the need in GIS and having a first-time participation of this kind has been wonderful”.


International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Voices of the Americas and the Caribbean • May 2018

Despite the specificity and technicality of the topics addressed, participants were able to get a grasp of GIS technology and are now able to create basic maps, visualising a variety of information that can be used by National Societies to support their activities. Fanor Camacho, Information Management Delegate and facilitator, explained: “The scope of this course goes beyond vector control. Caribbean National Societies are building capacity to produce useful maps for vector control, but it is not limited to this”, and specified that another introductory curse to GIS will be held in the Caribbean in December, and a similar training will be soon organized for National Societies in Latin America. Visit the website of the training by clicking here

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Peru

Civic Military Relations and Disasters Law workshop

During the week of May 20-25, 2018, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies organized the Regional Workshop on Civic Military Relations and Disasters Law in South America, held in Lima, Peru, as part of the project funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations Commission (ECHO). With the aim of generating a space for dialogue on civic-military issues and in law relating to disasters among the members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and regional partners in the topic that allows identifying the regional challenges in these issues, create working groups at the operational and advisory level and share experiences and good practices. This workshop counted with the participation of 5 National Societies of the Region: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay, as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross. During the first 3 days the actors of the International Movement had the opportunity to address both issues and define roadmaps to achieve the proposed objectives. The last day included regional partners in the topic, including representatives of disaster risk management organizations in the region, academia and the Armed Forces, including the US Southern Command. (US SOUTHCOM), Center of Excellence in Disaster Management of the Pacific (CFE-DM), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Leadership School of Emory University, The General Directorate of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations Commission (ECHO), the Andean Community (CAN), UNASUR and the Inter-American Defense Board of the OAS (IADB), among others. The interest of the Movement is the development of products that can be use globally, that allow a greater understanding in the Civic Military Relations and in Disaster Law, to achieve a better interaction between the different actors that participate in the preparation and an effective disasters and crises response. Stoty written with the support of Colombia Red Cross

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communication CEA training for the Caribbean

From March 20-23 ten National Societies in the Caribbean region, with additional participants from IFRC gathered in Panama to learn about Community Engagement and Accountability. The training was part of the Caribbean Zika Prevention and Response Project through the generous support of USAID, and additional support from the Canadian Red Cross. Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) is an approach to Red Cross and Red Crescent programming and operations. It is supported by a set of activities that help put communities at the centre of what we do, by integrating communication and participation throughout the programme cycle or operation. There is growing demand from National Societies for training and assistance in developing local capacity and CEA. The training will serve as a platform to introduce and strengthen CEA in the Movement focusing on ways we can integrate CEA approaches and activities within operations as part of the program cycle as well as provide opportunity to discuss strategically about existing CEA activities and encourage the sharing of experiences, good practices and lessons learned.

ďƒŚ Contact information

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Americas Regional Office Diana Medina, Regional Communications Manager | diana.medina@ifrc.org Diana Arroyo, Senior Communications Officer | diana.arroyo@ifrc.org

SUGGESTED LINKS www.ifrc.org @ifrc_es @ifrc_es IFRC IFRC


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