Changing Lives and Landscapes With the Red Cross

Dominica was one of the countries benefiting from a recent Red Cross Communications Workshop in Trinidad & Tobago, which brought together thirteen Red Cross Communicators from across the Caribbean. The two-day event was an orientation into their new roles as humanitarian diplomats.

The workshop was hosted by the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and funded by the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO), as part of a wider regional effort to build safer, better prepared communities. Strategic communications is a vital element of the disaster management programmes being implemented in the region.

Pilar Forcen, Communications Manager of the Americas zonal office of the IFRC based in Panama, was on hand to support the participants. “I encourage you to play your role in advocating in humanitarian challenges and to highlight the tremendous work of the Red Cross in minimising the effects on vulnerable groups,” she said.

Dominica Red Cross representative, Marie-Antoinette Mora, said, “It is extremely rewarding to be part of the Red Cross Movement and to be able to spread the word about the organization and the tremendous work being carried out. I encourage more people to become Red Cross volunteers in order to obtain first-hand knowledge of what is involved in its humanitarian efforts, gain greater insight into an organization that is blind to everything that divides human beings and only sees people who need help and to benefit from the First Aid/CPR and other training that may become available. The Red Cross experience is an invaluable one.”

One of the highlights of the workshop was a presentation on Community-based disaster management and the important role of communications in times of disaster. Participants also got an opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills with a ‘learning by doing’ field trip to the rural community of Grande Riviere on the North-East coast of Trinidad. This community is currently implementing a reforestation project with the Trinidad & Tobago Red Cross Society, the Ministry of Agriculture-Forestry Division and the Grande Riviere Tourism Development Organization.

The project came about because the residents depend on the forest for their livelihood and reforestation is a way of addressing the problem of bush fires and landslides, which threaten their existence.

Community members shared their experiences with Red Cross communicators about how their attitudes to the environment had changed because of the project. Project Coordinator, Len Peters, explained, “It’s not just about planting trees. We want to leave something behind for the young ones and we’re going into the schools to teach the kids as well.”

Red Cross Societies around the Caribbean are implementing similar projects in response to specific vulnerabilities identified by communities. The communicators provide support to these disaster management programmes in order to help people prepare for and respond to disasters.