International Services
Who we are...
International Services is a department of the American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Cross Crescent Movement. The American Red Cross works with this global network of Red Cross, Red Crescent and equivalent societies to restore hope and dignity to the world's vulnerable people by bringing emergency relief to disaster victims, and improving basic living conditions of those in chronically deprived areas of the world.
What we do...
International Services provides services in eight areas of strategic focus:
Emergency Response (Aid to Earthquake Survivors in Indonesia)
Disaster Preparedness
Primary Health Care
Water and Sanitation
Food Programming
Organizational Development
Tracing and Red Cross Messages
Educating the Public about Humanitarian Principles
Where we work...
The American Red Cross through its International Services Department has a global presence providing services to the world's vulnerable people through:
A total of 87 projects:
28 in Africa
28 in the Americas
9 in Asia
22 throughout Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East
In 51 countries
Staffed by more than 60 delegates
Our partners...
Although International Services works within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, we also actively foster partnerships with other organizations to provide effective and sustainable relief and development. Our Partners include:
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
International Committee of the Red Cross
National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
American Red Cross chapters
U.S. Government Agencies
Other international humanitarian relief organizations
Ministries of health and other government organizations
Local non-governmental and community-based organizations
Funding Sources...
International Services relies on the generous support of public contributions and a combination of government and private foundation grants.
Examples of activities...
International Disaster Responses (from June 1999 to April 2003)
98 emergencies (natural and man-made)
60 countries
$25.6 million in cash and relief supply contributions
232 Personnel deployed
Tracing and Red Cross Message Services (for FY2002)
2,882 Red Cross Messages Delivered
1,740 persons located through tracing
International Humanitarian Law Dissemination (for FY2002)
223 active International Services Instructors
More than 57,000 participants in IHL and International Services courses
International Relief and Development
IMCI is a massive health campaign in the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses to prevent 25,000 deaths each year among children under the age of five in the Americas.
Global AIDS Program is a three-year partnership with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to prevent and reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS in Africa and Asia.
The Measles Initiative is a long-term commitment with CDC, UN Foundation, UNICEF and WHO to eliminate measles deaths in Africa through mass vaccination campaigns.
The Balkans Relief Program responded to the Kosovo crisis with more than 35 projects providing food, health care and capacity building with funding worth more than $40 million since 1999.
Food Aid to Russia was the largest food intervention in American Red Cross history - an $18 million food distribution program that helped 2 million vulnerable people in Siberia.
Hurricane Mitch Recovery continues years after the devastation, the American Red Cross remains active in Central America implementing projects in health, water sanitation, psychosocial support, disaster preparedness, and organizational development.
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