SIRC ready in response to alert on Thursday

SIRC (Honiara)- Yesterday morning a Tsunami warning was echoed over the local radio stations to alert Solomon Islanders to move to higher grounds. The SI Red Cross assisted the National Disaster Management Office and Met Service to alert people in both rural areas and Honiara of the warning received earlier yesterday.

The local Red Cross mobilized its volunteers, especially the National Disaster Response Team (NDRT)trained members to ready for any urgent case, in case of a tsunami. Its volunteers in Lata, Gizo, and other provinces were notified of the warning and were advised to alert their communities to higher places.

Volunteers informed the people while evacuated to higher grounds, they must take cautions in places roads were crossed, properly locked or packed their valuables from opportunists to steal them, and ensure all the family members were safe on higher places till the warning was called off formally.

By around mid yesterday the warning was called off. But people were still need to take great care especially with their movements along low lying areas.

DISSEMINATION: MALUU TRAINING TO NEW & OLD VOLUNTEERS

Towards the end of August 2009, the Solomon Islands Red Cross Dissemination officer held a workshop to the Maluu sub-branch volunteers.
About 21 volunteers participated in the workshop. Most of the participants came from the Maluu surrounding communities. And few lived in Maluu station.
Mr. Niniu Oligao, the facilitator of the workshop at Maluu said the aim of the workshop is to refresh the knowledge of the longtime volunteers and introducing the new volunteers to the Red Cross’ humanitarian beliefs and the policies to equip them as working tools.
“Volunteers form the foundation of the Red Cross. Thus, SI Red Cross is committed to strengthening the baseline of its volunteerism”, he added.
Topics covered during the workshop;
Background information about the SI Red Cross and its role as an auxiliary to the public authorities in humanitarian work
Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement and the International Humanitarian Law (also known as the Law of war)
Proper uses and improper uses of the Red Cross symbol
Three components of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement and their specific roles
Introduction of the SIRC Code of Conduct and SI Red Cross volunteer policies.
“To hold such workshop in Maluu is crucial to strengthen the volunteer baseline of the volunteers there who are involving in the ‘Tugeda fo Helti Komiuniti’-THK (a community health project) in the artificial island communities of Lau Lagoon”, said Niniu.

SIRC launched three events on May 8, 2009

May 8, the World Red Cross and Red Crescent day was an important moment for the Solomon Islands Red Cross (SIRC). It has launched three events; the launch of the 150 years of the Red Cross and Red Crescent work in serving humanity, the birth of Henry Dunant (the founder of the Red Cross), and the opening of the 2009 public appeal.

Speaking during the launch, Mr. Bobby Kwaomae, the SIRC honorary treasurer said the 150 years of the Red Cross and Red Crescent worldwide is marked with a campaign: Our world. Your move. The campaign is calling for action from individuals, community level, and to the global level. Because the world we are living in is facing many challenges ranging from conflicts to the impacts of Climate Change, emerge of new diseases like now the H1N1 flu (commonly known as swine flu), have threatened the lives of the peoples.

"The Red Cross is humbly calling us to believe in humanity by giving a helping hand wherever we are staying and also to give support in whatever form. Because somewhere not far from you some families have lost their homes and gardens or a baby is in need of milk to survive", he said.

In his keynote address, Mr. Kwaomae formally launched the 'Our world. Your move'campaign which is now happening until the formal celebration of the 150 years of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement on 26 and 27th June, 2009. That celebration in June. According to Mr. Niniu Oligao, the leader of the 'Our world. Your move' campaign taskforce the general public is asked to participate in the 150 years of the Red Cross celebration which will be held in Honiara.

To open the annual public appeal, Mr. Kwaomae also asked the public to donate a coin or a dollar during the local Red Cross appeal week to help those who need help.

More donations to Red Cross for floods affected people

SIRC (Honiara)- Solomon Islands Red Cross (SIRC) is grateful with more donations received from the British High Commission and Digicel Company on Friday last week.

According to Ms Nancy Jolo, the British High Commission gave additional $110,073.00 Solomon dollars and Digicel donated substantial amount of SBD $100,00.00 towards the Guadalcanal floods relief.

Receiving the donations on behalf of the local Red Cross Ms Jolo said the organization expresses its humble acceptance of the money by assuring the donors that the Red Cross will to spend the donated funds to meet the affected people’s immediate needs, which also include basic gardening and carpentry tools, and at the same time assist them to recover in long run.

“Assistance which the SI Red Cross received from business houses, families, embassies, and communities towards the Guadalcanal floods relief is a true reflection of the 150^th Anniversary of the Red Cross work in the world-Our responsibility to care for our world by individual and collective move to help those who need our help.

“We greatly acknowledge your continues support”, she said.

Solomon Islands Red Cross as the voluntary humanitarian relief organization depends on donations and volunteering of good-hearted people to support its relief to disaster affected people.

For more information, contact Ms Nancy Jolo (SI Red Cross Secretary General) on telephone (677) 22682 or email; secgen_sirc@solomon.com.sb. Or Mr. Lorima Tuke (Deputy Secretary General) on telephone (677) 22682 or email; dsg_sirc@solomon.com.sb.