Australian Red Cross - more than playing our part
Australian Red Cross supports the Movement’s response in Ukraine through both the IFRC and ICRC and in our work domestically.
Our Ukraine Crisis Appeal has received strong support from the Australian public since it launched on 27 February 2022. As of 16 November 2022, the Appeal has raised $15.5 million. The Australian Government through the Department of Foreign of Affairs provided an additional $2 million to support the response in Ukraine and surrounding countries, in addition to the significant funds provided directly to the ICRC.
The appeal funds have helped provide emergency relief and longer-term humanitarian support to people and communities affected by the crisis. The support incorporates humanitarian activities that enable Red Cross and Red Crescent partners to address immediate and longer term needs in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, including to people who are displaced. This includes emergency relief assistance such as shelter, health, water and sanitation. Funding from the Appeal has also helped people restore contact with family members separated by the crisis by offering services to maintain family links and locate missing family members, as well as monitoring and evaluation activities.
We’ve also supported people impacted by the conflict to settle in Australia through the delivery of the Humanitarian Settlement Program in WA, ACT and parts of regional NSW - Wagga Wagga, Wollongong, Albury and surrounding areas. As in every crisis, we stand ready to address tracing needs as they arise. Our Restoring Family Links (RFL) team can register queries if people have lost contact with loved ones. Our migration teams are supporting communities in Australia, raising awareness about RFL services available and providing support materials in language. We're also supporting people impacted by the crisis on temporary visas in Australia who have no access to other mainstream social supports, providing them with emergency relief.
Funding from the appeal has also allowed us to deploy specialist aid workers to help local teams to respond to the crisis. We have a roster of highly skilled health, water and sanitation, logistics, shelter and communications specialists who are ready to be deployed into international response work when extra support is requested from our colleagues on the ground. In response, we’ve deployed 17 delegates; four through the ICRC and 13 through the IFRC.
