An Interview with the Singapore Red Cross Society

Since we are raising funds for the Singapore Red Cross Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Response, the forthebettersg team decided to ask some questions regarding this fundraiser to raise awareness!

Which organisations will the Singapore Red Cross be working with to support communities affected by the Ukrainian Humanitarian Crisis?

SRC: We have been working closely with the following National Societies (Ukrainian, Hungarian, Polish, Lithuanian, Slovak RCs) as they are extremely active at the borders to assist with the influx of refugees crossing the borders requiring humanitarian assistance since news of the crisis broke out in February. Currently, we are working with Singaporeans in Poland who are running a food kitchen by providing them 10 rice buckets (the kind you see your favourite uncle/aunty at the economical rice stall scooping out rice from) and more support is planned in the coming days. Also, we are working with organisations in Singapore to procure medical items for rare diseases among other things to be sent to Ukrainian cities from the borders of Poland.

The SRC has contributed US$100,000 to support those affected by this Crisis, how has this incredible donation been used?

SRC: The monetary support goes towards the provision of relief supplies such as hygiene kits, family kits, household kits, clean water and sanitation kits.

We know that the Singapore Red Cross Humanitarian Aid has arrived In Ukraine, could you please go into further detail on the provision of this aid?

SRC: The monetary aid is being distributed at the Tovarystvo Chervonoho Khresta Ukrayiny’s (Ukrainian Red Cross Society) discretion. Assistance always includes providing hygiene and food kits, warm clothing and medicine to Ukrainians seeking refuge.

With the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, has it been difficult for humanitarian actors such as the Red Cross, to access the civilians that need help?

SRC: I believe the volatility of the situation in Ukraine makes it difficult for any humanitarian actors to conduct humanitarian operations. We have seen several attempts at safe passages and humanitarian corridors fail due to unsafe conditions. The Red Cross movement emphasises the need for safe passages where all the parties agree to the exact terms - including the route, the start time, and the duration and will continue to work with both sides to establish access to civilians in need of help in a safe manner.

Is the SRC also working with other Red Cross Societies in neighbouring countries such as Poland, Romania, Lithuania, Hungary and Slovakia?

SRC: SRC has pledged funds to the various National Societies in the Schengen Area to assist with their procurement of the necessities such as hygiene and food kits, medicine and shelter. Additionally, we have sent a two-man team on a reconnaissance mission to Eastern Europe to assist and monitor the situation on the ground.

How much has the community in Singapore raised in donations to the SRC fundraising appeal for the Ukrainian Humanitarian Crisis?

SRC: We have just crossed the 6 millionth mark.

Is the Coronavirus a significant issue when it comes to providing assistance?

SRC: It definitely is - you wouldn’t want another COVID19 wave to hit at a time where medical care is scarce. Currently, medical care facilities in Ukraine are under great pressure - these facilities must be protected.

Which project were you guys most proud of?

Our COVID-19 International Response! It was a highly challenging project as the pandemic response was a very new area for us. We had to challenge ourselves to work in new ways and respond in new ways, all the while adjusting to changes in our personal lives as COVID-19 reached our shores.

Sending teams on the ground the way we would have done pre-pandemic was not an option as borders closed, and sourcing for extremely scarce medical supplies required us to be fast on our feet. The scale and magnitude of the pandemic - a worldwide crisis - were also daunting.

During the COVID-19 delta wave in India alone, we worked with over twenty organisations to coordinate the purchase and delivery of highly needed medical items such as oxygen concentrators and ventilators, at times having to make snap decisions at midnight. We managed to send over 200 ventilators, 2900 oxygen concentrators, 2500 oxygen cylinders, and more to 15 states and union territories.

Overall, we assisted over 30 countries around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How do you guys select which causes you would want to contribute for? And how do you determine the “most important one” to work on first?

SRC: Crises around the world happen at the most unexpected timings. At the Singapore Red Cross, we consider the needs of beneficiaries on the ground. I don’t think there is “the most important one” per se as most projects are important in their own stead however if let’s say there is a natural disaster or complex humanitarian crisis that has to be addressed immediately, that will be at the top of our agenda for a while. We also work with various communities during ‘peacetime’ to build community resilience and prepare them for future disasters. If a project comes our way which is aligned with our values, we will be more than happy to work with them!

In addition, SRC continues to work with the affected communities long after the media limelight has passed. For example, we are still working with communities affected by the 2011 Great Eastern Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan, and have provided continued support to a hospital in Indonesia after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.

We thank the Singapore Red Cross for their time and their hard work over the years!

Please check out their webiste: redcross.sg