Over 80 volunteers of the Nigerian Red Cross Society in Enugu have been trained on volunteer safety and security, African News Today has gathered.
The three-day event sponsored by the International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC, is aimed at increasing the access, acceptance, and security of the organisation’s volunteers as they respond to emergencies and humanitarian needs of the people of the state.
Declaring the training open, the Branch Secretary, Mr. Tony Udegbu, appreciated the ICRC for their ‘’sustained effort at improving the technical and operational capacity of the Red Cross in the state’’. According to Mr. Udegbu, trainings such as this are important considering the challenges volunteers face in the field; as it will increase the organisation’s ability to address more humanitarian needs and adopt better ways of increasing security, acceptance, and access in communities.
Delivering his lecture, the ICRC Port Harcourt Sub Delegation Movement Cooperation Officer, Mr. Agumuo I. Alex stressed the importance of a safer access framework for the Nigerian Red Cross Society. In his words, the security of all Red Cross personnel is paramount and it is the responsibility of the organisation to ensure the safety of all those working with them.
‘’The Safer Access Framework contains a set of actions and measures that can be taken by the Red Cross to reduce risks to its staff, volunteers, and facilities, especially when working in sensitive and insecure contexts. Adherence to the tenets of safer access framework will increase our ability to address the humanitarian needs of more people and better meet the challenges of today’s complicated and evolving humanitarian environment’’.
Some participants who expressed their satisfaction with the outcome of the exercise described the training as an eye-opener. A participant, Christopher Onwurah said he is better positioned to render humanitarian service.
“I have been ignorant of so many things but today, I have learnt that each and every one of us can contribute to maintain and strengthen safe access to the communities and people we serve through our actions and the application of the fundamental principles of the Red Cross”.
Participants for the training were drawn from Enugu North, Enugu East, and Awgu local governments of the state.