Upper West Regional Branch of Ghana Red Cross Society marks World Red Cross Day with school outreach

The Upper West Regional Branch of the Ghana Red Cross Society (GRCS) has commemorated World Red Cross Day with a school outreach at Fongo M/A Junior High School in Wa.

The event aimed to sensitize pupils about the Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies and revitalize interest in the organization among the student population and the general public.

The outreach program featured a range of topics, including climate change mitigation and environmental sustainability, disease control, volunteerism, and disaster management.

Various team members took turns to engage the pupils, providing valuable insights and practical tips on critical issues about the topics, interspersed with interactive sessions on emergency response and community service.

Madam Maria Johana Yuorpor, the Upper West Regional Chairperson of the GRCS, emphasized the importance of revamping the Red Cross movement, which has seemingly faded from the eyes and minds of people.

She stressed the need to imbue the spirit of volunteerism in youngsters, encouraging them to become active participants in their communities.

"We want to inspire the next generation of leaders and volunteers, and empower them to make a positive impact in their communities," she said.

Madam Yuorpor said marking World Red Cross Day with the school outreach reaffirmed the Upper West Regional Branch of the GRCS commitment to serving humanity and promoting a safer and more resilient community for all.

Mr. Abdul Rauf Issahaku, a member of the GRCS, who delivered a presentation on disaster readiness, preparedness, and mitigation, urged the pupils to contribute in their small ways to avoid disasters, both natural and artificial, particularly floods and fires.

"Disaster prevention and preparedness start with individual actions, and we want to equip you with the knowledge and skills to make a difference," he emphasized.

He said disasters disrupt society's functioning and thus, it was important for community members to take steps towards disaster prevention such as desilting gutters and not building in waterways to prevent floods.

The event served as a platform to educate and inspire the next generation of leaders and volunteers, fostering a culture of compassion, empathy, and community service in line with the Red Cross/Red Crescent’s values of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

Some of the pupils who participated in the sensitization expressed happiness about the knowledge that was shared with and pledged to become active volunteers in their community.

“I learnt about being volunteering to do something willingly without being asked to dot or taking anything [in the form of reward] from someone.

“You can clean gutters without anyone asking you to do, you can clean your school compound without a teacher asking you to do, clean your environment, [and] attend community activities,” a pupil, Mutimainat Iddrisu said.

The theme for this year’s World Red Cross Day celebration was, “I give with joy, and the joy I give is a reward.”