Red Vest

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
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Red Vest

In the aftermath of an emergency, the sight of someone wearing a red vest is a sign that help has arrived. It’s a sign of hope and of comfort. In this podcast, you will meet people who have dedicated their lives to helping others. We talk with them about the complexities of today’s crises, the solutions, and what inspires them to keep going.

  1. 12H AGO

    ‘I know what it takes to experience that level of vulnerability’ – IFRC’s new regional director for Africa talks about the challenges ahead

    What does it take to manage humanitarian crisis response for a massive continent dealing with a wide range of challenges – conflict, mass population movements, epidemics, tropical storms, drought and a widespread hunger crisis. Find out how IFRC’s new regional director for the Africa region, Charles Businge, plans to tackle these challenges and how his upbringing in Uganda shaped him for the task ahead. “I have seen war and fighting between different armed groups and I have worked in similar contexts,” he tells us. “So, I am committed to supporting people who faced these kinds of vulnerabilities, because I know what it takes to experience that level of vulnerability.”

    36 min

  2. FEB 25

    Unpacking trust – that invisible yet critical element – with Jessie Thomson, IFRC’s head of delegation in Türkiye

    Trust is not easy to quantify. But without it, many things in life become impossible. Humanitarian work is no exception. Jessie Thomson, IFRC’s head of delegation in Türkiye, shares what she’s learned about building trust, including some essential, concrete behaviours that build trust among partners, the public and work teams. When trust is present, she says, people are more effective, innovative and less afraid to take on more ambitious goals. One example of trust in action, she says, was the massive and rapid 2023 earthquake response, led by the Turkish Red Crescent with support from the IFRC network.

    41 min

  3. FEB 11

    Speaking up for people in crisis: Unpacking ‘humanitarian diplomacy’ with IFRC’s Dylan Winder

    Most people have some idea of what is meant by diplomacy. But what is ‘humanitarian diplomacy?’ Dylan Winder, permanent observer to the United Nations and director of global humanitarian diplomacy at the IFRC, says it’s about speaking up and finding solutions for people caught in crisis, who find themselves in vulnerable situations but don’t have a voice in the halls of power. These days, it also means standing up for local people who try to help their vulnerable neighbours. “By far the majority of humanitarian workers killed or injured in crisis situations are local workers,” he says. “That has to change and be recognized as a critical issue for the global community.”

    26 min

  4. 12/17/2024

    The meaning of water: For Guillermo Sanchez, giving water is not just about saving lives. It’s about helping people reclaim their inherent dignity

    “I was always told that water is life,” says Guillermo Sanchez, a water, sanitation and hygiene specialist for the Panamanian Red Cross who lives and works in the Darien Gap, a stretch of undeveloped jungle that connects South and Central America. “But I never really appreciated what that meant until I was able to see water really save the lives of people coming out of the Darien Gap.”  This roadless, lawless and hilly forest on the border between Colombia and Panama is now one of the world’s most used, and most dangerous, routes for people seeking a better life. When people finally make it through, they’re exhausted, dehydrated and covered with mud. That’s when water takes on even more meaning. “Just having a clean shower means people can feel like themselves again; they can reclaim themselves, their dignity.”

    29 min

  5. 12/10/2024

    Whether telling a story with photos or riding his bicycle across a continent, Brad Zerivitz says connecting with people is what it’s all about.

    Behind the lens of a camera or the handlebars of a bicycle, Brad Zerivitz is driven by the desire to connect with his fellow humans. “I don't approach somebody with the camera in front of my face,” says Zerivitz, senior director of visual communications for the American Red Cross. “I approach them first as a Red Crosser and as a person.” By listening and making that personal connection, people feel more able to fully share the stories.  The same passion fuels Zerivitz’s long-distance bicycling adventures, which most recently took him across much of southern Africa. “When you’re travelling by bike, you're open to the elements and to the people. You're traveling at a human speed so you can talk to people and have all of these great connections along the roadside.”

    29 min

  6. 12/03/2024

    ‘Climate-preneurship’: One young Ghanian’s response to the worsening impacts of climate change

    Climate change is hurting everyone in Ghana, but it’s hitting young people particularly hard, says Abudi Razak, volunteer and national youth president for the Ghana Red Cross. Droughts in the north and floods down south mean that crop yields and incomes are low, while the cost of living is skyrocketing. Young people see their futures evaporating. Razak’s response is to motivate young people take matters into their own hands. One example is something he calls “climate-preneurship”; projects that earn income while solving climate-related challenges. Razak was recently honored by the IFRC with its highest humanitarian award, named after its founder Henry Davison.

    24 min

  7. 11/26/2024

    International law expert Vasilka Sancin says humanity must seize a critical chance to get ahead of advancing technology

    With new technologies changing our lives in rapid and radical ways, Vasilka Sancin says this is a time of unprecedented opportunity. “This is an enormous opportunity for humankind to act preventatively, to address issues ahead of any potential disasters,” says Sancin, an international law expert who serves as Vice-President of the Slovenian Red Cross and as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council Advisory Committee. As developing technologies such as autonomous weapon systems and artificial intelligence pose new possibilities and new risks, the time is now for people to work together to ensure our laws provide adequate protection for people impacted by crisis.

    27 min

  8. 11/18/2024

    A pioneer for women in humanitarian leadership talks about gender equity in the ‘peculiar profession’ of humanitarian relief work

    “It’s a peculiar profession,” Margareta Wahlström says when asked about her life as a humanitarian aid worker.  Wahlström has worked in crisis situations from Vietnam to Cambodia to Afghanistan, and she held high-level positions at both the United Nations and the Swedish Red Cross. Along with a stressful work culture that often rewards a certain workaholic “cowboy” mentality, the “peculiarities” of humanitarian work also mean that women are less likely than men to reach decision-making positions. Thanks in part to Wahlström, that is changing. Her consistent advocacy for gender equity is one reason she was recently awarded The Henry Dunant Medal, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement’s highest honor.

    37 min
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About

In the aftermath of an emergency, the sight of someone wearing a red vest is a sign that help has arrived. It’s a sign of hope and of comfort. In this podcast, you will meet people who have dedicated their lives to helping others. We talk with them about the complexities of today’s crises, the solutions, and what inspires them to keep going.

Information

  • Creator
    The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
  • Show Website
    Red Vest

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