balkans red cross
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Helping the People of the Balkans Canadian Red CrossTRANSCRIPT
HELPING THE PEOPLEof the BALKANS
OUR MISSION
The Canadian Red Cross helps people in Canada
and around the world deal with situations that threaten:
• their survival and safety • their security and well-being • their human dignity.
Gllogovc/Glogovac, KosovoA man standing in front ofhis destroyed house, near a polluted well.
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War and its effects. People living
in the Balkans know war and its effects
well. Constant upheaval, forced relocation,
separation from family members and
economic devastation have radically
altered their lives and livelihoods over the
past decade. Years of fighting have scarred
the Balkans, its infrastructure and the
ability of many to maintain their own
security and well being.
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The break up of Yugoslavia in 1991 and ensuing
civil wars resulted in more than two million
refugees and internally displaced
people within the Balkans.
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Stenkovec,MacedoniaTransit camp forrefugees fromKosovo.
The CrisisIn 1998, intense violence between the Kosovo Liberation Army and Serbiansecurity forces threatened the lives of thousands. As a result of this fighting,the international community increased efforts to bring peace to the area.But peace did not come quickly and violence against civilians escalated.
Thousands of people were killed and even more wereforced to leave their homes or risk death themselves.An international military intervention ensued. Aspeople fled, many became separated from familymembers. This previously self-reliant group nowdepended on the goodwill of others for mere survival.
As Canadians watched this humanitarian crisis unfold,they responded generously. Thanks to this generosity the Canadian Red Cross was able to provide safe shelter, food, water and medial care to thousands ofinnocent people.
Although much work has been done to ease the suffering in the Balkans, greatneeds still exist. Unemployment is rampant, many live in poverty and are unableto return to their pre-war homes and thousands of people who disappearedduring the conflict are still missing.
Read on to find out how the Red Cross provides relief, hope and dignity to the most vulnerable and how you can help people in the Balkans today.
Close to one million people were
driven from their homes as a
result of the violence in 1999 –
the largest exodus of people in
Europe since WW II.
The Crisis
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The UN Food and Agricultural Organization ranked the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia as the country with the most difficult food
situation in Europe. They estimate that food aid is needed for
approximately two million people or about 20% of the population.
H O W W E H E L P
Novi Sad,YugoslaviaA woman and hergrandson pick uptheir ration for theday at one of the Red Cross soupkitchens.
In Yugoslavia, 1.5 million pensioners receive only $35 Canadian
each per month, more than a quarter of the people are unemployed and
the average monthly salary is $80. The grocery bill alone for a family of
four costs twice the average salary.
From 1999 to 2001, the Canadian Red Cross in partnership with the International
Committee of the Red Cross provided food to as many as 15,000 people a day at more than
90 distribution centres in the Vojvodina region of Serbia. Many of the recipients were
elderly, pensioners, disabled, homeless, unemployed, orphans and single-parent families.
Ontario native Steven Loyst, managed the soup kitchen project in Vojvodina. "I saw so
many people confronted by a future that made their dreams obsolete," said Loyst. "Parents
have watched their savings collapse and can barely afford to buy groceries. Children go to
school hungry and the elderly cannot pay for medicine, heat or electricity. Red Cross soup
kitchens are an important source of aid but so much more is needed. I tried to assure them
that others are listening in countries like Canada. I hope we can work toward ensuring that
all people in the Balkans will soon know a better future."
However, a better reality is still in the distant future for many. Changes in the Yugoslav
government have not brought immediate relief to people in need and it will be many
years before people will see benefits of these changes. Today, the repeal of price controls,
a dramatic increase in the cost of utilities and the introduction of an additional 20 percent
tax have exacerbated the hardships already borne by the most vulnerable.
Food
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Kukës, AlbaniaDistributing bread to refugees from
Kosovo.
Water
H O W W E H E L P
One of the direct consequences of the conflict in Kosovo
was the widespread contamination of ground water sources.
10,000 wells in rural Kosovo were unsafe for drinking as they
were contaminated from waste, unexploded ammunition and
sometimes the bodies of people or animals. Much of the
contamination resulted from massive destruction of the
country’s infrastructure during the conflict or from neglect
as people fled the war.
More than half of the people living in rural Kosovo depended on these
wells as their only source of water. Lack of access to clean water added
to the hardships faced by returning refugees whose homes and villages
had been destroyed during the war.
Because of the great need for clean water, Red Cross sent teams of water sanitation
engineers to disinfect wells. Winnipeg native Glen Hanna led the well-sanitizing
operation in Kosovo.
One of Hanna’s projects was to help returning refugee Din Mehmeti.
When Mehmeti came home to Kosovo from Macedonia, he found his house in
ruins and a stench emanating from his family’s well. Beyond the safety of their
water, Mehmeti had another nagging concern. Two people from his village were
missing and he feared their bodies had been thrown into the well.
Novi Sad, Serbia The Red Cross supplies
drinking water to thelocal population.
Hanna confirmed that Mehmeti’s fears
were legitimate. “We’ve taken bodies
out of wells on occasion”, said Hanna.
“In addition to our immediate goal,
which is to clean wells, this brings
closure to victims’ families.”
The well-sanitizing team who came
to Mehmeti’s village arrived with a
generator, a pump and a rig to lower
one of its members into the well.
The assembled crowd watched
anxiously and covered their noses
as a foul smell was released from the
churning water. Eventually the smell’s
source – an animal’s carcass – was
hoisted up. The well was then pumped,
disinfected and ready for use again.
As a result of this Red Cross project,
55,000 people like Din Mehmeti in rural
Kosovo now have clean drinking water.
Water
Red Cross engineerscleaning a well.
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Gjakovë/Djakovica, KosovoFamilies reunited byRed Cross – anunforgettablemoment.
As millions of people fled the war and
abandoned their homes, many became separated
from family members and loved ones.
The suffering of families torn apart by war is
enormous and the task to re-establish family
links is immense.
H O W W E H E L P
As millions of people fled the war and abandoned their homes,
many became separated from family members and loved ones.
The suffering of families torn apart by war is enormous and
the task to re-establish family links is immense. The Red Cross helped make up for the
absence of normal means of communication by coordinating a network to restore these
links – both in areas directly affected by the conflict and in places receiving displaced
people and refugees. Mobile teams traveled to towns and villages throughout the region
gathering information on missing persons. They attempted to find the whereabouts of
lost relatives and connect people through the Red Cross network. Red Cross also gave
people the opportunity to find information about missing relatives through a unique
Family News Network web site.
Calgarian Vince Bodnar spent six months in Kosovo where he worked to find information
on people who went missing during the conflict.
“Families often have no idea if their loved ones are alive or dead,” Bodnar said. “While I
was in Kosovo, we received more than 10,000 inquiries for families looking for relatives
who have been missing since the conflict began. By securing information about people
whose fate is unknown, we help alleviate families' pain and uncertainty.”
There are more than 3,500 people still reported missing.
TogetherFamilies
Families
Bringing
Tetovo, Macedonia Woman contacting relatives
via mobile phone madeavailable by Red Cross.
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HOME CARE FOR THE VULNERABLE
Prior to the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, an extensive social welfare network ensured
the elderly, disabled and sick were cared for. This system deteriorated steadily as a result of
conflicts, international sanctions, a deep economic crisis and the influx of more than half a
million refugees. This social safety net is now almost non-existent leaving the most
vulnerable groups of society without care.
To help, Red Cross is delivering life-saving services to many in their homes through mobile
health and social service teams. Volunteers are an essential part of this program assisting
with cleaning, cooking and other supports.
The Canadian Red Cross is providing funding and a home care specialist in the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia to help revitalize the home care program and strategically plan
for the future. In 2002, Red Cross will serve 7,000 beneficiaries who would otherwise be
without critical care.
FOOD SECURITY PILOT PROJECT
In the Balkans, soup kitchens are a common Red Cross response to food insecurity caused
by extreme poverty and conflict. However, soup kitchens are too expensive to sustain
beyond the emergency phase and can create dependency that does not serve the
population’s long-term well-being.
Six villages in Serbia where the Canadian Red Cross has supported soup kitchens in the
past have been selected to participate in a food security pilot project. Local teams are
researching and assessing food security needs of the most vulnerable within their
communities in the first phase of the project. In the second phase, these teams will
implement sustainable community-based solutions.
Balkans todayRed Cross in the
H O W W E H E L P
Red Crossi n t h e B a l k a n s t o d a y
The past decade of war, population movements, economic
hardship and natural disasters have wreaked havoc throughout
the Balkans. Despite political changes, the vulnerable in the
region will face hardships for many years to come as strife and
economic instability continue to plague the region.
In addition to the generosity of the Canadian public, the
Canadian International Development Agency contributed more
than $8 million to the Red Cross in the Balkans since 1999.
These funds have enabled the Red Cross to:
• protect and assist civilians from the consequences of renewed fighting;
• ensure the human dignity of detainees;
• warn civilians about the dangers of landmines and unexploded ordnance;
• help refugees return to their homes in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina;
• prepare for future disasters in Macedonia and Albania;
• provide care for the elderly in Yugoslavia.
While the world's focus shifts to other events, the humanitarian crisis in the Balkans
persists. But one thing people living in this region can count on is that the Red Cross
will be there. Please help us continue our vital work by giving to the Red Cross.
An elderly lady displaced from Kosovo.
Canadian DelegatesAs part of the Canadian Red Cross’ support in the Balkans, Canadians of all backgrounds are
deployed to the field to share their skills and years of experience with those in need. Delegates
who have recently served in the Balkans include:
Sandra Allaire, Calgary, AlbertaHome Care Consultant, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Vince Bodnar, Calgary, AlbertaTracing Officer, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Kosovo)
Pierre Boisvert, Montréal, QuebecProject Manager, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Don Bourne, Calgary AlbertaLogistics Delegate, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Kosovo)and Macedonia
Donna Chanda, Newmarket, OntarioCooperation Delegate, Macedonia
Debra Chmara, Castlegar, British ColumbiaOrganizational Development Delegate, Albania
Serge Comeau, Moncton, New BrunswickProject Manager, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Robin Creelman, Truro, Nova ScotiaConvoyer, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Kosovo)
Alain DaudrumezHead of Relief Operations, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Sue Featherstone, Ottawa, OntarioCooperation Coordinator, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Kosovo)
Lori Galway, North York, OntarioField Delegate, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Kosovo)
Serge Gaudreau, Gaspé, QuébecHealth Care Delegate, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Glenn Hanna, Winnipeg, ManitobaWater/Sanitation Delegate, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Kosovo)
Artena Hutchison, Woodstock, OntarioHome Care Delegate, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Steven Loyst, Woodview, OntarioProject Manager, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Patrick Martin, Vercheres, QuébecAgronomist, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Sue Pfisterer, Calgary, AlbertaPyscho-Social Delegate, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Kosovo)
Gary Redmond, Nanaimo, British ColumbiaProject Manager, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Claude Rioux, Calgary, AlbertaLogistics Administrator, Croatia
Jacqui Salmond, Kingston, OntarioRelief Delegate, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Lewis Silver, Kings County, Nova ScotiaConvoyer, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
H O W W E H E L P
Help now!Please donate to the Canadian Red Cross and help us continue our vital work. Please indicate “Balkans Reconstruction” when you are giving.
By PhoneTo make a donation by phone using your credit card,please call the Canadian Red Cross office in your areaor call toll free 1-800-418-1111.
By Mail Please send a cheque or money order to your local Red Crossoffice or mail to:
Canadian Red Cross “Balkan Reconstruction”170 Metcalfe Street, Suite 300Ottawa, ON K2P 2P2
Learn moreTo learn more about the Red Cross and our workin Canada and abroad, call your local Red Crossoffice or visit us at www.redcross.ca.
YOU MAKE A
WORLDDIFFERENCE
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Refugee from Kosovo.
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Please send a cheque or money order to yourlocal Red Cross office or mail to:
Canadian Red Cross “Balkan Reconstruction”170 Metcalfe Street, Suite 300Ottawa, ON K2P 2P2
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BALKANS
Red Cross
PrinciplesHumanity
Impartiality
Neutrality
Independence
Voluntary Service
Unity
Universality
Refugees listeningto broadcast.