The Red Cross in East Africa
This report is about the Tanzania Red Cross written after community service fieldwork by eleven students from the East African Uongozi Institute, between 04th and 10th July , 2002. The Community service involved working with the Red Cross in the Dar es salaam International Trade Fair[DITF] which was on at the time and we were allocated to work at the Red Cross tents at the Fair ground to help administer first aid to any causalities.
The East African Uongozi Institute is an international Cooperation and collaboration primarily involving four institution of higher learning. The University of Dar es Salaam, the University of Nairobi, the Makerere University and the University of California at Los Angeles. One of the main activities of the Institute is to conduct Uongozi School for leadership development. The ‘maiden voyage’ of the first Uongozi school took place in the summer of 1998. Every year, the school rotates between the three East African countries. University students from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, North America, and other African countries attend the programme each year. A community service component is included in the programme to enable students to translate theory into practice and to appreciate the fact that leadership is not just the exercise power but also to serve people.
1.1. Background to the study
Red Cross is a worldwide movement working towards the alleviation of human suffering through the power of humanity .It was first established by Henri Dunnant, Swiss businessman. He was on a business trip, when he felt touched by the victims of a war between France and Italy. He saw how the soldiers needed treatment, the women and the children too were wounded and needed food and clothing. He took them to a nearby clinic for treatment at his own expense. When he returned to Switzerland, he sold the idea to his friends who also sold it to others. These initiatives resulted into a society aimed at helping people during war. Since the Swiss flag host a white cross they decided to symbolise the society by a red cross. Hence, the Red Cross Society is represented by a red cross inside a white background (see appendix 1). The headquarters of the movement is in Geneva, Switzerland.
However, some countries especially those not of a Christian origin did not like to use the symbol of the cross. During the war between...
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...APPENDIX 3
RED CROSS REGIONAL CENTERS IN TANZANIA
KEY:
q RED CROSS REGIONAL CENTER
APPENDIX 4
REFUGEE STATISTIC IN KIGOMA AS EPR 31st DECEMBER 2001 (UNHCR)
DISTRICT CAMP POPULATION ORIGINALITY
KIBONDO MTENDELIKANEMBWANDUTAMKUGWAKARAGHO 47,74418,56947,811 1,72437,588 BURUNDIANSBURUNDIANSBURUNDIANSMIXEDBURUNDIANS
KASULU NYARUGUSUMTABILA IMTABILA IIMUYOYOSI 52,18915,88339,89437,627 CONGOLESEBURUNDIANSBURUNDIANSBURUNDIANS
KIGOMA RURAL LUGUFU ILUGUFU II 52,77618,131 CONGOLESECONGOLESE
TOTAL 369,936
APPENDIX 5
ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY THE RED CROSS IN KASULU
OPERATIONAL BASE 119 KILOMETERS FROM KIGOMA TOWN
CAMP REFUGEE POPULATION ACTIVITIES
MUYOVOZI 37,627 Camp management, curative, reproductive Health education, Nutrition services, water and sanitation
MTABILA I 15,883 Curative, community health education, reproductive health and Nutrition services.
MTABILA II 39,894 Curative, water production and distribution sanitation (provision of latrine slabs) community Health education, reproductive health, and nutrition services.
TOTAL 93,404
The American Red Cross, a non-profit organization is implementing a new industry standard system called BioArch to track and process its blood products. The new infrastructure will improve the quality of its blood products since employees will be able utilize products based on inventory and age. The system also improves the product tracking process currently in place and it promises to improve customer relations since most competitors are already using the BioArch system. Currently, systems regionally are different and therefore inventory is kept separate. This creates challenges in meeting customer demands and it increases manufacturing manual processes.
Since Burundi’s independence in 1962, there have been two instances of genocide: the 1972 mass killings of Hutus by the Tutsi-dominated government, and the 1993 mass killings of the Tutsis by the Hutu populace. Both of these events in Burundi received different levels of attention by the international community and the western media due to a lack of foreign governmental interest, political distraction, and an unwillingness to acknowledge the severity of these atrocities in Burundi. Interestingly, events of genocide occurring at times without these distractions received more foreign attention than those ignored due to these factors. Because of this, much of the western world is unaware of the Burundian genocide and events similar to it.
The African Blood Brotherhood for African Liberation and Redemption (ABB) was a militant black liberation group founded in 1919 by West Indian journalist Cyril Briggs. Cyril Briggs, a West Indian-born radical of mixed racial parentage living in New York. Briggs was a staunch exponent of the theory of racial separatism. The ABB was a revolutionary secret organization whose purpose and program was the liberation of African people and the redemption of the African race. It was a propaganda organization built on the model of the secret fraternity, organized in "posts." It was centered in Harlem, the ABB established local branches throughout the country.
It is important to know how the Red Cross began. It was in June 1859 when Henry Dunant went to Solferino, north of Italy. He was a spectator of a small but bloody war. French and Italians had a battle against Austrians. There were more or less 40,000 victims. He was completely horrified with the scene. He interrupted his trip to help the hurt and organized volunteers to save lives.
had the pleasure to personally interview Dr. Ebenezer Blavo; a former lecturer at the University of Ghana, and a United Nations representative of social work. Significantly, his main vision is service for humanity. He was selected to be leader, and he acquired leadership skills by taking courses in leadership at the university. Dr. Blavo is both a transformational leader and servant leader who is concerned about the wellbeing of others, and demonstrates effective listening skills, empathy and healing (Savage-Austin & Honeycutt, 2011).
The world bank group. (2011). Leadership and development - definition and dimensions of leadership. Retrieved from http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTCDRC/0,,contentMDK:21296098~pagePK:64169212~piPK:64169110~theSitePK:489952,00.html
Since Congo’s independence in 1960, its history has been marked by a series of political conflicts. The economy of Congo, a nation endowed with resources of vast potential wealth has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The two political conflicts (first and second Congo wars), which began in 1996, have dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, have increased external debt, and have resulted in deaths of more than one million people.
Child soldier is a worldwide issue, but it became most critical in the Africa. Child soldiers are any children under the age of 18 who are recruited by some rebel groups and used as fighters, cooks, messengers, human shields and suicide bombers, some of them even under the aged 10 when they are forced to serve. Physically vulnerable and easily intimidated, children typically make obedient soldiers. Most of them are abducted or recruited by force, and often compelled to follow orders under threat of death. As society breaks down during conflict, leaving children no access to school, driving them from their homes, or separating them from family members, many children feel that rebel groups become their best chance for survival. Others seek escape from poverty or join military forces to avenge family members who have been killed by the war. Sometimes they even forced to commit atrocities against their own family (britjob p 4 ). The horrible and tragic fate of many unfortunate children is set on path of war murders and suffering, more nations should help to prevent these tragedies and to help stop the suffering of these poor, unfortunate an innocent children.
The Catholic Social Justice Themes of global solidarity, an option for the poor and vulnerable, and a constructive role of government could be used to solve the problems of disunity, a failed responsibility to the poor, and the corruption of local government that arose in the musical Witness Uganda.
Most of this documentary supports and clarifies my understanding of contemporary African culture. During the course I’ve learned that traditional African leadership structures undertook great changes under colonial rule and continue to progress today. Pre-colonial Africa had several different states characterized by different types of leadership; these involved small family groups of hunter and gatherers, bigger organized clan groups, and micro nations. Many African communities are still being governed by a council of elders, which is responsible for facilitating conflict and making almost all the important decisions within the public.
When you think of a good citizen what do you think of? Naturally we think of someone who is active in their community, and takes responsibility for their actions. So what is a good citizen on a global level? What is Global Citizenship? Well, opendemocracy.net states that,
Roberts, Adam. “Humanitarian Intervention Is Not Effective.” Interventionism. Paul Winters. Current Controversies. San Diego : Greenhaven Press, Inc.: 1995.
Chapter 10 examines the reasons why Humanitarian Assistance has become extremely dangerous within the past two decades. In addition to that, the author draws a lot of attention on the security challenges that aid workers face while performing their duties. Aid workers are by far selfless, courageous, and dedicated by an instinctive impulse to relieve the suffering of others. The author also mentions the security triangle, which is used to create a guideline for mitigating personal risks that aid workers could face amid humanitarian operations.
Leadership which is success oriented and mindful of the people’s welfare should be the one that provides direction and steering change which is beneficial to every person. This implies a leadership with the capacity to make development processes and programs a routine whilst at the same time being reliable and systems. Furthermore, leadership incorporates management practices such as the organization of people and providing alternative solutions to various problems affecting the system. An effective leader should be able to prepare people for change (Bennis, 1989).
Lussier, R. & Achua, C. (2013). Leadership: Theory, Application & Skill Development (5th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning