Sudanese Red Crescent Society…. Working in extremely complex conditions ✍️ Muhammad Othman Al-Radi
In March 1956, exactly two months after Sudan gained independence, the birth of the Sudanese Red Crescent Society was announced as the first national society through Cabinet Resolution No. 869, after which it was officially recognized and processed.
Since that date, the association's journey towards working in the humanitarian field began, creating a solid and solid base with similar and counterpart associations, and gaining the trust of the international community in general and donors in particular, and this was reflected through the flows of support in various programs.
The association has made major advances in the humanitarian field by concluding intelligent partnerships through which it has contributed to providing humanitarian aid to affected communities deserving support.
The association does not receive fixed support, I repeat, fixed support from the state budget and relies on its own resources in addition to the support provided by donors in various humanitarian activities.
The association, through a large volunteer sector of around 2 million volunteers, has contributed to the implementation of huge programs in the event of natural disasters.
There are basic principles through which the association operates, which are humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntariness, unity and universality. These seven principles are considered among the basic foundations on which the association operates.
The role of the association was not limited to peacetime alone, as its role increased during wartime in the country. The association's volunteers continued to provide all humanitarian services, including the evacuation of citizens from war-affected areas, in addition to burying bodies, providing psychological assistance and carrying out other humanitarian work.
Despite the serious damage that the Society suffered during the war, as it lost a significant number of volunteers who joined the Supreme Comrade in carrying out their duties during the outbreak of fighting, in addition to losing the fleet of trucks and tankers that contributed to the distribution of relief supplies, this certainly caused great paralysis and greatly hampered the activity of the Society.
After the outbreak of the war, the Society launched an urgent appeal to all international organizations and donors for a project estimated at about $60 million to meet the needs of the war, especially in the humanitarian field. However, the response was very small in comparison to the scale of the disaster and the contribution rate did not reach 10% at best.
The reluctance of the international community and donors to provide the required assistance has made the situation worse and worse, especially since the association is entirely dependent on donor support.
Despite all these difficulties and challenges that constitute an obstacle to the work of the association, it has remained faithful and the determination of the volunteers (the beating heart and the dynamo of the engine) has not weakened, rather it has contributed to making more sacrifices and perseverance in order to achieve the desired objectives.
Loss of internal and external resources: The normal situation is for any institution to announce its bankruptcy, lay off its employees, close its offices completely and declare bankruptcy, with the exception of the Red Crescent Society, which has redoubled its efforts in all states.
The rains, torrents and floods that hit the country caused serious losses in human lives and property, requiring urgent humanitarian interventions. The Red Crescent did not sit idly by and explained its loss of internal and external resources. eyes, and the best proof of this is the wide distribution of volunteers in all states of Sudan.
Red Crescent volunteers work without financial compensation for their efforts, but pay out of their own pockets to provide necessary assistance to people affected by the effects of war.
In coordination with the World Food Programme, the association was able, thanks to its broad support, to distribute funds to poor and needy families. The association was able to make major progress in this project, thanks to the testimony of the citizens themselves.
Red Crescent Secretary General Aida Al-Sayed Abdullah is an iron woman who has overcome obstacles and barricades to achieve great success, despite the exceptional and difficult circumstances the country is going through.
In a normal situation, there are recognized and agreed regulations and systems for the selection of the association's management committee, in addition to the method of selecting the association's secretary general, but due to the circumstances of the war, the circumstances have changed and the scales have changed, since the president and members of the management committee and the secretary general are appointed by decision of the sovereign council. This procedure is certainly exceptional, imposed by the current circumstances that the country is going through.
The Sudanese Red Crescent Society is a national society belonging to the Sudanese people, and the people have the right to be informed about everything, big and small, and what happens in the corridors of the society.
The management committee of the association, headed by the president of the association, Mr. Saleh Abdel Majeed Al-Douma, is responsible for the control aspect, and it is (similar to the parliament) whose role is the legislative and control aspect of the activities of the association.
Evaluating and evaluating the performance of the association is extremely important in order to improve performance and work to support the positives and avoid the negatives as much as possible by reviving the values of accountability and transparency in all activities of the association.
Thinking outside the box to create alternative sources of support is extremely important, especially now when donors have raised their hands.
The question that comes to mind is: What is the reason that has prevented donors from providing financial and logistical assistance to the association???? At a time when Sudan is in dire need of help, knowing that the same donors are providing support to many countries suffering from the scourge of war!!!!
Crying over spilled milk and complaining does not solve the problem, and it requires serious and in-depth thinking about how to get out of the bottleneck. This can only be done through concerted popular and official efforts. Presenting the problem is very easy, but finding solutions. is the key and the main thing.
