The Federation's mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in 185 countries.
In Brief
Operations Update no. 01; Period covered: 17 August to 19 August, 2007; Preliminary Appeal target: CHF 1,616,000 (USD 1,341,859 or EUR 979,150); Appeal coverage to be confirmed in the coming hours;
Appeal history:
- Launched on 17 August 2007 for CHF 1,616,000 (USD 1,341,859 or EUR 979,150) for 5 months to assist 4,000 families (20,000 people).
- Final Report is therefore due on 17 April 2008.
- Disaster Relief Emergency Funds (DREF) allocated: CHF 250,000 (USD 207,641 EURO 151,515)
Operational Summary:
Within the first day of launching the Appeal, the Peruvian Red Cross (PRC), with support from the International Federation, has extended the team on the ground and is focusing activities on search and rescue of survivors, needs assessments and the distribution of relief items to affected families, particularly in Pisco. Despite the lack of information and coordination on the ground, the PRC and Federation teams have established clear mechanisms and the initial logistics to face the situation within three days. Assessments are still vital, especially in the other affected areas, and are being carried out by the PRC. Food and water and sanitation needs are being covered by the Government and other organizations, and have not been considered for our appeal.
Despite the deteriorating security situation, the distributions on the ground have started. The first plane with humanitarian relief arrived in Lima on 17 August, and was transported through several smaller flights to Pisco. Distributions have started of the relief items which include tents, blankets, jerrycans and plastic sheeting. This covers the needs of 2,000 families in Pisco. Further relief items will arrive on 19 August to meet the needs of all the families within the PRC Plan of Action. The Spanish Red Cross psychosocial support team is expected shortly. The hygiene situation is starting to deteriorate, three days after the earthquake, and if the announced measures from the Government do not take place, the risk of health problem could arise.
Coordination of the relief activities by authorities continues to be a problem due to the difficult and complicated situation in the affected area, but the arrival of the UNDAC team should help supporting proper coordination. The Federation is playing an important role together with the UN system to support the authorities in establishing proper coordination mechanisms. The UN system is evaluating the situation, launching a flash appeal and a CERF, and evaluating if other measures are needed.
Confirmed contributions from ECHO (515,000 €), the Italian Government (200,000 €), USAID Peru (100,000 $), as well as announced contributions from the Chinese Red Cross via the Chinese Embassy in Lima (50,000 $), the Belgian Government through the Belgian Red Cross (500,000 €), the Italian Red Cross (50,000 €), the Netherland
Red Cross (40,000 €), the Chilean Red Cross (1,500 $), the German Government to the German Red Cross (150,000 €) and the in-kind contribution of the Spanish Red Cross (236,000 €) and of the in-kind contribution of the Colombian / Netherlands Red Cross Societies indicate that the preliminary appeal has been covered in less than 36 hours. Interest has been shown by a large series of private companies, which we invite to further their interest and become partners of our operation.
The picture of the needs is getting clearer quickly despite the prevailing lack of coordination in the field and the insecure environment. In addition, the type of disaster suggests that an early recovery component should be identified soon, in order to deliver relief aid while planning for the early support to reconstruction of livelihoods, which is the right of the affected populations. For these reasons, it is foreseen that the appeal will be revised in a couple of days, to enhance the coverage of relief aid and psychosocial support to affected families, start planning a participatory needs assessment in terms of early recovery, and enhance significantly the capacities of the Peru Red Cross to drive these processes.
The International Federation undertakes activities that are aligned with its Global Agenda, which sets out four broad goals to meet the Federation's mission to "improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity".
Global Agenda Goals:
- Reduce the numbers of deaths, injuries and impact from disasters.
- Reduce the number of deaths, illnesses and impact from diseases and public health emergencies.
- Increase local community, civil society and Red Cross Red Crescent capacity to address the most urgent situations of vulnerability.
- Reduce intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion and promote respect for diversity and human dignity.
For further information specifically related to this operation please contact:
- In Peru: Luis Machuca, Judicial Administrator, Peruvian Red Cross, email: presidente@cruzroja.org.pe; phone: (511) 470 0606 or (511) 97910943;
- In Peru: Giorgio Ferrario, Head of Regional Representation for South America, giorgio.ferrario@ifrc.org; phone (511) 221 8151; fax (511) 441 3607
- In Panama: Kathleen Martin, Acting Head, Pan American Disaster Response Unit; e-mail kathleen.martin@ifrc.org, phone (507) 316-1001; fax (507) 316-1082.
- In Panama: Maria Alcazar, Zone Relationship Manager Coordinator, Americas; e-mail: maria.alcazar@ifrc.org; phone (507) 317 1300; fax (507) 317 1304
- In Panama: Jose Garcia-Lozano, Head of Zone, Americas, email: jose.garcialozano@ifrc.org, phone (507) 317 13 00; fax; (507) 317 13 04
All International Federation assistance seeks to adhere to the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's) in Disaster Relief and is committed to the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response (Sphere) in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable.
For longer-term programmes in this or other countries or regions, please refer to the Federation's Annual Appeal. For support to or for further information concerning Federation programmes or operations in this or other countries, or for national society profiles, please also access the Federation's website at http://www.ifrc.org
For longer-term programmes, please refer to the Federation's Annual Appeal.