New Zealand Red Cross donates more dollars to Darfur

Money raised for New Zealand Red Cross at the Hanover White Tie and Diamonds Ball held in Auckland late last year will be donated to Darfur next week amid the increasing violence and deteriorating security situation in most parts of the region.

New Zealand Red Cross will transfer $200,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) who will use it to help maintain a temporary Red Cross camp that houses displaced people in Darfur. Donations will also go to towards digging wells, installing hand pumps for water, and providing seed and farm equipment to those who have been able to remain on their own land. Money will also help maintain a mobile surgical team which offers medical care to those unable to access hospitals.

Jakob Kellenberger, the Geneva based President of ICRC, recently visited Sudan and on his return deplored the worsening conditions for the regions population noting that over recent months the fighting has escalated in many parts of Darfur, making it harder for aid workers to reach people as they flee to more remote areas.

New Zealand Red Cross' donation adds to the one million dollars given earlier this week by the New Zealand Government to the Red Cross to administer for humanitarian assistance in Darfur.

New Zealand Red Cross currently supports four aid workers deployed to Sudan, three who work as health professionals and one who works as a hospital manager.

There are 24 other New Zealand Red Cross aid workers deployed throughout the world assisting in specialist areas such as logistics and construction to telecommunications and water and sanitation engineering.

ENDS