NEWS RELEASE

16 December 2009

Red Cross Aid Workers Don’t Stop For Santa

From Suva to Somalia, Pakistan to the Philippines and everywhere in between, New Zealand Red Cross humanitarian aid workers operating around the world won’t have much time to stop for Santa this Christmas.

This year there will be 19 Red Cross aid workers based in eleven different countries during the Christmas period. They are working to help those most in need and to create hope in Afghanistan, Thailand, Indonesia, Iraq, Fiji, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Samoa, Somalia and Timor Leste.

“It’s pretty much business as usual for our aid workers on Christmas Day,” says Andrew McKie, Red Cross International Operations Manager. “I think everyone does what they can to try and make it a special ‘normal day’ but they all stay pretty focused on getting their important work done. Certainly there will be no sitting around waiting for Santa!”

In early December New Zealand Red Cross dispatched a special festive ‘Red Cross Parcel’ to the 19 aid workers who will be spending their Christmas away from home. This year’s parcel includes jandals, the traditional tomato-shaped sauce bottle, a blow up sheep, pineapple lumps, and in true kiwi style - chips and dip with reduced cream and onion packet soup.

Gisborne nurse Janet Askew, who works as a health specialist in Northern Iraq, will be celebrating Christmas Day by calling her family and opening the presents that she already has with her. Janet says she is used to being on humanitarian missions through the holiday season – since 2003 she’s only spent one Christmas in New Zealand.

Being away at Christmas has really made Janet realise how lucky we are in New Zealand. “I hope everybody back home has a wonderful festive season and appreciates what we have in New Zealand which many people around the world do not,” she says.

For Christchurch nurse Rachael Maunsell, who will be working as a ward nurse at Mirwais General Hospital in Kandahar, Afghanistan over the holiday season, the use of Skype and email will help keep her connected to family and friends at home.

As the only Kiwi based at Mirwais Hospital, Rachael plans to add her own New Zealand touch to Christmas Day celebrations by making a pavlova for her workmates.

For Joyce Hood who works in Najaf, Iraq as a project manager providing education programmes to doctors and nurses working in hospital emergency departments, icing sugar holds the key to a successful Christmas Day. “I’ve made my cake already, but I’m waiting for the icing sugar to arrive for the finishing touches!”

Malcolm McKinlay, based in Bangkok with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies where he is assisting with building capacity in Myanmar in the wake of cyclone Nargis, a sing-along to Handel’s messiah will be the order of the day.

“I’m also looking forward to a care package from my family to arrive that promises to deliver six CDs of Kiwi music that I’ll be sure to share with my colleagues!”

ENDS

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