The Disaster Management Department works in the areas of disaster preparedness, prevention, response and risk reduction, food security, livelihoods support, health in emergencies, disease outbreak, climate change adaptation, sustainable recovery, early warning and early action at both household and community levels.
The objective of the Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) Disaster Management Department is to alleviate human suffering as a result of disasters, building the resilience capacities of communities, introducing community early warning systems for early action, building partnership with other organizations and institutions.
With the new global shift from disaster response to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), the Disaster Management department also helps to build the capacity of GRCS volunteers, staff, personnel of other institutions, schools and community members in health prevention and care, health in emergencies, disaster preparedness, prevention, response and recovery, food security and continuous advocacy for increased community resilience in addressing community-based hazards that are preventable. These DRR activities have been promoted nationwide with specific emphasis on the areas with high risk to hazards that can eventually lead to disasters.
The GRCS through the DM department works with both national and international partners in the humanitarian field to reduce vulnerabilities and improve lives.
With the growing trend of disasters and crises, the GRCS continues to learn, adapt, innovate, and lead to ensure that we remain relevant and achieve greater impact with our humanitarian work.
As an auxiliary body to public authorities, GRCS will continue to mobilize required resources to work in accordance with the Red Cross Fundamental Principles and respecting public laws and policies to achieve a global goal of ‘reducing vulnerabilities and improving lives’.