MORE than 150,000 Red Crescent volunteers were on the frontlines of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic throughout the GCC, providing humanitarian aid.
There was a rush of volunteers, with numbers doubling especially in Saudi Arabia and Oman, said Red Crescent representatives.
According to Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) data, the kingdom had the highest number of volunteers – 60,000.
“Before the pandemic, we always had a sufficient number of volunteers for all our humanitarian activities and programmes,” SRCA Volunteer Department general director Hana Al Shamrani told the GDN.
“However, we saw an increase in the numbers during the pandemic; the numbers doubled since last year. We now have 60,000 volunteers.
“As time goes on, we may not require these many volunteers, but it is reassuring to have a pool to draw from.”
During the pandemic, Red Crescent volunteers were at the forefront, distributing food, medicines and other aid. They also helped at the Covid-19 quarantine facilities, and at the exit and entry points.
According to Oman Charitable Organisation (OCO) Public Relations head Ahmed Rashid Al Hattali, the number of volunteers increased from 15,000 to 30,000 as his country dealt with both Covid-19 and Cyclone Shaheen.
“We faced two crises at the same time and the OCO needed volunteers,” he explained.
“In October, we saw an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases and as the cyclone hit, people lost their homes and many were separated from the city due to heavy floods.
“We needed volunteers to go to these places, rescue people, and deliver food and other necessities to them.
“What struck me the most was that those who came to join hands with the OCO were not affiliated with any organisation, they were simply people with a good heart who wanted to help.
“That month, the number of volunteers surpassed 30,000.”
Cyclone Shaheen, with winds at times reaching 150kmph, killed 12 people in Oman and two in Iran in October.
It destroyed homes, damaged infrastructure and forced more than 5,000 people into temporary accommodation.
Days after the storm, about 20,000 volunteers, Omanis and expatriates, removed tonnes of mud, debris, rubble, dead animals, fallen trees and damaged cars. The floods also damaged more than 1,000 houses.
The UAE’s Emirates Red Crescent had 40,000 volunteers, while Qatar Red Crescent had more than 21,700. The estimated 10,000 volunteers from the Kuwait Red Crescent Society and the 2,000 volunteers from Bahrain are also included in the total.
The volunteer leaders were speaking to the GDN on the sidelines of the Gulf Forum of Gulf Red Crescent Bodies and Societies, which was held at the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel.
The GDN previously reported that participants at the two-day forum, “Human Giving”, hosted by the Bahrain Red Crescent Society (BRCS), called for a unified GCC strategy on volunteering.
“We saw an overwhelming response to calls for volunteer in Bahrain; we saw the same with government calls as well,” said BRCS Member Affairs and Public Relations Committee chairman Ali Kadhem.
“BRCS has approximately 2,000 volunteers, with 200 members always involved in activities.”
Kuwait Red Crescent Society representative Abdulla Al Hindi reflected on his team working at the Covid-19 quarantine facilities.
“During the early days of Covid-19, people were afraid to work with the infected people or in health facilities,” he explained.
“However, we received a positive response from a large number of people who wanted to volunteer with us.
“One aspect we noticed is that people preferred to work with organisations rather than as individuals because it was safer as they were trained for self-protection.”
raji@gdn.com.bh
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