The harsh reality

Dear reader,

The new year is almost here. Are you already counting down? The past year has been very special. In the Netherlands, the Red Cross has never played such a crucial role as it did in 2023. Despite the fact that many people know us as an international humanitarian organization, we are increasingly forced to help in our own country as well. In the past year, we have shown our assistance in the broadest sense of the word. Food Aid, Psychosocial Support, Shelter, Restoring Family Links, Event Assistance Provider and much more. Also on the Caribbean islands, Red Cross volunteers did everything they could to help the most vulnerable people in need. So the past twelve months have been another period in which we have worked very hard. We can be proud of that. 

2023 will also go down in the books as the year with a record number of disasters. There have been seven major disasters, but there are also tragedies that receive little media attention. Consider the conflict in Ethiopia. Colleague Lisa Zitman tells you what is going on in this country in the story: Around the World.

Never before have there been so many emergencies in and around Europe. We also had to deal with five major disasters in five weeks: the earthquake in Morocco, the flood in Libya, the influx of refugees to Armenia, the earthquakes in Afghanistan and the conflict in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. In many affected areas, the Red Cross is providing emergency aid.

Partly as a result of these many terrible situations, people fled their country. In the past year, the Red Cross has provided support in various ways in the field of shelter. Derk Segaar visited shelter ‘De Markerkant’. He spoke to two residents and a number of Red Crossers.

When you have to flee your native country and a roof over your head is no longer self-evident, home takes on a different meaning. Several refugees talk about the meaning of 'home' and their dreams in the section 'My home'. What does home mean to you?

Everyone, in our country and beyond, deserves a dignified existence. It is the small gestures that make your work as a Red Crosser indispensable to your fellow man. The past three months that I have been working at the Red Cross have been incredibly intense and special. I am very impressed by the impact we have on the lives of the most vulnerable, in the Netherlands and in many other places in the world. The commitment, the passion of our volunteers, Ready2Helpers and our employees is something I have never encountered before in my life. From Els in North Limburg, to Christopher from Communicatie, Deïdre in Utrecht and Jolanda from team Events. Whether you work as a first aid instructor, board member, team leader, all-round volunteer with more than 50 years of experience, branch manager, etc. Everyone is totally focused on helping people and proud to be there for the Red Cross. That is what it is all about and what the Red Cross stands for. And that is what we will all continue in 2024. Even then, we are there for anyone who needs our help. A big compliment and a big thank you for your hard work over the past year.

Wishing you a loving and healthy 2024!

Harm Goossens
General Director