The year-long project is designed to encourage participation of youth in volunteering online amidst the COVID-19 pandemic which has limited physical interaction. Kenya Red Cross targets 10,000 youth aged 18-30 years who will provide voluntary service in essential areas as well as enhancing their personal growth. Japan has been cooperating with Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies to provide emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education all over the world. The Empress Shôken Fund which is named after Her Majesty the Empress of Japan has over 100 years supported a wide range of initiatives and projects of National Societies within the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. During a bilateral meeting with Dr. Asha Mohammed, Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross Society, at the Embassy of Japan in Kenya, Ambassador Horie Ryoichi acknowledged the important role of Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies in humanitarian work and emergency response. “I expect that this cooperation through the Empress Shôken Fund will strongly contribute to the humanitarian and emergency response work of the Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, I also welcome the innovative approach of using an online platform to encourage and facilitate youth volunteering, which has a great potential to accelerate volunteerism in Kenya,” said the Ambassador. One of Kenya Red Cross Society’s strategic goal is to improve knowledge and skills of the youth in Kenya who form the biggest percentage of its humanitarian response work by empowering them socially and economically. To achieve this, and to have efficient mechanisms for volunteerism, KRCS through this partnership will provide an easily accessible and youth friendly platform for young people to innovatively contribute towards humanitarian work. “For a long time, youth in Kenya have demonstrated desire to offer their time, skills and resources towards volunteering for the good of the community. Indeed 80%of Kenya Red Cross’ 217,000 volunteers are young people. The support from the Empress Shoken Fund on digital volunteerism will bring a unique way for them to access volunteerism opportunities remotely and deliver tasks related to our humanitarian work efficiently.” Dr. Asha Mohammed, Secretary General, Kenya Red Cross Society.
