Empress Shôken Fund of Japan and the Kenya Red Cross Society have partnered to increase the number of youth volunteering in humanitarian work. Under the partnership, Kenya Red Cross will create an online platform for youth to sign up and engage in various volunteer activities.
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 to provide voluntary service in essential areas as well as enhancing their personal growth.
Over the years, Japan has been cooperating with Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies to provide emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education globally. 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.
“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,” said Dr. Asha Mohammed, Secretary General, Kenya Red Cross Society.
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. To achieve this, KRCS through this partnership will provide an easily accessible and youth friendly platform for young people to innovatively contribute towards humanitarian work.