The Cayman Islands Red Cross has been very busy during the last few weeks. The Red Cross recently met with the District Commissioner Mr. Kenny Ryan and Heads of Government Departments in Cayman Brac, to discuss how the Red Cross could be involved in its community.

'We are not just Grand Cayman's Red Cross, we are the Cayman Islands Branch' said Ms. Jondo Malafa-Obi, Director, Cayman Red Cross.

First Aid training has already made the shores of the Sister Island and plans are in the works to improve and expand this programme. The Red Cross also hopes to re-implement and develop the HIV Peer Education Programme “Together We Can” as soon as possible.

With the appropriate funding, the Red Cross wants to ensure the safety of the Bracers by working with volunteers and other service clubs and organizations to ensure proper adequate training in Disaster Preparedness.

As a small community they have to be proactive with their shelter management.

During World Red Cross Week, the Cayman Islands branch joined in the celebrations with a series of activities to raise awareness of Red Cross work in the Cayman Islands. They also took the opportunity to thank some of their dedicated supporters.

Even though most of us want to give something back to the communities we live in and many of us do in one way or another, there are few that are as generous with their time as Mr. and Mrs. Ebanks of Tropical Gardens.

The couple, who have just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, have spent the last five years delivering meals to residents of West Bay as part of the Cayman Islands Red Cross “Meals on Wheels” programme. The couple, who are both retired, started participating in the scheme because they wanted to give something back to their community.

On ‘Meal’ days, they drive up to the Cracked Conch in West Bay, collect the 27 lunches and deliver them to less fortunate members of the community. They also make sure that they take the time to stop for a chat or even a hug – over the years, many of the people they deliver to have become friends.

Mr. Ebanks claims that the route takes twice as long if his wife takes the meals in from the car because she really enjoys the chance to discuss the latest news!

Mr. and Mrs. Ebanks spend a lot of their time working for the less fortunate. They have recently returned from a trip to Belize where they delivered clothes and toys to orphanages, senior’s homes and prisons as part of their video Ministry work – and still they have time to volunteer for the Red Cross!

Additionally, Maples Finance and the Cayman Islands Red Cross are working together to make Cayman Schools safer by providing free CPR training to teachers from all schools across the Island.

Teachers are learning important life savings skills such as how to deal with a choking victim, rescue breathing, CPR and First Aid. The Red Cross runs courses regularly.

VCA Training a Tremendous Success

Members of government departments and ministries, as well as Red Cross volunteers, gathered together in March for a three day Red Cross workshop aimed at increasing disaster preparedness in the Cayman Islands. The ‘Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (VCA)’ is not only a Red Cross tool that is designed to help communities identify, in advance, key areas of vulnerability but also their capacity to help themselves in the event of a disaster.

Mr. James Ryan, Chief Secretary of the Portfolio of Internal and External Affairs, opened the session and noted that it was “especially good to see that there is such a group of people to stand ready in a case of a disaster”.

Workshop participants learned how to identify the potential for hazards within our community, identify how vulnerable groups in the community are to those hazards and assess their capacity to cope with the subsequent effects.

Main facilitators of the workshop were Xavier Castellanos and Jill Marie St John of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Cross Societies.

The Red Cross will be offering the VCA workshops to Red Cross volunteers in the coming months.