Red Vest
Red Vest is a podcast from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies that introduces listeners to the people behind humanitarian work. Each episode features conversations with individuals who have devoted their careers to helping others in times of crisis. Guests discuss the complexities of today's emergencies, the solutions being developed, and the personal motivation that keeps them going. The red vest serves as the show's symbol of hope and comfort arriving when help is needed most.
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Recipe for hope: Can a blend of tradition and innovation stave off severe food insecurity in Cameroon
In this special Red Vest podcast episode, we start our journey with a group of women in Cameroon's Far North region as they mix and stir a mix of nuts, flour, grains and other ingredients in big metal pots. In many places around the world, the sweet energy-packed mixture they are producing could be marketed as a super-rich power drink, favoured by fitness buffs and body-conscious dieters. But here
Quiet Strength: During three years of conflict in Sudan, these remarkable people continue to help others despite the costs
Three years of conflict in Sudan have caused the largest mass displacement of people in the world. While the crisis gets little outside attention and support, the people of Sudan persevere. In this episode of Red Vest podcast, we hear from the people working every day to get the word out, and make life better for millions of people stuck in limbo, living in makeshift tents and shelters in massive
Beyond limits: How volunteering opens doors and pushes the boundardies of what’s possible
Part 2 in Red Vest podcast's series for the International Year of Volunteers. In this episode Red Vest podcast takes you around the world, from Switzerland to Venezuela and Myanmar, to explore the many ways volunteering opens up new pathways and opportunities even as it pushes people beyond their comfort zone. We share these stories because too often they go untold, despite the fact that locally b
The volunteer heart: Why are so many so driven to help others? Part 1 in a special 'Year of the Volunteer' series.
With 2026 being designated as the ‘Year of the Volunteers’, Red Vest launches the first in a series of podcasts exploring the key questions and challenges at the heart of volunteering. In this episode, we visit a welcome centre for refugees in Geneva, Switzerland where we explore the question at the heart of volunteering: what is it that drives people to help others, even when there’s no expectati
Climate of storms: A string of recent super storms expose the human costs of a warming world
Even in places where tropical storms are normal a part of life, the destructive power of Hurricane Melissa and the two recent Typhoons in the Philippines came as a shock to the millions of people who lived through them. When Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica, for example, it was classified as a Category 5 — the strongest storm the island nation has ever experienced. Why are tropical
Fighting hunger through the power of motherhood and fatherhood
This episode Red Vest podcast takes you on an immersive journey to remote villages in northern Nigeria. There, you will meet the Mothers Clubs and Papas Clubs that are challenging social norms in order to tackle a severe and persistent hunger crisis and improve the health of their communities. We’ll also introduce you to another very important character known as “Tom Brown. “ But you’ll have to li
Lost and found at sea: Saving lives and coping with loss aboard an ocean rescue vessel.
It’s one of the most demanding and unusual humanitarian missions happening in the world today, and it’s being carried out at sea, by the crew of the Ocean Viking rescue vessel. Chartered by SOS MEDITERRANEE in partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the ship patrols the Mediterranean Sea to rescue people in deep distress at sea. Crew
‘A month of giving’ during ‘unprecedented suffering’: IFRC’s director for the Middle East and North Africa reflects on Ramadan and acts of kindness amidst conflict and tragedy
As Muslims around the world celebrate Ramadan, IFRC’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, Hossam Elsharkawi, reflects on the humanitarian crises impacting his region and on what Muslims consider a sacred month of fasting, giving and prayer. “Through fasting, you feel what's it like to be hungry, what's it like to be thirsty,” says Elsharkawi. “Ramadan is al
Big challenges, uncertain times. A talk with Loyce Pace, IFRC’s new regional director for the Americas
How will technology shape the way we respond to emergencies? What is ‘human biology’ and how is it connected to human rights? What are the big challenges ahead for global health during uncertain times? Loyce Pace, IFRC’s new Regional Director for the America, is well placed to explore these questions. With a long background in community and global health advocacy, she most recently served as Assis
‘I know what it takes to experience that level of vulnerability’ – IFRC’s new regional director for Africa talks about the challenges ahead
What does it take to manage humanitarian crisis response for a massive continent dealing with a wide range of challenges – conflict, mass population movements, epidemics, tropical storms, drought and a widespread hunger crisis. Find out how IFRC’s new regional director for the Africa region, Charles Businge, plans to tackle these challenges and how his upbringing in Uganda shaped him for the task
Unpacking trust – that invisible yet critical element – with Jessie Thomson, IFRC’s head of delegation in Türkiye
Trust is not easy to quantify. But without it, many things in life become impossible. Humanitarian work is no exception. Jessie Thomson, IFRC’s head of delegation in Türkiye, shares what she’s learned about building trust, including some essential, concrete behaviours that build trust among partners, the public and work teams. When trust is present, she says, people are more effective, innovative
Speaking up for people in crisis: Unpacking ‘humanitarian diplomacy’ with IFRC’s Dylan Winder
Most people have some idea of what is meant by diplomacy. But what is ‘humanitarian diplomacy?’ Dylan Winder, permanent observer to the United Nations and director of global humanitarian diplomacy at the IFRC, says it’s about speaking up and finding solutions for people caught in crisis, who find themselves in vulnerable situations but don’t have a voice in the halls of power. These days, it also
The meaning of water: For Guillermo Sanchez, giving water is not just about saving lives. It’s about helping people reclaim their inherent dignity
“I was always told that water is life,” says Guillermo Sanchez, a water, sanitation and hygiene specialist for the Panamanian Red Cross who lives and works in the Darien Gap, a stretch of undeveloped jungle that connects South and Central America. “But I never really appreciated what that meant until I was able to see water really save the lives of people coming out of the Darien Gap.” This
Whether telling a story with photos or riding his bicycle across a continent, Brad Zerivitz says connecting with people is what it’s all about.
Behind the lens of a camera or the handlebars of a bicycle, Brad Zerivitz is driven by the desire to connect with his fellow humans. “I don't approach somebody with the camera in front of my face,” says Zerivitz, senior director of visual communications for the American Red Cross. “I approach them first as a Red Crosser and as a person.” By listening and making that personal connection, people fee
‘Climate-preneurship’: One young Ghanian’s response to the worsening impacts of climate change
Climate change is hurting everyone in Ghana, but it’s hitting young people particularly hard, says Abudi Razak, volunteer and national youth president for the Ghana Red Cross. Droughts in the north and floods down south mean that crop yields and incomes are low, while the cost of living is skyrocketing. Young people see their futures evaporating. Razak’s response is to motivate young people take m
International law expert Vasilka Sancin says humanity must seize a critical chance to get ahead of advancing technology
With new technologies changing our lives in rapid and radical ways, Vasilka Sancin says this is a time of unprecedented opportunity. “This is an enormous opportunity for humankind to act preventatively, to address issues ahead of any potential disasters,” says Sancin, an international law expert who serves as Vice-President of the Slovenian Red Cross and as a member of the United Nations Human Rig
A pioneer for women in humanitarian leadership talks about gender equity in the ‘peculiar profession’ of humanitarian relief work
“It’s a peculiar profession,” Margareta Wahlström says when asked about her life as a humanitarian aid worker. Wahlström has worked in crisis situations from Vietnam to Cambodia to Afghanistan, and she held high-level positions at both the United Nations and the Swedish Red Cross. Along with a stressful work culture that often rewards a certain workaholic “cowboy” mentality, the “peculi
New IFRC Youth Commission leader: Young volunteers want real influence, not ‘box-checking’ exercises
Young people do not fit into “cookie-cutter” stereotypes, says Michelle Chew, IFRC’s newly elected Youth Commission Chair. “Young people are very diverse and only by valuing and accepting all forms of young people can we engage communities properly.” While young people are gaining influence, she says efforts to engage with youth can seem like “box-checking exercises” that end up turnin
Climate change, economic uncertaintly and the future of volunteering: IFRC youth leader takes on the hot issues impacting young people
When Bas van Rossum was elected to represent youth on the Governing Board of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), he was the youngest person to have ever served in that role. Now as he steps down as president of IFRC’s Youth Commission, he talks about the challenges ahead. “Young people are perhaps the closest to the front lines,” he says, during a special e
‘The worst year for humanitarians’: IFRC Secretary General at UN General Assembly presses for urgent action to protect humanitarian workers
The vast majority of humanitarians killed in the last decade are not foreign aid workers, but local humanitarians who often face grave dangers simply trying to save lives in the communities where they live, says IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain in this special episode, recorded during the United Nations General Assembly in late September. “More than 95 per cent of the humanitarians killed ha
The ‘toxic’ hero narrative: Red Cross youth leader says calling volunteers ‘heroes’ all the time can actually put them at great risk
It’s quite common to refer to volunteers and first-responders as ‘heroes’. After all, they often risk their lives to save others. But in some cases, can that hero narrative do more harm than good? Ukraine Red Cross volunteer and IFRC Youth Commission member Maryna Kozhedub answers unequivocally ‘yes’, especially for young volunteers. Calling them heroes in conflict situations puts unreal expectati
Award-winning photojournalist talks about walking with migrants through Central America’s perilous Darién Gap
Federico Rios Escobar has spent more than a decade documenting the epic struggles of migrants in South and Central America. The hardships they face in the roadless jungle known as the Darien Gap go beyond anything he’s seen before. “There’s only one way to cross and it’s on foot,” he says. “There's the mud, rain, humidity, the hot sun, rivers that suddenly grow, landslides — and many migrants have
Saving lives and saving the planet — all part of daily business for the Costa Rican Red Cross
Can Costa Rica’s largest ambulance fleet become completely carbon neutral? How can we better work with the forces of nature to protect our communities from natural calamities? Is it possible to save lives and save the planet at the same time? These are some of the questions that the first woman president of the Costa Rican Red Cross, Dyanne Marenco Gonzalez, tackles during this wide-ranging interv
Why the Ukraine conflict should change the way we respond to large-scale crises. A talk with IFRC’s former Ukraine operations manager Violaine des Rosiers
A 25-year veteran of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, Violaine des Rosiers has served as an emergency response humanitarian worker in more than 30 countries, including Palestine, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Liberia and, most recently, Ukraine. In her home country of Canada, she also served as CEO of two social innovation organizations. With all these experiences, she has a lot to say about ways humanita
Born in a refugee camp in Gaza, Mohammed Alburai became a double refugee when he sought safety for his family in Slovenia. Now he helps other refugees as a cultural mediator for the Slovenian Red Cross / People in the Red Vest / Episode 9, Season 2
Born in the Deir El-Balah refugee camp in Gaza, Mohammed Alburai worked as a volunteer ambulance driver for the Palestine Red Crescent before leaving for Slovenia in 2019. Now a cultural mediator and translator for the Slovenian Red Cross, Mohammed helps migrants and refugees cope with their new life in Slovenia. He helps migrants connect with lost family members, organizes sports and social event
From dentist to humanitarian leader, Dr. Asha Mohammed’s passion and leadership now focused on Africa’s biggest challenges
Dr. Asha Mohammed began her career as a dentist in low-income communities in Kenya. Her passion for helping others and her evident leadership skills led her to key roles battling HiV/AIDS and, eventually, to the role of Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross. She now serves as IFRC’s Permanent Representative to the African Union and International Organizations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. From ther
With climate change posing an existential threat to many cultures and communities, it’s time to take the mental health fallout a lot more seriously
Eco-anxiety is a relatively new term in the lexicon of psychology, but it’s gaining more attention. In a world facing an existential threat from climate change — and many communities already facing tremendous upheaval — the mental health impacts of climate change are impossible to ignore. People who rely on farming, fishing, or whose cultures are connected to natural cycles, are being deeply affec
Part 2 of our interview with the first person to visit every country in the world without flying. The humanity of volunteers helped keep me going.
Torbjørn ‘Thor’ C. Pedersen not only travelled to every country in the world without flying. He also visited nearly every National Red Cross and Red Crescent Society in the world and wrote stories for his travel blog about their response to a staggering variety of humanitarian challenges. “My motivation to continue and not give up came from different sources at different times,” he told us. “Somet
He went to every country in the world without flying. His key takeaway: forget the headlines, people are good.
Part 1 of our interview with Torbjørn ‘Thor’ C. Pedersen, the first person to visit every country in the world without ever taking an airplane. But that’s not his only distinction. He also visited nearly every National Red Cross and Red Crescent Society in the world and wrote stories for his travel blog about their response to a staggering variety of humanitarian challenges. His key
‘Regardless of culture, country, creed, language or religion’ — The first woman president of the Turkish Red Crescent Society talks about the big humanitarian challenges ahead and how to ensure all people have a seat at the table
As the first female president of the Turkish Red Crescent, Dr. Fatma Meriç Yilmaz talks about her National Society’s role in supporting one of the world’s largest refugee populations and in running the world’s most ambitious humanitarian cash assistance programmes. She also discusses the continuing impacts from the earthquake that struck Türkiye and Syria in Feb 2023. As a champion of women in hum
Local communities and youth must drive the global climate change agenda says IFRC climate champion
Ani Gevorgyan’s life as a humanitarian began when she was 14 years old and she signed up to bring joy, art and activity into the lives of refugee children. Two years later, the young volunteer for the Armenian Red Cross was organizing “eco-runs” in which people combined physical activity with environmental clean ups. Now, as an IFRC Climate Champion, she spreads the word about climate action at hi
Humanitarian leaders talk about how far we’ve come in gender equity and the gaps that remain
Special International Women's Day episode: Kate Forbes, the newly elected president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies joins the organization’s Secretary General Jagan Chapagain in a wide-ranging conversation about the critical importance of gender equity in humanitarian action. They look at how far the humanitarian sector has come and what needs to be don
Two years into the escalation of conflict in Ukraine, ‘we have helped 18 million people’ thanks to our neutrality - Episode 2, Season 2 / People in the Red Vest
IFRC’s regional director for Europe talks about the conflict that has impacted not just the European continent, but the entire world. Birgitte Bischoff Ebbesen explains how the principle of neutrality — along with an inspiring level of humanitarian solidarity — has helped the IFRC assist some 18 million people impacted by the crisis. Mental health services are no
‘I wasn't surprised, but I was still shocked’: IFRC’s new president takes on today’s toughest humanitarian challenges - People in the Red Vest / Episode 1, Season 2
Inspired by her mother’s work helping migrant farm workers in the southwestern United States, Kate Forbes grew up understanding how hard people struggle for a better life. Starting as a Red Cross volunteer at her local branch, she now leads the world’s largest network of local humanitarian organizations. As newly elected president of the IFRC, Forbes talks about extraordinary volunteers she’s met
Flipping a common humanitarian narrative about a vast, diverse and dynamic region – People in the Red Vest / Episode 8
In this episode, Alexander Matheou challenges a common humanitarian narrative about the Asia Pacific region being “disaster prone.” Yes, it is particularly vulnerable to climate-related events — and it has more than its share of volcanos and earthquakes — but it’s also leading the way in life-saving prevention, preparedness and humanitarian innovation. As IFRC’s regional director for the Asia Paci
A near-death experience on a motorcycle steered Xaveir Castellanos to a life helping others – People in the Red Vest / Episode 7
Xavier Castellanos was 13 years old when he joined a Red Cross club at his high school in Ecuador. But it wasn’t until he experienced a serious motorcycle accident that his life took a serious turn toward a career helping others. The teenage Castellanos almost died in the crash, in part because no one nearby knew how to help. So he rejoined the Red Cross, retook first-aid training and his lifelong
Rescued from armed conflict as a child, Hossam Elsharkawi has devoted his life to helping others – People in the Red Vest / Episode 6
Hossam Elsharkawi was three years old when the Red Cross brought him to safety following the outbreak of an armed conflict. It’s no wonder his life path led him to a career helping others. He earned a doctorate degree in public health and has spent his career working to care for others in dire and often dangerous situations around the world. Now Regional Director for the IFRC in the Middle East an
Breaking the mold on how to finance recovery and rebuilding after crisis - People in the Red Vest / Episode 5
In this episode: breaking the mold on the way humanitarian organizations finance recovery and rebuilding after crisis. We talk with Nena Stoiljkovic, IFRC’s Undersecretary General for Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization about new, innovative finance tools to help people and communities get back on their feet quickly after crisis.
Helping fellow refugees cope with the stress of conflict, migration and starting over - People in the Red Vest / Episode 4
Nataliia Korniienko knows firsthand the psychological and emotional stresses of conflict, migration and living as a refugee. In 2022, she was a mental health and psychosocial field officer for the ICRC when conflict finally forced her and her daughter to leave for Poland. Now her experience as a psychologist, former Ukrainian Red Cross technical adviser and refugee is helping her provide services
Bringing hope to the people of Afghanistan - People in the Red Vest / Episode 3
In this episode, we explore the dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan with Homa Nader, Manager of Strategic Engagement and Partnership in the IFRC country office in Kabul. Four years of drought, economic sanctions and the legacy of conflict are just a few factors that have left some 34 million Afghans facing extreme hardship. We spoke with Homa about the daily challenges for average Afghans,
Planting hope amid the hunger - People in the Red Vest / Episode 2
A regional leader in the fight against food insecurity in Africa, Mahabub Maalim knows first-hand the impact that hunger has on people and communities. Growing up in eastern Kenya, he’s seen how cycles of drought, crop loss and hunger have become more frequent and more severe. He’s dedicated his life to helping communities develop local solutions and he now he serves as special advisor to IFRC’s r
From volunteer to humanitarian leader - People in the Red Vest / Episode 1
Jagan Chapagain was 14 years old when he joined the Nepal Red Cross as a volunteer. Now as Secretary General of the IFRC, he leads the world’s largest humanitarian volunteer network. In this debut episode, Chapagain talks about today's greatest humanitarian challenges and opportunities. He explains why humanitarians need to change the way they think and talk about the critical work of he
Red Vest - People and stories that inform and inspire
Through all the great events of our times — from storms to earthquakes to conflict — the people of the Red Cross Red Crescent are there. Their emblems and Red Vests are symbols that help has arrived. Welcome to Season 4 of People in the Red Vest, a podcast brought to you by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). We invite you to join us every two weeks fo
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