Written by Bayissa Adare, Skybird Program Coordinator at Ethiopia Red Cross Society (ERCS)
Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) delegation held an experience sharing visit to Rwanda Red Cross Society (RRCS) from January 16-20, 2023.
The team was welcomed by the secretary general and senior management members during a visit to RRCS head office. The team visited the Emergency medical service (EMS) & First Aid Training Center and the call center facility. The team appreciated how the ambulance service is provided which are equipped with modern medical equipment nationwide and provides services to the community with qualified medical professionals. The training center has its own training curriculums providing trainings on Basic First Aid, First Aid for First Aid Responder, Workplace First Aid, First Aid for Youth, Fire safety and Emergency Medical Care. The call center provides ambulance calls, vehicle movement control/GPS tracking, emergency response, counseling services, Family Restoring activity and other humanitarian assistance to the society who are in need of the service. The team also visited Rwanda Red Cross Library and Museum at RRCS head office.
ERCS team traveled to Rustiro district and visited various WASH and Livelihood project activities including a water treatment plant, water points and school latrine. It was a great learning experience for the team in terms of the quality of construction, cleanliness and inclusiveness of the school latrine.
ERCS team visited Kirimbi and Gihombo sectors in Nyamasheke district where RRCS implemented the Skybird project as well as other projects related to integrated food security and WASH in schools. The project supported local vegetable growing cooperatives through the production of fertilizer from ecological sanitation facilities on school grounds. The project team at RRCS implemented ECOSAN latrines at school from where the diverted urine and excreta is distributed into the fields of a women farming cooperative who use it as organic fertilizer to increase crop production. You can read more about the project here: https://skybird-wash.net/2022/03/30/how-rwanda-red-cross-connected-the-use-of-human-urine-to-food-security/
