What we do

Learn more about how VRCS strives to improve the lives of Vanuatu's most vulnerable people and build a more resilient Vanuatu.

Find out more about VRCS programs including climate change adaptation, disaster management, health & WASH, protection and humanitarian law across Vanuatu.

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Vanuatu Red Cross Disaster Managment

Climate Change Adaptation

Our climate change adaptation work focuses on raising awareness about climate change and working with communities to develop local solutions.

This project aims to help communities to develop a greater understanding of climate variability and climate change impacts in their area, and implement actions to increase their resilience. These actions address existing risks while also increasing long-term resilience by strengthening practices in agriculture, water and natural resource management.

We assist communities in the implementation of specific adaptation activities, as well as increasing community knowledge by holding awareness sessions on topics including erosion, rainwater harvesting and climate resilient crop production.

Disaster Management

Vanuatu is known as one of the most disaster prone countries in the world. Disasters can be very damaging to social and economic infrastructure, the environment, property and general development. Giving communities the skills to reduce and respond to disaster risks is an important part of our work

Disaster Management

Vanuatu is known as one of the most disaster prone countries in the world. Disasters can be very damaging to social and economic infrastructure, the environment, property and general development. Giving communities the skills to reduce and respond to disaster risks is an important part of our work

Disaster Response

Disaster Response helps to reduce the impact of a disaster and its long term results. Relief activities carried out by VRCS in response to disasters include (but are not limited to) rescue, relocation, provision of food and water, prevention of disease and disability and provision of temporary shelter.

Disaster Preparedness

Disaster Preparedness aims to minimise the loss of life and amount of damage in the event of a disaster. By pre-positioning relief supplies in each of Vanuatu's provinces, expanding our presence in remote areas, increasing community resilience and strengthening the skills of communities, we can help reduce the impact of disasters.

Preparedness activities include community risk assessments, awareness sessions, first aid training, the development of mitigation and response plans, the improvement of early warning systems and the establishment of Community Disaster and Climate Change Committees.

Protection, Gender and Inclusion

In 2024-25, the VRCS undertook the 'Empowering Resilience; Addressing Gender-based Violence in Emergency Situations in Vanuatu' project. This project was proudly sponsored by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) through the Empress Shôken Fund.

In emergency situations, Vanuatu consistently faces issues related to gender-based violence (GBV). This pilot project helped the VRCS identify gaps in addressing GBV issues within the community, and has given the VRCS broader ideas on how to mitigate the risk of GBV.

This initiative aimed to address pressing issues affecting individuals and communities, particularly women and children, and included an 8-day awareness campaign across 14 communities and 10 schools.

The Empress Shôken Fund, which enabled this project, is named after Her Majesty The Empress Shôken of Japan, one of the founders of the Japanese Red Cross Society. At the 9th International Conference of the Red Cross, held in 1912, she proposed the creation of an international fund to promote relief work of National Societies in peacetime.

The Fund has a total value of more than 17 million Swiss francs and supports projects run by National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to benefit their communities in various ways.

The Fund encourages National Societies to explore new and innovative approaches to humanitarian and development issues—generating learning that will benefit the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement as a whole. The VRCS was honoured to benefit from this fund to strengthen our communities.

Volunteer Alex Noble with beneficiary Eratap Jan 2025

Health & WASH

We work to improve the health and wellbeing of vulnerable communities across Vanuatu through a range of health

Health Programs

Our health programmes include Community Based Health & First Aid (CBHFA), Epidemic Control for Volunteers (ECV), Psychosocial First Aid (PFA), and other health activities targeting the main health issues around Vanuatu before, during and after a disaster.

Trained staff and volunteers support communities around Vanuatu to help them understand the different health issues within their communities and educate them about preventative measures, and how to respond during an encounter of the disease/health issue

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH)

The Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Promotion programme focuses on supporting community planning in mitigating the impact of disasters by coping with water challenges.

This includes increasing access to water, improving hygiene practices, building new gravity-fed water systems, the construction or repair of rainwater harvesting systems, latrine training, system maintenance training for communities, staff hygiene promotion training, and community hygiene awareness training.

Vanuatu Red Cross Health Wash

Humanitarian Law

The Law and Fundamental Principles programme involves advocating for a wider understanding of the Fundamental Principles and the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement.

These humanitarian values provide the foundation for our work, promoting social inclusion and reducing discrimination.

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