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The moments, days, and years following a disaster or emergency will be felt differently by each person who was affected. Some groups of people are more vulnerable to the impacts of these events than others – recognizing those unique vulnerabilities is an important part of preparing for, and responding to disasters and emergencies. The Canadian Red Cross is working with partner National Societies and the IFRC to help ensure the needs of the most vulnerable are met during times of emergencies and disasters.

On a stifling and humid afternoon in November, Julekha ‘Juli’ Akter sat on the floor of a small tent for families in the transit camp for vulnerable people arriving in Bangladesh after fleeing violence in Myanmar. The 18-year-old Bangladesh Red Crescent Society volunteer held the hand of an elderly woman, never breaking eye contact as the newcomer tearfully explained her journey.

A tiny baby, wrapped tightly in blankets, his face just peeking out, sleeps tucked up against his resting mother, under the watchful eye of his grandmother. It’s a scene that plays out all over the world, but in the Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh on Nov. 25 this story nearly had a different ending.

After the bitterly cold weeks and multiple storms we have had this year, many of you will be heading for sunnier climes in the coming weeks. Before you stretch out on a lounge chair to catch some rays, here are a few tips for a safer trip.

Amid swirling dust clouds and gnarly thorn bushes in the dry, arid landscape of northern South Sudan, a water point is enveloped with women’s laughter. A group of women catch up during their morning errand to collect nearby water. It hasn’t always been like this in Pacyic village. Before the water point was rehabilitated by the Red Cross, women and girls would trek more than two hours by foot to the river side three times a day, often risking their safety and security for a few litres of water.

For International Women’s Day (March 8), we’re bringing together a collection of stories depicting remarkable women who have made a contribution to Red Cross efforts whether through international aid, volunteering with us or putting our programs, such as bullying and violence prevention, into action.

Even in the heat, the woven bamboo siding on the Canadian Red Cross mobile medical clinic in Kutupalong camp keeps it cool inside. Sherry Humphrey, a registered nurse, sits next to her translator on a short red stool as the pair works out why Halima came to the clinic.

At the Canadian Red Cross, we talk a lot about personal preparedness. Be ready for disasters by knowing the risks, making a plan, and getting an emergency kit. But how does the Red Cross prepare for these situations?