Overseas Support Group

Why China? extreme poverty is an ever-present reality, particularly in rural parts of China around half the population of China, 500 million people, live on less than $US2 per day China is prone to natural disasters including floods, hurricanes, droughts and snowstorms natural disasters are a major cause of poverty in many rural areas in 2007 alone, almost 200 million people were affected by the worst flooding in a decade.

Nearly 20 per cent of the world's poor live in China

How Red Cross helps Red Cross has been at the cutting edge of disaster relief activities for almost one hundred years -- but we are also working with communities to limit the harm disasters do to people, property and the environment. Increasingly, we work with communities to identify their disaster risks and strengthen knowledge, practice, and problem-solving to minimise disaster impact. Red Cross also has a special asset which is extremely valuable: a widespread network of volunteers who can mobilise communities to address preparedness and safety measures, assist in rapid assessment of the damage, organise initial first aid and rescue efforts, and assist in relief distribution.

The Red Cross approach is to work with communities to identify their disaster risks, and strengthen knowledge, practice and problem-solving.

How you can help

You can help us reduce the impact of disasters in rural China by making a donation or supporting the activities of the Overseas Support Group. The Overseas Support Group conducts fundraising events and awareness activities to raise the profile of Australian Red Cross international aid programs and is coordinated by Red Cross volunteers.

What does it cost to help? On average it costs around $12,000 to help one Chinese village prepare for potential natural disasters. This level of funding enables us to: create gender-balanced village disaster committees, to provide a greater voice and support for women, the elderly and children prepare village disaster preparedness plans train local Red Cross staff, volunteers and communities to prepare for disasters as well as build their own knowledge, including first aid training help villages build or repair basic infrastructure such as water supplies, canals, bridges, flood gates, roads or water pipes and levee banks Activities carried out in each village will be determined by the local committees and will depend on local needs. For example: building a water container and pipe in one village costs around $5000 and brings safe drinking water to around 300 people establishing and running an organising committee that builds disaster preparedness plans and oversees the communities' activities costs around $1000.

Find out more:

	Read more about the Red Cross China Disaster Preparedness Project
	Past projects of the Overseas Support Group
	UN Development Program's Human Development Report
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies website:
	Special section: China -- news, stories and updates
	Worst floods in 50 years force many Chinese to seek higher ground (July 2007)
	China floods test efforts to narrow urban-rural divide (August 2007)