The South African Red Cross Society (SARCS) National Headquarters and Mpumalanga Provincial Office participated in the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction commemorations held at ANEW Resort White River, Mbombela, on 13–14 October 2026.
Under the global theme, “Resilience Starts at Home: Building Resilient Communities through Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change,” the two-day event highlighted the importance of empowering communities to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to disasters and climate-related risks.
Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is an integral component of SARCS’s Climate Change and Disaster Management Programme. Through its dedicated staff and volunteers, SARCS works with communities to strengthen preparedness, response, recovery, and risk reduction across the disaster risk management continuum. These efforts recognise that investing in preparedness helps protect lives, safeguard livelihoods, and reduce the impact of disasters on vulnerable households.
Building resilience begins at the community level. By empowering last-mile communities, strengthening local leadership, and integrating scientific data into anticipatory action, SARCS supports a proactive approach to disaster risk management. This enables communities to translate early warnings and risk information into timely, life-saving actions before climate-related hazards and other disaster impacts escalate.
Through continued collaboration, community engagement, and inclusive disaster risk reduction initiatives, SARCS remains committed to building safer, more prepared, and resilient communities across South Africa.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The South African Red Cross Society.