Global Emergency Fund

Global Emergency Fund Update: Supporting Communities Through Crisis and Recovery

Thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, the Australian Red Cross Global Emergency Fund has continued to provide flexible, fast and effective humanitarian assistance to people impacted by disasters and crises around the world. Your support allows Red Cross and Red Crescent teams to respond where needs are greatest, delivering life-saving assistance while helping communities recover with dignity.

During this period, as well as supporting communities with existing needs, the Global Emergency Fund support contributed to Red Cross and Red Crescent responses to two significant disasters: the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela and the flash floods in Nepal. Flexible funding has been critical in allowing local Red Cross teams to adapt their support as community needs evolve.

Venezuela: Supporting recovery after devastating earthquakes

In June 2026, two powerful earthquakes struck north-central Venezuela, causing widespread destruction and affecting thousands of families. Three months later, communities continue to face significant challenges, including limited access to safe water, healthcare and essential services.

Led by the Venezuelan Red Cross and supported by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the response has evolved from immediate relief to longer-term recovery. To date:

• More than 5,800 families have received essential relief items including hygiene kits, blankets, water filters and shelter materials.
• Red Cross teams have distributed over 316,000 litres of safe water and established hydration points in affected communities.
• More than 20,800 health services have been delivered, including 5,400 mental health and psychosocial support sessions.
• New community centres are helping people access water, sanitation, health support, child-friendly activities and safe spaces to reconnect with their communities.

As recovery continues, support is helping families rebuild their lives while strengthening community resilience for the future.

Nepal: Helping communities recover from catastrophic floods

In August 2026, severe flash floods swept through northern Nepal, destroying homes, roads, bridges and vital infrastructure, and leaving many communities isolated. Local Nepal Red Cross volunteers were among the first responders, providing emergency assistance despite significant access challenges.

With support from the wider Red Cross Red Crescent Movement:

• Communities received emergency shelter, safe drinking water and essential relief supplies.
• Water tanks were installed to provide clean water to thousands of people whose water systems had been destroyed.
• Health services, hygiene support and psychosocial care were delivered to affected families.
• Child-friendly spaces were established to help children cope with the emotional impacts of the disaster.
• Food and relief supplies were airlifted into communities cut off by damaged roads and bridges.

Australian Red Cross supporters played an important role in enabling this response. Between 27 August and 30 September 2026, donations to the Global Emergency Fund were directed to the Nepal Flash Floods response. During this period, support helped reach more than 37,000 people, including providing shelter assistance to over 9,000 people and water, sanitation and hygiene support to more than 21,000 people.

Why flexible funding matters

While many donations during this period supported the responses in Nepal and Venezuela, the Global Emergency Fund also helps Australian Red Cross respond to other urgent and often underreported humanitarian crises. Flexible funding allows support to be directed where it is needed most, whether that is after a sudden disaster, during a protracted conflict, or in communities facing ongoing humanitarian challenges.

Your generosity helps ensure Red Cross teams can act quickly, stay alongside communities throughout recovery, and support people to rebuild their lives with dignity.

Thank you

Thank you for helping communities around the world prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters and crises. Your support makes it possible for local Red Cross and Red Crescent teams to deliver vital humanitarian assistance when and where it is needed most.