Red Cross: an eight-day fundraising campaign, solidarity all year round
For its 92nd national fundraising campaign, launched on 23 May, the Red Cross mobilised all its members across France and in the overseas territories until 31 May. Against a difficult socio-economic backdrop, the Marigot branch used this week not only to raise funds, but also to raise awareness of its grassroots work, carried out throughout the year.
They are pensioners on modest incomes, single parents, people without health insurance, and those facing administrative, social, medical or financial difficulties. These are ordinary people, often overlooked, whom the Marigot Red Cross meets on a daily basis. “We don’t wait for people to ask for help; we go out to see them,” says Sabrina Habhab, head of the Mobile Social Intervention Team (EMIS). Twice a week, her teams go out on patrols through the island’s various neighbourhoods to talk to people, build connections, identify situations of distress and refer them to existing support services. For some, who are isolated and without support, the team goes a step further: they help sort out administrative issues, restore entitlements and navigate complex procedures. In addition, the Marigot centre, located in Concordia, opens its doors every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for a day centre, offering essential items, sanitary facilities, a meal and, of course, a welcoming presence. For whether they are volunteers or staff, the aim of all Red Cross members remains the same: to support, to help, to reach out. “These are people’s life stories, whose journeys are not so different from others’,” says Sabrina, who sees this commitment as “an incredible human experience”.
The EMIS also runs the Health Bus, a mobile medical unit deployed throughout the region all year round. Open to everyone, with no documents required and no fees, it offers basic medical consultations but also carries out screenings for conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and HIV. “I work with the Red Cross on this initiative because it aligns more closely with the human values of my profession,” says Manon, a nurse on the Health Bus. The social assessments carried out during each visit also feed into the Regional Social Needs Observatory, a tool that enables the association to tailor its actions to the realities on the ground.
A call for donations and volunteers
These National Days highlight a commitment that lasts all year round. Take Muriel, a recent retiree, who now devotes her time to helping people in difficulty sort out their administrative affairs: applying for benefits, putting together applications... Or Solange, who, with a smile on her face, organises the weekly meals at the day centre and gives her all to support the most vulnerable. As for Yolène, a professional first-aider who wears many hats, she runs the Marigot centre day-to-day. Because here, solidarity isn’t a one-off event; it’s a neighbourhood affair. The Red Cross is appealing for donations — money, clothes, essential items — but also for volunteers. “Everyone can help, whether with their skills or simply with their kindness.”
