Some people are born with a vision and desire to help others. For other people, however, this calling comes unexpectedly, like a lion that attacks its prey by surprise. This was certainly true of Swiss businessman Henry Dunant. In 1859, Dunant travelled to Italy wanting to see Napoleon III, the Emperor of France. At the age of 31, Dunant was already a successful businessman. However, he needed the help of Napoleon III for one of his business deals. At the time, France was fighting with the Italian army in a war against Austria. Dunant knew that Napoleon III would be with his army in northern Italy, so he travelled to the city of Solferino to look for him.
Dunant arrived on the night of 24 June and found a battlefield filled with 40,000 dead and wounded soldiers. Dunant was horrified by the scene and was filled with compassion for the wounded men. At once, Dunant forgot all about seeing Napoleon III and began attending to the wounded men. In the days that followed, he led local people in helping take care of the wounded and dying. They looked after the soldiers without regard to country or uniform, saying, “All are brothers!” After all the wounded in Solferino had either died or been taken away, Dunant went to military hospitals and continued to act as a volunteer, helping as best as he could.
When Dunant returned to Switzerland the following month, he wrote a book about his experience called A Memory of Solferino. The book ends with a simple question: “Would it not be possible, in time of peace and quiet, to form relief societies for the purpose of having care given to the wounded in wartime by zealous, devoted, and thoroughly qualified volunteers?” This question eventually led to the forming of the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1863.
The first act of the Red Cross was to organise an international conference (the Geneva Convention) where countries adopted guidelines and measures for protecting the wounded and medical workers during and after battles. In the years since then, the Red Cross has been active in just about every war, helping to care for both soldiers and civilians. While the Red Cross is mostly tasked with helping people in times of war, it also responds to natural disasters and gives aid to people who have to leave their homes. For example, the Red Cross provided aid and relief after the May 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake in Sichuan, China.
All around the world, the Red Cross continues to help civilians caught in war, providing medical assistance, feeding the needy, and offering many other types of aid. To help meet the need for aid, most countries have National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Not only do these societies provide support to Red Cross efforts in other countries, but they also help prepare their own communities for disasters, provide medical services, and teach first-aid and life-saving techniques.
Much of the work done by volunteers and workers in the Red Cross is difficult. They tend to work in places of crisis, where there is war, conflict, or disaster, and where conditions are quite poor. However, their work is also both rewarding and important. They provide food, shelter, medical supplies, and medical care to those in need. They help prepare communities and gather supplies and materials for future disasters. And, in many cases, they remain at work even after conflicts and disasters have passed, and lead development efforts.
Sometimes the work is even dangerous. Since 1993, about 40 workers for the International Red Cross have been killed. However, Red Cross workers think that it is worth it. As one Red Cross volunteer said, “We are the Red Cross—we will be there. No matter how hard it is, we will be there.”
Most of the people who receive help from the Red Cross are very grateful for the help, and some even want to return the favour and help others now that they themselves have received help. For example, Salaymana is now a volunteer with the Italian Red Cross. In 2016, he escaped from conflict in his home country in Africa by getting on a boat to Italy. Crossing the Mediterranean in a small boat was very hard, and many of the people who travelled with him died during the journey. However, when Salaymana arrived in Italy, the first people he met were Red Cross volunteers, who gave him food, medical attention, a place to stay, and much needed comfort. As Salaymana said later, “I am very happy now. They are my brothers, and the Red Cross is always in my heart.”
Dunant himself gave up everything he had to help others. His business failed because he was too busy with his work in the Red Cross. Then Dunant had to leave the Red Cross because of a personal conflict. Despite this, he continued to work as a volunteer, helping provide relief to people caught up in war. In the end, he lost all his money, fell ill, and had to be taken in by a charity. By this time, the Red Cross had become famous, but he was mostly forgotten. In the last years of his life, though, he was discovered by a newspaper reporter. From then on, he was celebrated around the world as the man responsible for saving many thousands of lives. Though he is long gone, his spirit continues with us until this day.