The Hunger Day box collection will start on Thursday – aid is urgently needed in places like Gaza and Afghanistan right now

Currently, the Finnish Red Cross is using funds from the Disaster Relief Fund to help for example in Gaza, where the Red Cross field hospital treats mothers giving birth and saves the lives of people with life-threatening injuries.

Paramedic Kirsi Pääkkö, who recently returned from her third aid assignment in Gaza, says that the deepening of the humanitarian crisis is evident in the Red Cross field hospital.

“This assignment was the most physically and mentally taxing thus far. The situation of the civilians is truly abysmal. It also broke my heart to see local colleagues so exhausted from work and lack of food and sleep. The number of patients entering the tent for critical patients at the same time was often so high that they had to be treated on stretchers on the floor. The injuries were mostly caused by gunshots, shrapnel and explosives. Patients ranged from small children to the elderly, women and men. It was a constant struggle to make do with the medical supplies that we had,” Pääkkö says.

The field hospital located in Rafah has been constantly running beyond maximum capacity over the past months. Since the start of May 2024, the hospital has performed nearly 8,900 operations and attended over 650 childbirths.

Aid workers come bearing hope

Even though aid work in Gaza is taxing, Pääkkö is satisfied with her decision to embark on her third assignment in Rafah. The local staff are the backbone of the hospital.

“The need for aid is immense, and there, I had the opportunity to really help those in the most vulnerable situation. I feel it is important that the local people helping there see familiar faces and know that we have not forgotten them,” Pääkkö says.

The field hospital is run by the International Committee of the Red Cross in cooperation with national Red Cross societies from various countries, including the Finnish Red Cross. The Finnish Red Cross supports the hospital through funds for humanitarian aid of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and the Disaster Relief Fund of the Finnish Red Cross. Since May 2024, the Finnish Red Cross has sent health care professionals and other aid workers to the hospital on a total of 36 assignments.

Aid delivered to Afghanistan after earthquake

The funds raised on Hunger Day are not earmarked in advance and can therefore be used to help quickly when crises or disasters occur. In addition to Gaza, help is needed in places like Afghanistan, where the earthquake that happened in late August has caused sizeable damage. 

The Finnish Red Cross has supported the aid work through the Disaster Relief Fund.

“In difficult circumstances, it is particularly important to get help to those already in a vulnerable position, such as women and girls. Afghan Red Crescent teams, which include women, provide healthcare and other vital assistance in their communities,” says Head of International Disaster Management Marko Korhonen from the Finnish Red Cross.

Supporting people dealing with the aftermath of accidents in Finland

The Finnish Red Cross also uses funds from the Disaster Relief Fund to help people in Finland, including those whose homes have burned down. The aid comes in the form of psychosocial support and basic supplies to replace items lost in the fire, among other things.

In recent years, the Red Cross has used its Disaster Relief Fund to help in sudden accidents or disturbances in Finland more than three times a week on average. This aid supports the work of authorities.

On Hunger Day, anyone can help by participating as a Hunger Day box collector, digital fundraiser or donor. Instructions for box collecting and starting an online collection are available here.

The Hunger Day box collection takes place between 25 and 27 September. Online collection and donation are available until 11 October.