The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) marked a major milestone at the Boma Hotel, celebrating its 60th Anniversary alongside the 2025 Red Cross Volunteer Awards, an emotional tribute to the thousands of volunteers who form the backbone of the country’s humanitarian response.
This year’s celebration comes at a time when Kenya is grappling with overlapping crises: worsening drought in the north, rising lake levels in the west, and deadly landslides in the Rift Valley. As the country faces its most difficult humanitarian year in recent memory, the Red Cross is placing a spotlight where it belongs, on the volunteers who respond first, and often, respond alone.
“Nearly 2 million people in Northern Kenya are hungry.”
In a powerful address, Kenya Red Cross Secretary General Dr. Ahmed Idris paid tribute to volunteers working under harsh conditions across the country.
“Nearly 2 million people in Northern Kenya are hungry due to drought. Families in Western Kenya are displaced by rising lakes. In Marakwet, loved ones are still missing after the landslides, and our volunteers are still out there, bringing hope and closure. This is what our volunteers do.”
His words captured both the scale of suffering and the depth of commitment shown by Red Cross volunteers, many of whom put their own safety at risk to assist affected communities.
60 Years of Impact, 60 Years of Humanity
The anniversary also served as a moment of reflection for an organization that has been present at every major emergency in Kenya for six decades, from famines and floods to political crises, disease outbreaks and cross-border disasters.
KRCS officials noted that millions of Kenyans have interacted with Red Cross services at some point in their lives: emergency response teams, blood donation drives, health outreach, disaster preparedness training, and community-led resilience programs.
This year’s Volunteer Awards recognized individuals and groups whose bravery, innovation and selflessness have transformed communities across the country.
A Global Movement Salutes Kenya’s Volunteers
In a message of solidarity, Marie Dubeau, Head of Delegation at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Kenya, honoured the spirit of volunteerism that fuels the Red Cross Movement worldwide.
“On this World Volunteers Day, I join Kenya Red Cross in celebrating the true champions of our Fundamental Principles. Their dedication and courage reflect the very spirit of our Movement, unwavering service to humanity.”
Her remarks underscored the global significance of volunteer-driven humanitarian action at a time when aid workers face rising dangers, shrinking resources, and mounting needs.
Humanitarian Needs Are Rising- Volunteers Are Still Showing Up
KRCS reports that climate shocks are intensifying, particularly in arid and semi-arid counties. Drought has pushed nearly two million Kenyans to the brink of hunger. Rising water levels continue to displace families in Nyanza and parts of Rift Valley, while landslides and flash floods have increased in frequency due to unstable soil and unpredictable rainfall.
In each emergency, Red Cross volunteers remain the first line of action — conducting search and recovery missions, delivering food and water, tracing missing persons, providing psychosocial support, and helping communities rebuild.
A Call to Support Those Who Serve
As Kenya faces growing humanitarian challenges, the 60th Anniversary and Volunteer Awards were both a celebration and a warning: without volunteers, the country’s emergency response system would collapse.
KRCS leadership called for greater investment in volunteer safety, equipment, and training, noting that their work is essential not just for crisis response, but for long-term resilience and national stability.
A Legacy of Service-A Future of Hope
As the evening closed, the message was clear: Kenya’s future resilience depends on the strength, courage, and compassion of its volunteers.
For 60 years, the Kenya Red Cross has stood with communities in their darkest moments. With climate shocks intensifying and humanitarian needs rising, the next 60 years will demand even more partnership, more solidarity, and more recognition of the people who, every day, choose humanity.