RedR India
About Us
A national humanitarian organisation building capacities and maintaining a roster of professionals for disaster response and risk reduction work across India and the region.
What We Do
Our Work
Each year millions of people around the world feel the effects of natural disaster and conflicts. RedR improves the effectiveness of disaster relief, helps saving and rebuilding the lives of people affected by disaster worldwide. We do this by delivering essential trainings and support to relief organisations and their staff members, also by supplying skilled professionals to humanitarian and risk reduction programmes. Our work helps to ensure that the right people with the right skills are responding to global emergencies, and enabling both local and international relief workers to react to the needs of those affected and at risk from disasters, efficiently and safely.
The complexity inherent in disaster management brings several challenges and calls for intervention of various stakeholders, each with a distinct role to play. Inherent to effective responses and recovery is disaster preparedness and risk reduction, both before and after disasters, which centers on building capacities, resources and investments for resilience. RedR India works on engaging with these challenges through its four programme portfolios.
In essence, RedR is about PEOPLE. Disasters affect people and their environs, and it is people who cope with disaster risk — and in all disasters, people are the first responders.
Studies & Reviews
Analytical enquiry into the humanitarian and DRR sector, or specific elements of it, to further inform humanitarian and DRR programming. These projects involve critical analysis of at-risk contexts, applying diverse qualitative and quantitative research methods.
Assessments & Evaluations
Across the Disaster Risk Management Cycle — emergency needs assessments, rapid needs assessments within 48–72 hours of a disaster, multi-sector assessments, real-time evaluations, and response & recovery evaluations.
Capacity Building
Sector-specific technical courses and support for DRR or humanitarian work. Includes Learning Needs Assessments, Institutional Capacity Mapping, Front Line Capacity Building, and Real-Time Capacity Building during on-going emergencies.
Technical, Advisory & Project Services
Project support targeted at aspects of humanitarian response and DRR interventions — capacity mapping, contingency planning, strategic planning in DRM, development of program implementation tools, and mainstreaming DRR actions.
Tech Vertical
RedzenR
RedR India also builds humanitarian tech — customized software development for disaster response and DRR organisations.
History
Our Story
Latur Earthquake
The idea of a RedR India was conceived in the aftermath of the Latur Earthquake, with a group of motivated professionals grappling with the need for a structured humanitarian response.
Conceived by DROP
DROP, a Non-Profit organisation, formally conceived the idea. Paul Sherlock (Oxfam GB) introduced and facilitated communication between DROP and RedR UK, and subsequently RedR International in 1997.
Bhuj Earthquake Response
RedR India supported the Bhuj Earthquake response, attracting more like-minded professionals to the mission and strengthening the power of membership.
Formally Incorporated
RedR India formally incorporated as an organisation, with Sarbjit Singh taking over as its founding executive director. Focus was on enrolling roster members, training them, and supporting humanitarian recruitment.
Indian Ocean Tsunami
Capacity was stretched and capabilities tested. RedR India supported many humanitarian agencies across affected countries with specialist members, trainers, and interventions — working closely with Oxfam and UNICEF.
Technical & Project Services
RedR India started offering technical and project services, creating value through engagement at a more strategic level. By 2007–08, a dedicated team was in place.
Learning & Development Centric
Following its 10-year anniversary review, RedR India continues to strengthen as a learning and development centric organisation for humanitarian and DRR action, built on diverse and multiple stakeholder partnerships.
Origins
History of RedR International
"When I returned I saw the pressing need for engineers to help in this sort of work and compiled a register of engineers who could be called upon at short notice to work with frontline relief agencies."
In 1979, Peter Guthrie was recruited through Oxfam to work in refugee camps following the Vietnamese boat people crisis in Malaysia. In 1982, RedR — the Register of Engineers for Disaster Relief — was formally established as a charity.
That vision for readily available skilled engineering professionals evolved into an international federation of RedRs providing training, technical and advisory support, and recruitment services for humanitarian professionals across the world. The register expanded to include logisticians, security personnel, healthcare professionals, disaster management specialists, public health specialists and social sector professionals.
RedR currently has country organisations in Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and the United Kingdom, deploying a few hundred members annually to crisis situations globally.
Global Network
RedR Federation
RedR India is committed to the principles of the RedR Federation and adheres to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement/NGO Code of Conduct.
Objective
Provide suitably trained and experienced personnel to relief agencies to help people affected by disaster.
Neutrality
RedR does not take sides in hostilities or engage in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.
Impartiality
No discrimination as to nationality, race, religious belief, gender, class or political opinions. Guided solely by need.
Independence
National organisations maintain their autonomy to act in accordance with the principles of RedR at all times.
Scope
Each RedR maintains a Register from which operational agencies can obtain skilled personnel. RedR does not act operationally.
Unity
There can be only one RedR organisation in any one country — RedR India covers India and the South Asian region.
Current federation countries: Australia · India · Indonesia · Malaysia · United Kingdom
Leadership
Governance & Team
Meet the trustees, advisors, and staff who guide RedR India's mission.
Meet the Governance BoardTransparency
Annual Reports
Download our annual reports and impact summaries.