VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Red Cross Society, in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from Geneva, aims to empower students as agents of climate change, said AK Parida, retired IAS and General Secretary of AP Red Cross, during the launch of the Climate Action Campaign in Vijayawada.
The initiative, unveiled by Dr A Sridhar Reddy, Chairman of AP Red Cross, took place at a workshop attended by principals from 40 government and private colleges in the region. The campaign seeks to raise awareness about climate change among students and involve them in participatory efforts to mitigate environmental challenges within their communities.
Under this programme, 100 students from each participating college will be enrolled as Youth Red Cross Volunteers through the APREDCROSS App. These volunteers will form Climate Action Groups (CAG), led by faculty-appointed Campaign Coordinators, to spearhead activities related to air and water pollution, single-use plastics, solid waste disposal, and tree planting.
Dr Reddy said that the ICRC’s selection of Vijayawada for this pilot project reflects AP Red Cross’s leadership in social and environmental efforts.
BVS Kumar, State Coordinator (Blood Banks & Projects), outlined additional Red Cross initiatives, seeking collaboration from educational institutions.