On a typical Wednesday morning, having more than one hundred eighth graders seated on the auditorium floor might not seem out of the ordinary. However, witnessing them perform synchronized CPR maneuvers while learning to save lives is impressive. On October 22, the local Red Cross Training Services Team, in partnership with the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) and Dozier-Libbey Medical High School (DLMHS), hosted a record-setting youth CPR/AED certification event for nearly 350 eighth-grade students over two 90-minute sessions at Antioch’s Park Middle School.
Saniya Chandy and her father and inspiration, Ramnik Chandy. Photo courtesy of Saniya Chandy
Every individual has their own unique life story that has shaped them into the person they are today. The experiences we encounter on this journey of life often play a major part in shaping our future decisions. Saniya Chandy shares her experience as a Red Crosser and how her father inspired her to further pursue a career in healthcare.
At the young age of 15, Saniya began to volunteer with the Red Cross in 2022. After witnessing her father’s passion for nursing grow when he took his First Aid/CPR training course, she too was motivated to take a similar endeavor. She quicky took a First Aid/CPR training course that certified her to be a part of the American Canyon Junior Lifeguard Program and began her Red Cross journey shortly thereafter.
Her inspiration to support our humanitarian mission comes from her father, Ramnik Chandy, a psychiatric nurse. “My dad’s journey has instilled my faith in selfless service and the joy that comes from helping others,” she states. “I’ve heard countless stories from my father about the mentally ill patients he has worked with and the positive connections he has made with them. However, none of that would be possible if programs like the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association didn’t exist.” Both these organizations have shaped their passion for psychiatric medicine through training and volunteer opportunities, enabling them to be advocates for equitable care, regardless of any barriers one may face.
When Saniya was younger, she had the perception that only adults had the chance to make a significant impact in the community as a volunteer, since many organizations she hoped to volunteer for did not accept her because of her age. But that changed when she found the Red Cross.
“I was accepted with open arms to receive the CPR/AED certification from the Red Cross. Being put in realistic scenarios, from treating scrapes and burns, to drowning victim rescue situations, made me adaptable and more capable to handle stressful situations while caring for those experiencing medical emergencies,” she explains.
Ramnik shares his delight that his daughter is continuing a similar career path and states, “As nurses, we have the opportunity to heal the body, however, all humans are given the unique ability to understand others and exercise our empathy through selfless service.” Saniya’s Red Cross experience as a volunteer allowed her to connect with her father, pursuing medicine as a professional career while truly understanding the passion to give back in a variety of roles with the Red Cross.
“One memorable Red Cross experience I hold dear is writing letters to veterans during a meeting,” Saniya says. She was extremely joyful about giving service members the appreciation they deserve. “It goes to show that even as teenagers, the work we do behind the scenes matters just as much.”
Volunteers carry out 90% of the humanitarian work of the Red Cross. Here in the Northern California Coastal Region, over 7,000 committed individuals like Saniya turn their compassion into action helping us to strengthen their communities. If you want to join Saniya, learn more here.
Photo Courtesy of Connor Siu, Yesha Sacatani, and Monisha Raju
Every individual grows up in a different community–the Red Cross, as a global organization, encompasses so many stories from these divergent backgrounds. Being able to give back to their communities and make an impact is a great gift for volunteers. That’s why so many youth have resonated with the American Red Cross to serve as members of the Youth Executive Board (YEB), like Connor Siu, Yesha Sacatani, and Monisha Raju from North Bay and Heart of the Valley Chapters (NBC/HOV). The variety of ways in which these youth volunteers have been influenced by their communities is what inspires their distinctive journey:
When American Red Cross leadership looked for International Humanitarian Law (IHL) delegate recommendations, the opportunity to select a Youth Action Campaign (YAC) volunteer came quickly. Local Red Crosser and high school student Tejasvini Ramesh was ultimately one of five delegates to pack their bags and make the trek to Indonesia to represent the U.S. with more than 4,000 youth from national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies across the globe.
The IHL YAC is a Red Cross program that encourages youth and young adults (ages 13-24) to learn about the rules of armed conflict and empowers them to explore and promote IHL through peer-to-peer campaigns. The program remains consistent with the Red Cross principle of impartiality and does not have a political agenda. Its mission is to foster and to empower youth to talk about global issues and become informed through focused themes that change annually.
Tejasvini has been a strong ambassador for the IHL YAC for the last few years, but what sticks out to her peers is her strong leadership skills in collaborating with other regions to create joint virtual events and connect with other Red Cross youth across the country. A member since 2019, she serves as the Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region’s (NCCR) Lead Advocate Mentor.
She started her journey with the Red Cross during her freshman year through her high school’s club. Her friends were already involved, and Tejasvini thought it would be a great way to spend more time together. Not too sure what the club was all about, she attended with an open mind and is so glad that she did. She began her service with general fundraising for causes including hurricane relief and making blankets for veterans before engaging more with initiatives in her local Red Cross region. There, she discovered IHL YAC.
In Tejasvini’s application for this opportunity, the 18-year-old wrote, “While our world is far from becoming completely peaceful, providing my peers with a sense of hope and humanity allowed me to connect with them on a deeper level, one that transcends politics and borders.” These insightful and admirable words aided the national committee in their decision to select her for the international camp hosted every five years.
“Tejasvini is a well-rounded, passionate young humanitarian who I had no doubt would represent our American Red Cross youth well,” says Larissa C. Hatch, IHL YAC Program Officer at the American Red Cross National Headquarters. “She leads with grace and compassion and is someone her peers look up to. As a young leader, Tejasvini’s exceptional skills and unwavering commitment set a remarkable example for her peers, showcasing her potential to drive positive change in her local community and the greater Red Cross Red Crescent Movement,” Hatch adds.
This year’s camp, titled Jumbara IX, ran July 2 through July 10 in South Lampung, Lampung Province, kicking off with a cultural parade hosted by the Indonesian Red Cross. Locals lined the streets as the 11 national societies displayed cultural clothing while marching throughout the village. An opening ceremony welcomed the attendees whereby unique traditions were honored including performances from various provinces. Attendees engaged in workshops and services for the remainder of their stay.
Photo courtesy of Tejasvini Ramesh
A typical day at the camp consisted of sessions to meet and greet with Indonesian youth, group activities, and neighborhood visits. “The warm spirited energy there was really incredible,” notes Tejasvini.
The hospitality of the Indonesian people was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. “Whenever we walked around, we were welcomed with music. They sang to us, let us play instruments, and taught us traditional dances. Sometimes we were out until midnight,” relives Tejasvini. She described the reception as “a king’s welcome.”
Group discussions were held in the Indonesian language, but that did not hinder understanding one another. Some challenges cited by Indonesian youth included stigma and the notion the Red Cross is solely a medical organization. These youth also expressed a desire for equality, more representation and additional leadership opportunities to promote humanitarian efforts and create space for tomorrow’s leadership.
Other nights, the delegates stayed up late talking to an international friend. She joyfully says, “That was fun!”
The memories made and the collective impact of the experience will stay with Tejasvini and those she crossed paths with for years to come. “The Red Cross is more than blood services and medicine,” she stresses. “There are different lines of service, programs, and opportunities available for everybody…I guarantee you will find something you enjoy.”
She plans to attend UC Irvine in the Fall to study economics and political science. She hopes to continue her involvement with the Red Cross at the collegiate level and is interested in attending law school after completing her undergraduate studies.
The Red Cross is grateful to have amazing young leaders like Tejasvini to articulate the value of the organization for youth and appreciates her pledge to continue her service. If you are interested in promoting IHL in your community by participating in the IHL Youth Action Campaign program, contact your local chapter or email ihlyouth@redcross.org
Photos by Albert and Virginia Becker / American Red Cross
In the heart of scenic Loma Mar’s Redwood Glen Camp, more than 120 enthusiastic and driven students from across the Bay Area gathered for a transformative experience. The American Red Cross Leadership Development Center (LDC), a four-day conference, aims to empower individuals ages 13 – 18 with essential leadership skills, disaster preparedness knowledge, lifesaving skills and the opportunity to make an impact in their communities. Packed with engaging activities, inspirational speakers and unforgettable moments, LDC always promises to be an adventure for these aspiring young Red Crossers.
Through hands-on training and simulations, delegates learned crucial techniques for emergency response, first aid and CPR. Delegates gained a deeper understanding of the Red Cross’ five lines of services and how to get involved through several interactive workshops. Regional Red Cross leadership and Board Members also joined them for a day to share what inspired them to serve with the organization and how passion for leadership can be turned into action at any age. They even had the opportunity to create a “Shark Tank” style sales pitch on the importance of donating blood, which helped instill a sense of responsibility to this lifesaving cause.
Paulina Munoz, lead for the winning team Photo courtesy of Paulina Munoz.
Story by Richard Payne
Creating a successful campaign focused on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) that is fun, engaging, and educational would seem like a daunting task. Doing it with a virtual team of high school students who never met face-to-face would seem doubly difficult. Yet, the winning team in the 2022-2023 Northern California Coastal Region (NCCR) IHL Youth Action Campaign did just that.
In Northern California, 8 teams, comprised of nearly 40 high school students, participated in IHL training. Each team then developed and delivered IHL awareness campaigns at their schools during the academic year. As a culmination of the campaign, a symposium was held to showcase each team’s work, the struggles they faced and the efforts they took to overcome those challenges. A panel of judges scored each campaign on a series of factors and chose the team that demonstrated the best problem-solving and leadership skills.
Razi Aftab and Paulina Munoz led the winning team, which included students from two of the region’s Red Cross chapters – the North Bay and the Heart of the Valley Chapter, covering Stockton and the surrounding area. Because the team members lived far apart, they only met virtually in weekly calls.
Paulina believed the bond they formed was one of the team’s greatest strengths. “The best part of the campaign was being able to work as a team throughout the term. We got to know the other team members and felt connected. As a result, we were a lot more productive,” she said/
A screenshot from the Instagram account of the team, showing the activities they planned for the campaign.
In building their campaign, the team members identified that their peers had limited knowledge of the Red Cross or International Humanitarian Law. That’s why the team felt that engaging students had to be their number one priority.
“Attracting youth to be involved in the campaign was a challenge. That’s why we focused on having activities that we thought our peers would enjoy as opposed to approaching this campaign from a teaching perspective,” Razi explained.
During the academic year, each team member organized and hosted events at their school around the topic of IHL. The team also created activities and events such as interactive question-based games that tested the advocate’s knowledge on IHL.
“Probably the most distinct event was our escape room,” Razi said. “We had case studies on International Humanitarian Law and asked the advocates to work through those examples. They had to review the scenarios and apply the information they had learned to come up with the best option. We had very good engagement with that!”
In summarizing their personal experiences with the campaign, Razi shared: “Our greatest takeaway was that we were able to foster a sense of community. The program felt like a group effort rather than an academic exercise. It was voluntary and each person contributed to reaching the end goal of increasing the understanding of International Humanitarian Law.”
Paulina had similar sentiments about this experience: : “A lot of the students who participated in the campaign came into it with no idea what international humanitarian law was about. Through their participation in the campaign, they took away an understanding of IHL and the knowledge that international humanitarian law and services were more available to them than they thought. It was a great way to get them to know their community, the Red Cross, and what we stand for as a society.”
Congratulations to these incredible teams on formulating a thoughtful campaign and for spreading awareness about IHL!
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