The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) has signed a partnership with the Islamic University of Kenya (IUK) aimed at equipping students with practical skills in humanitarian work, disaster response and community development.
The collaboration is designed to provide university students with hands-on experience through internships, field placements and participation in emergency response operations, allowing them to apply classroom knowledge in real-world humanitarian settings.
Under the agreement, the two institutions will also collaborate on research focused on disaster risk reduction, climate resilience and other emerging humanitarian challenges affecting communities across Kenya.
Students will further have opportunities to participate in innovation programmes, including hackathons hosted at Kenya Red Cross innovation hubs in Lamu and Mombasa. The initiatives are expected to encourage young people to develop technology-driven and community-based solutions to address humanitarian and climate-related challenges.
Kenya Red Cross said the partnership marks a new chapter in youth-led humanitarian action by placing students at the centre of designing and implementing solutions that respond to the needs of vulnerable communities.
The organization noted that empowering young people with practical experience, research opportunities and innovation platforms will help build the next generation of humanitarian leaders capable of responding to increasingly complex emergencies.
The partnership also strengthens collaboration between academia and humanitarian organizations, creating pathways for students to contribute to national efforts in disaster preparedness, emergency response and sustainable community resilience.
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