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50-skh-en

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Intro

DE FR IT

"We would not be human beings if we had just stood there with our arms folded"

Arthur Bill, first delegate for humanitarian aid, June 1973.

For half a century, the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) has been the embodiment of Switzerland's solidarity in dire situations abroad. For 50 years, it has been implementing its universal mandate to save lives and alleviate suffering. Find out how the SHA has evolved and adapted its responses to the demands of the times.
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1973–1982

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1983–1992

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1993–2002

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2003–2012

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2013–2023

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The formation of a disaster relief corps had been discussed in public and political spheres for quite some time. After the Federal Council submitted a report on the formation of the corps to the Federal Assembly, Arthur Bill took office as delegate of the voluntary disaster relief corps on 1 September 1972. After a period of preparation and planning, recruitment of volunteers began in May 1973. The idea sparked a great deal of interest: 4,000 people signed up to join. Around 1,000 volunteers were accepted (86% men, 14% women, 82% German-speaking, 12% French-speaking, 6% Italian-speaking). May 1973 is considered to be the founding month of the corps – known from 2001 as the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA).
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Around 30 SHA members took part in a large-scale operation in an area the size of Switzerland. Medical, logistical and other staff treated all infants suffering from malnutrition in 24 centres, enabling them to survive – in temperatures that did not drop below 40 degrees Celsius even at night.
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In the 1990s, conflicts were the catalyst for international efforts to settle hostilities, negotiate peace agreements and create international norms. The crises in Rwanda and Bosnia, for example, provided the impetus for new international norms, the creation of the International Criminal Court and greater international engagement in fragile contexts.
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Switzerland, together with OCHA and other states and organisations, contributed to the establishment of the Guidelines on the use of military and civil defence assets to support United Nations humanitarian activities in complex emergencies (MCDA Guidelines). The document provides guidelines for the use of international military and civil protection assets, that is, personnel, equipment, supplies, services to support the UN in meeting humanitarian objectives in conflicts and other complex emergencies. Switzerland has worked for years to disseminate and implement the guidelines nationally, regionally and globally.
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The Ebola outbreak was first detected in March 2014 in south-eastern Guinea and then spread to Sierra Leone and Liberia, propagating faster than all other outbreaks of Ebola in Africa to date. Deployed as reinforcements, SHA members supported the SDC's humanitarian office in Liberia to implement aid in three areas: containing the epidemic through treatment and prevention measures; strengthening the health systems of the countries concerned; and mitigating the socio-economic consequences of the epidemic. These three priorities were confirmed by a joint mission of the SHA and the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) to Liberia. In addition, Swiss Humanitarian Aid sent 30 tonnes of protective equipment and supported international efforts to combat the Ebola epidemic with CHF 32 million.
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In April 1973, the delegate for humanitarian aid at the time, Arthur Bill, established partnerships with the Swiss Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). These organisations were able to call on SHA members to support their operations. Joint training courses were organised, especially in the medical field. Similar collaborations were established later with Swiss aid organisations such as Caritas and HEKS. A formal agreement was also reached with the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport for the use of military transport and other equipment on humanitarian missions.
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Due to drought and civil war, well over a million people fled from Ethiopia and Chad to Sudan. 63 SHA members built, among other things, a refugee camp for 20,000 people, a pedestrian suspension bridge and a transport cableway.
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Between half a million and a million people were killed during the genocide in Rwanda. SHA members initially provided emergency aid (medicines, food aid, refugee camps) in Rwanda and the surrounding countries where there were large numbers of refugees. Reconstruction measures followed, especially in the sectors of health (training of medical staff), construction (infrastructure, housing) and agriculture (seed projects). With the mass return of over one million refugees at the end of 1996, emergency aid had to be provided again; in the course of 1997, this was gradually replaced by reconstruction. Between 1994 and early 1998, a total of 181 SHA members were deployed in the region.
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On 26 December 2004, a 9.3-magnitude earthquake triggered a major tsunami in the Bay of Bengal. Entire towns were destroyed, from Indonesia to Somalia. In total, 13 countries were affected. More than 225,000 people lost their lives and millions were left homeless. Swiss Humanitarian Aid deployed 48 SHA members to Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand. The operation included the installation of temporary shelters and drinking water systems, medical assistance and the supply of medicines and humanitarian logistics for the distribution of aid.
In the spring of 2005, Swiss Humanitarian Aid began a second phase with the rehabilitation and reconstruction of infrastructure such as the large water treatment plant in the city of Banda Aceh in Indonesia. In coordination with national and local authorities, it rehabilitated numerous schools and settlements in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand until 2007. Switzerland committed a total of CHF 35 million to emergency operations and rehabilitation programmes.
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On 25 April 2015, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake scale struck Nepal, followed by strong aftershocks. The epicentre was located 80 km north-west of Kathmandu. More than 70 SHA specialists were deployed during the emergency phase. Swiss Humanitarian Aid delivered more than 200 tonnes of relief supplies for more than 40,000 families in seven districts. Specialists from the SHA distributed 50 chlorine production units for safe drinking water and to reduce the risk of disease. A mother and child module was set up by the SHA in Gorkha district hospital, providing care for more than 3,000 patients for one month. In a second phase, the SDC supported medium and long-term reconstruction efforts with CHF 25 million.
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In autumn 1974, after two years of building up capacity, the SHA went into action for the first time. In a large-scale operation to help the drought-affected population in the Lake Chad region, 99 trained volunteers from each of the SHA's expert groups were deployed around the Lake Chad basin with material, vehicles and two light aircraft. The volunteers built a river ferry, five warehouses and three health posts and distributed several hundred tonnes of food and medicines. The operation lasted until the end of February 1975.
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A magnitude 7.0 earthquake claimed 25 000 lives in Armenia. During a four-day operation in Spitak, a Swiss Rescue team of 37 people and 20 dogs managed to save 25 lives. The head of operations was Charles Raedersdorf, who had only been in post as delegate for humanitarian aid for one month. As a follow-up to the Swiss Rescue operation, an emergency hospital and SHA emergency shelters were set up. As part of the reconstruction, Switzerland built 167 homes.
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In the southern highland region around Huambo, 20 SHA members managed the rehabilitation of 140 km of roads and several war-damaged bridges. In addition, school buildings were built and local professionals were trained in bridge construction.
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In Sudan, the people of the Darfur region were facing a severe humanitarian crisis. About 800,000 people – half the population of Darfur – were forced to flee because of the violence. Many fled to Chad. A dozen SHA specialists were seconded to UN agencies, notably the World Food Programme (WFP). At the end of August 2004, the WFP was able to establish a humanitarian corridor through Libya to deliver food to Darfur refugees in a camp in eastern Chad. These convoys included 450 tonnes of grain funded by SDC contributions to the WFP. In 2004, Switzerland provided more than CHF 16 million of assistance to internally displaced persons in the Darfur region and to Sudanese refugees in Chad.
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Adopted in March 2015, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction sets out the priorities of the international community for disaster risk reduction during the 2015–30 period. Switzerland hosted the conference process in Geneva. Members of the SHA were also involved in the discussions and negotiations which lasted nine months. Switzerland also worked to ensure that countries most affected by natural disasters and the consequences of climate change had a voice in the discussions, restating the need to better integrate disaster risk reduction into development processes and to involve the private sector more.
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After a strong earthquake hit the highlands of Eastern Anatolia, 28 volunteers, with the help of local people, built 50 houses in a completely destroyed small farming village within four weeks. In the reconstruction phase, they also rehabilitated farm buildings, a school, a mosque, a meeting hall, a bridge and the water supply.
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The severe earthquake in Spitak in 1988 showed that the coordination of such emergency relief needed to be improved.

Switzerland first proposed cooperation with Germany and Austria, which led to an agreement in 1990 and then to the establishment of the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) in 1991. The aim of INSARAG was to create international standards, common rules for international coordination with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as well as to establish standard training and equipment for rescue teams.

Switzerland already had experience in capacity-building programmes. In the years that followed the founding of INSARAG, Swiss Humanitarian Aid supported a number of countries in setting up local rescue teams. For example, China was supported in an advisory capacity for ten years up to obtaining INSARAG classification as a 'heavy team'. 
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In connection with the establishment of tent camps in Albania during the Kosovo war, Swiss Humanitarian Aid proposed the introduction of a 'cash for shelter' programme. After initial reservations about the programme on the part of the UN and Swiss aid organisations due to corruption, an additional credit of CHF 10 million was granted after the proposal was submitted. This was the official start and international breakthrough of the 'cash for shelter' approach.
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Switzerland mobilised aid after the violent earthquake that killed over 80,000 people and injured 70,000 on 8 October 2005 in Pakistan. More than 300 tonnes of material were distributed and 45 SHA members remained engaged until the end of 2005. The humanitarian crisis was exacerbated by the onset of winter. A race against time was begun to get relief supplies to the affected areas before access roads became impassable.
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The aim of the first World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul was to raise awareness of the scale of humanitarian needs, often caused by conflict and lack of development, while proposing political solutions to crises. Switzerland announced a greater commitment to mediation and prevention, and called for respect for international humanitarian law. It argued that people in need should not only receive emergency assistance but also be offered prospects for the future. It co-organised an event to improve protection for people forced to flee to another country because of natural disasters or the consequences of climate change. It also advocated for greater involvement of local actors in any humanitarian response.
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Immediately after a severe earthquake in northern Italy, Switzerland deployed 33 SHA members for emergency relief and reconstruction measures. Two military helicopters were used to improve the supply of medical assistance and water (21 airlifts with 200 landings). The reconstruction work before the onset of winter included the construction of 50 barracks and the procurement of 120 caravans for the homeless as well as second-hand construction machinery. As part of direct support, buildings with 66 flats, farm buildings and several flats for the elderly were built in four municipalities.
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After the collapse of the Soviet Union, supporting social structures were missing. To bridge food shortages in hospitals and homes in Moscow and Leningrad (St Petersburg from 1991), ten SHA members transported over 70 tonnes of powdered milk and baby food by lorry. In Bulgaria, too, SHA members organised the distribution of powdered milk and medicines.
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Switzerland and OCHA co-hosted a conference to strengthen the effectiveness of humanitarian aid. 52 states and several international organisations and NGOs met in Fribourg from 15 to 16 June 2000 to set out an action plan. The aim of the plan was to improve coordination between all actors, to tackle obstacles to the deployment of humanitarian aid and personnel, to promote mutual assistance between neighbouring countries through bilateral and multilateral agreements, and to strengthen civil society institutions and national crisis management agencies. The continued need to protect civilians was also at the heart of discussions.
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In July 2006, some 40 SHA specialists were deployed to Lebanon as soon as hostilities broke out between Israel and Hezbollah. From there they organised the repatriation of 921 Swiss nationals. In particular, through the ICRC, they provided emergency assistance to displaced people in the Beirut area. In September 2006, shortly after the ceasefire, Switzerland allocated an additional CHF 20 million for people affected by the Middle East conflict. In Lebanon, this funding helped to rehabilitate schools and support Palestinian refugees. Switzerland also participated in the disposal of unexploded ordnance from cluster bombs dropped by the Israeli army. In the occupied Palestinian territory, the additional funding was used to strengthen the programmes of Switzerland's partners and to support the Palestinian Red Crescent.
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In August 2017, nearly one million Rohingya fled violence in the state of Rakhine in western Myanmar to Bangladesh. Completely destitute, these people, many of them women and children, found themselves in overcrowded camps in the Cox's Bazar district of south-eastern Bangladesh. On the ground, members of the SHA supported the NGO Solidarités International. They drilled wells, installed hand pumps and restored around ten water points in the camps. Emergency latrines were installed to prevent the spread of diarrhoeal diseases. Soap and sanitary towels were distributed. Beds, bedside tables and IV stands were provided to the main hospital in Cox's Bazar. A blood bank was set up in collaboration with three hospitals to address shortfalls in blood donations and blood transfusions. Subsequently, SHA members also worked on waste and wastewater management.
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An earthquake in a heavily populated area of Guatemala killed 24,000 people, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless and destroying 250,000 homes. Around 40 SHA specialists built 2,300 largely earthquake-resistant homes and 24 community centres. The 'build back better' principle was integrated into the reconstruction projects, which had not been the case in international disaster relief until then. Switzerland brought new impetus and motivated other organisations to integrate this principle.
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As a result of the Gulf War, several hundred thousand Iraqi Kurds fled to the mountainous regions of Turkey. 20 SHA members were deployed to the region to provide survival assistance for protection from the weather, food and – crucially – medicines. For this purpose, Switzerland sent several convoys of relief goods.
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Toni Frisch changed the name of the SHA in 2001 as one of his first official acts as its new delegate. The Swiss Disaster Relief Corps became Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA).

At the same time, Frisch initiated the establishment of rapid response teams as a clear alternative to Swiss Rescue. The idea behind this was for small, flexible teams consisting of six or more specialists who could quickly bring their emergency relief expertise to bear on the ground.
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On 12 January 2010, a magnitude 7 earthquake struck Haiti, claiming more than 230,000 lives and leaving 1.5 million people homeless. 150 SHA members and 170 tonnes of relief supplies were deployed to the affected areas. The SHA teams distributed survival kits and equipment to build temporary shelters. They installed about 50 water points to supply 50,000 people with drinking water. Tents were set up in front of several destroyed schools to allow education to continue. A complete field hospital was flown from Switzerland to Haiti. The SHA's medical team treated more than 800 patients, performing 620 surgical operations and delivering around 100 babies.
In a second phase, Swiss Humanitarian Aid was involved in the reconstruction of school infrastructure. The SDC was the first organisation to obtain permission from the Haitian Ministry of Education to build schools after the earthquake. All buildings were built to earthquake and cyclone-resistant standards to reduce the risk of future disasters. In July that year, the SDC opened a Competence Centre for Reconstruction in Port-au-Prince, comprising specialists from the SHA and the private sector.
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On 4 August 2020, a stockpile of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate exploded in the port of Beirut. The explosion devastated entire streets around the port. It also damaged or destroyed schools and hospitals. For one month, 38 SHA specialists were involved in humanitarian efforts. Together with the local authorities, they inspected more than 80 damaged buildings to determine whether they were habitable or not. Swiss Humanitarian Aid sent SHA medical personnel and over 1,500 kg of equipment to support maternal and child healthcare in two hospitals in Beirut. SHA architects participated in the rehabilitation of 19 selected schools in collaboration with the Lebanese Ministry of Education. In total, the SDC provided CHF 6 million for the population of Beirut.
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After the 1976 earthquake in Guatemala, the ‘build back better’ principle was integrated into reconstruction projects, something that had not been done before in international disaster relief. Switzerland gave new impetus and motivated other organisations to integrate this principle. As part of the reconstruction projects, SHA specialists trained local staff who would train future homeowners. All stakeholders were closely involved in the planning and reconstruction.
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After an earthquake, the eruption of Mt Pinatubo and a cyclone in the Philippines, emergency shelters were built for more than 500 homeless people and 48 classrooms were rebuilt. In this context, SHA specialists developed an earthquake- and hurricane-resistant type of school building. Furthermore, the behaviour of the mud flows around Pinatubo was investigated and the government was advised on the arrangement of geotechnical measures.
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In 2011, protesters took to the streets in Syria in the wake of the Arab Spring. This led to a bloody suppression and a humanitarian crisis ensued that spread across the entire region. In over a decade, the Syrian crisis has affected the lives of at least 12 million people. More than 5.5 million Syrians have sought refuge in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq. In Syria itself, over 6 million people are internally displaced. SHA members have helped to implement several direct actions. For example, they have rehabilitated 80 schools in Lebanon and Jordan so that Syrian refugee children can continue their education. They worked with the Lebanese authorities to improve water management in the Beqaa Valley, where thousands of Syrian refugees have settled. SHA members have also been seconded to UN agencies. Between 2011 and 2022, 55 SHA specialists supported the UN in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Turkey in several sectors, including providing access to safe water, sanitation and shelter, and protection for vulnerable groups.
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On 24 February 2022, Russian troops invaded Ukraine. A few days later, Swiss Humanitarian Aid set in motion its emergency assistance operation. More than 70 SHA members were deployed to Ukraine, Poland and Moldova in the following weeks. The SDC sent more than 1,000 tonnes of relief supplies to Ukraine. Having operated temporarily from Lviv in western Ukraine, the SHA members moved to the Swiss embassy in Kyiv after the representation reopened in May 2022. The SHA members worked to implement medium-term programmes in collaboration with SDC partners. They also carried out direct actions in the areas of water and sanitation and repairing damaged homes.
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33 SHA volunteers helped to alleviate the emergency situation in Bas-Zaire, where several tens of thousands of refugees had arrived from Angola. On behalf of the UNHCR, the SHA members worked from April 1978 to the end of 1979, providing medical care for refugees, performing distribution tasks (food, clothing, medicines) and organising transport. This life-saving action by the SHA was received very well in the Swiss press.
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As a result of the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, a total of 165 SHA members were deployed in the seven years from 1991 to the beginning of 1998. In a first phase, they provided emergency aid and built winter-proof shelters for around 30,000 people. During the reconstruction phase, they repaired infrastructure including around 100 school buildings for 50,000 pupils. In Croatia, houses for 3,000 people in eight villages which had been destroyed were made habitable again (shell construction). As part of the reintegration programme for refugees returning from Switzerland, SHA members managed assistance projects in those regions that received returnees, as well as construction work to provide temporary housing for returnees without their own accommodation.
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On 11 March 2011, a major seaquake occurred in the Tohoku region of Japan. The quake with a magnitude of 9.1 claimed around 22,000 victims. A Swiss search and assessment team of 23 specialists and 9 search dogs travelled to Sendai, a city affected by the quake and tsunami. The team succeeded in locating three victims.
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On 6 February 2023, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake occurred in Turkey and Syria. Another 7.5-magnitude earthquake was recorded on the same day. More than 50,000 people lost their lives and over 100,000 were injured. Eighty-seven members of Swiss Rescue were dispatched to Turkey. The rescue operations took place in the Hatay region. Swiss Rescue saved 11 people, including two newborns. In a second phase, more than 30 SHA members were deployed to bring humanitarian assistance. They distributed tents and basic necessities such as hygiene kits. They set up sanitary facilities for the homeless. SHA medical specialists supported a hospital in Antakya/Hatay. Together with the hospital staff, they treated nearly 400 children and mothers.
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Following an earthquake that killed around 2,700 people, initial emergency aid was provided swiftly and effectively, in a format that would prove typical of the subsequently formed Swiss Rescue. Two mobile emergency surgical teams were deployed, the first of which was flown in by the Swiss Air-Rescue (Rega). SHA members set up and operated a small tent hospital, installed radio equipment with connections as far as Switzerland and operated three drinking water treatment plants. A paediatric medical team was later added. 22 volunteers were deployed during the emergency operation. During the reconstruction phase, a secondary school for 1,000 pupils was built under the direction of six construction experts.
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In autumn 1981, cooperation between the SHA, the Federal Office of Air Raid Protection, Swiss Air-Rescue (Rega) and the Swiss Disaster Dog Association (REDOG) was tested for the first time in a two-day combined exercise. The four organisations initially formed Swiss Rescue, which was set up to provide joint emergency aid in the four areas of locating, rescuing, transporting and supplying, in the event of an earthquake disaster.
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From 1978, SHA members were placed at the disposal of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). They worked in emergency shelter, medical care and logistics in several African and Asian countries. This extensive experience in helping displaced people led to the conclusion of a formal partnership with the UNHCR in November 1981. An agreement regulated the details of SHA missions on behalf of the UNHCR. Similar partnerships with other UN organisations followed.
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Following an earthquake in North Yemen, Swiss Rescue, consisting of the SHA, the Federal Office of Air Raid Protection, Swiss Air-Rescue (Rega) and the Swiss Disaster Dog Association (REDOG), was deployed for the first time. They were able to save three lives. As part of the reconstruction, 20 SHA members built and operated five dispensaries.
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Overview
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Chapter 2 1973–1982

Chapter 3 1983–1992

Chapter 4 1993–2002

Chapter 5 2003–2012

Chapter 6 2013–2023

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