How QBE’s Community Ready partnership is helping build resilient communities across the world

Last updated: 14 October 2024

Globally, around 850 million children live in areas highly exposed to at least four climate or environmental hazards, for example, heatwaves, cyclones, air pollution, flooding or water scarcity. And it’s estimated that by 2050, more than 200 million people could need humanitarian help as a result of climate change.

Research shows that 50% of crises are reasonably predictable, 20% are highly predictable and yet only 1% of funding goes to crises mitigation efforts.

This is why responding to and preparing for disaster through humanitarian aid is crucial. QBE Foundation’s focus is to create strong, resilient and inclusive communities by channelling investment and efforts on the two key areas where we believe we can have the greatest impact – climate resilience and inclusion.

Much of our work in helping build resilient communities is undertaken through our long-standing global partnership with Red Cross and Save the Children – and, together, we're working to deliver programs through our newly named Community Ready partnership.

Protecting and empowering young people through education

For organisations across the world, the annual International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction on 13 October acknowledges the progress being made towards reducing disaster risk and losses in lives and focuses on how we can do more in the future.

The theme for 2024 focuses on the importance of protecting and empowering young people through education to better understand and manage the risks they may face in the future. Globally, 774 million children are living in poverty and exposed to high climate risk, with 121 million children in higher income countries and 653 million in lower income countries.

Helping build resilient communities across the globe

In 2024 we’re celebrating the first five years of our global partnership with Red Cross and Save the Children. The partnership, now called Community Ready, aims to help global communities prepare for disaster, respond when it hits and be there for people in their recovery.

Since 2019, QBE has invested USD $5.7 million into this global partnership, supported by a further USD $303,000 in employee donations, to support disaster relief and resilience. The partnership supports programs in 22 countries, has responded to 19 major disasters and supported 497,310 people and 44,335 families or households.

“Our partnership with QBE Foundation has empowered us to deliver real impact in at-risk communities,” says Mat Tinkler, Save the Children Australia CEO.

“Building education and resilience within communities is incredibly rewarding. Not only do we see the positive impact of our efforts every day, we also build on 'what works' to adapt and implement even more effective projects in other communities.”

Delivering projects that matter

During the past five years, the QBE Foundation, and its partners Red Cross and Save the Children have delivered 29 projects in 22 different countries. Here is a snapshot of some projects from 2024: 

Save the Children: Project SECURE 

Project SECURE is a three year project in the Philippines, enabling children and their families – particularly women and girls – to prepare for, respond to, cope with and recover from natural hazards, including climate hazards. 

It was launched in January 2024, and in the first year, 80 households will receive training on preparedness and be given family preparedness kits. In addition, this year has also seen the assessment and implementation of disaster risk reduction plans, as well as providing ‘train the trainers’ initiatives to help ensure long-term impact. 

Save the Children Hong Kong: Generation Hope –   Climate Change Matters

Building on Save the Children’s global campaign #GenerationHope, Generation Hope - Climate Change Matters is an advocacy and education initiative in Hong Kong that takes the form of experiential learning and workshops with the intention of enhancing children’s understanding of the impact of climate change and motivating child-led climate change action, while building disaster preparedness and resilience. 

Activities have included a movie screening day, a beach-cleaning day and a midnight adventure at a WWF education centre, during which children learned about ecological footprints and sustainable living. Also, the series of workshops build children's capacity on developing their climate action. The program supports and empowers 15 children as youth climate ambassadors to attend international conferences through global exchange and bring back knowledge to their child-led climate change campaign.

Singapore Red Cross: Young Hearts Program

The Young Hearts Program provides care for 132 children born into poverty and who are under the care of the Singapore Red Cross. The program includes everything from nutritious meals to education and mentorship, aiming to address challenges in literacy and social support networks through education, enrichment, sports, and excursions. 

In the long term, this program helps build education and provide opportunities these children may never have had – building the inclusivity that will help them contribute to their communities over the coming years. 

Learn more about the Community Ready global partnership on our website.