Bringing Families Together
As millions of people fled the war and abandoned their homes, many became separated from family members and loved ones. The suffering of families torn apart by war is enormous and the task to re-establish family links is immense.
As millions of people fled the war and abandoned their homes, many became separated from family members and loved ones.
The suffering of families torn apart by war is enormous and the task to re-establish family links is immense. The Red Cross helped make up for the absence of normal means of communication by coordinating a network to restore these links – both in areas directly affected by the conflict and in places receiving displaced people and refugees. Mobile teams traveled to towns and villages throughout the region gathering information on missing persons. They attempted to find the whereabouts of lost relatives and connect people through the Red Cross network. Red Cross also gave people the opportunity to find information about missing relatives through a unique Family News Network web site.
Calgarian Vince Bodnar spent six months in Kosovo where he worked to find information on people who went missing during the conflict.
“Families often have no idea if their loved ones are alive or dead,” Bodnar said. “While I was in Kosovo, we received more than 10,000 inquiries for families looking for relatives who have been missing since the conflict began. By securing information about people whose fate is unknown, we help alleviate families' pain and uncertainty.”
There are more than 3,500 people still reported missing.
