Land Rover seeks to promote excellence both on and off the road. And lately, they have been doing just that via a partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. From 2013 through 2018, Land Rover will be giving £15 million pounds (a little over 19 million U.S. dollars) worth of support to susceptible and difficult-to-reach communities. The acclaimed “Reaching Vulnerable People Around the World” program has included a long list of countries and has expanded its reach from inception. From South Sudan to a European city-state such as Portugal, the service helps with humanitarian aid that can take many forms. At the center of it all is the Land Rover Defender.

One of the reasons the Red Cross partnered with Land Rover is the very practical and reliant capabilities of the Defender. Entering communities hit hard by natural disasters or with poor infrastructure is a job not every vehicle can take on, but a Defender is built for these challenges.

The Jaguar/Land Rover Global Brand Experience Director, Mark Cameron, put the concept bluntly: “With the use of Land Rover vehicles, we are also able to help the IFRC go into remote territories that would otherwise be hard to reach. This is often where the most vulnerable people are and, therefore, need support.”

Here are some of the raw numbers the program, as well as details on Land Rover’s unique partnership, as they have aided people worldwide:

• Land Rover plans to reach at least 12 million people with aid by 2020.
• Between 2007 and 2013, a similar program brought £6.4 million worth of tangible support and reached more than 800,000 people.
• In 2012, Land Rover raised an additional £1 million to commemorate the building of the one-millionth Discovery truck line. This was capped by a 10,000-mile journey that took the truck from Birmingham to Beijing.
• By 2015, some 45,000 people were delivered safe water and sanitation by Defenders in the country of Uganda.

It’s critical and lasting work, all made possible by the faith the Red Cross has in the ability of the Land Rover Defender. The foundation has actually had longstanding partnerships with Land Rover that date back to the 1950s. Although Defenders age, their hard work will go on, as this vital program continues through the years. To learn more about Land Rover Defender history and innovation, follow us on our social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.