Our ministry partners live and serve in some of the communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through great love and determination (and thanks to an incredible response from WorldShare supporters) our partners have been able to respond quickly and effectively. Here is a short overview of some of the kinds of COVID-19 response projects our partners are putting into place to serve their communities at this challenging time.
Community Relief Projects
Food, accommodation and emergency supplies
India / the DRC / Uganda
In some communities over 95% of households have lost their source of income due to COVID lockdowns. Families are struggling to pay for food and accommodation and are facing homelessness, and hunger.
Our partners are providing essential emergency support for the most vulnerable families in their communities.
In India, Bangalore City Mission (BCM) has provided: three months’ worth of food supplies for 84 families; temporary shelter for 41 families; and learning support for 150 children.
In Uganda, Christian Fellowship Ministries (CFM) has provided 500 families with: emergency food supplies; soap, face masks and hand sanitiser; and education on COVID safety measures.
In the DRC, Ephphatha has provided 350 families with: three months’ emergency food supplies; emergency hygiene kits; and education on COVID safety measures.
—
Education Support Projects
Helping children learn when they can’t go to school
India / Uganda
In our partners communities, most children have not been able to attend school since March last year. Children in these communities have limited access to the internet and lack the resources to make distance learning possible.
There is high risk of children abandoning school entirely to find employment (the UN estimates that over 24 million children will drop out of school due to the pandemic). There is also a danger that girls and women may be forced into sex work.
In India, BCM’s community relief project is providing learning support and education supplies (including textbooks, stationary and other necessities) for 150 children. This is on top of the support they are already providing students from BCM’s Sinclairs School.
In Uganda, Wakisa Ministries’ Learn from Home project has provided 88 young mothers with everything they need to learn from home, as well as a support teacher.
Church Relief Projects
Helping churches meet COVID regulations so they can reopen
The DRC / Uganda
As Uganda and the DRC came out of complete lockdown, some public gatherings were allowed so long as requirements were met, including number limits, compulsory wearing of masks and hand sanitising, temperature checks, physical distancing and disinfection. However, many churches could not afford to meet these conditions.
Our ministry partners’ are providing churches with the funds and equipment required to reopen and have services again.
In Uganda, CFM has provided 75 churches with temperature ‘guns’, face shields for pastors, and other essential supplies.
In the DRC, Ephphatha has supported the three local churches that serve the deaf community by providing them with temperature ‘guns’, disinfectants and hand soap, additional seating to facilitate physical distancing, as well as constructing permanent water tanks at two of the churches to provide a reliable water source for hand washing.