We have been running our Coronavirus Rapid Response fund for one week now and have been blown away by the response. Thanks to the generosity of our donors we have raised over £700, for which we are very grateful.
As the global pandemic ages by one more week the number of infections increases even further and sadly so does the number of deaths. As this carries on we are hearing of more and more cases of need in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Kenya (the countries we work in).
This week we heard from our team in Zambia that increased restrictions on the movement of people is having an impact already. A large proportion of the population in Zambia relies on small businesses, such as selling tomatoes or peanuts to feed their families. Sadly, with restricted movement, these people are unable to sell their produce and are therefore stuck at home, with no income and no food. We have contacted a few other team members from different cities in Zambia and the reports are the same. One simply replied to us saying “the situation is bad, everywhere”.
This is exactly what our rapid response fund was set up to help with. Today I just want to take a little time to share our strategy with you. CiCA UK is blessed to have a hard-working, honest and trustworthy team on the ground in all 3 of the countries we work in. In Zambia we are in the process of compiling reports on the areas of need in order to be as effective as possible. We have team members in Kitwe, Mufulira, and Luanshya, three mining towns in Zambia working on this to advise the best course of action. Hopefully, within days, we will be able to begin distributing. Much needed assistance We are looking to help in two ways. The first way is through crisis grants given to families or individuals to help them with present needs, this may be food, but it may also be medical expenses. The second way is through emergency food parcels. The food parcels will be locally sourced so they will have the added advantage of making a positive impact on the local economies.
In Kenya, as I mentioned last week, we are helping a church pastor who with other members of his church is taking care of a large number of orphans, who have been sent home from school but have no immediate family to care for them. In Zimbabwe, we know the situation is not good, and as needs begin to reach us we will be ready to meet them with a similar strategy to the one employed in Zambia.
I would like to take this moment to thank all of our donors for their amazing generosity, thank you for being a part of and investing in something that is going to help so many people. I would also like to publicly thank our teams on the ground in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Kenya, without you we wouldn’t be able to have the impact that we do have.
This is our time, our moment to change the lives of people in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Kenya. To show love and compassion from thousands of miles away. I have used this quote before but I believe it is so apt for the times we are in. In one of his early briefings, the chancellor, Rishi Sunak said this;
“Now, more than any time in our recent history, we will be judged by our capacity for compassion. Our ability to come through this won’t just be down to what government or business can do, but by the individual acts of kindness we show one another”.
I believe this is a sentiment for the whole world. Our ability, and the ability of others, to come through this rests on the acts of kindness we show each other. You can be a part of this great move by donating what you would normally spend on those little extras. Please consider helping in any way you can by visiting our coronavirus rapid response page.