Uganda Status Update: June 27

Written by Claude, A+H Social Worker

Uganda currently has 763 Covid positive cases, 492 recoveries and no deaths. Of these, truck drivers record the highest percentage of infection, while the rest are those returning to the country, their contacts, and those of the drivers.

The government is slowly easing the restrictions of the lockdown, with public and private transportation now operating. Some businesses, especially those dealing in food and other essential items, have been allowed to reopen.

On the other hand, public markets, shopping arcades, schools, institutions of learning, churches, mosques, and large gatherings over 10 people are still closed indefinitely.

In a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19 in the community, Arrows + Hope encouraged the families to observe government guidelines and conducted a second distribution exercise of food, seeds, and other essential commodities for the families of 53 children in the Soroti project. Older children and guardians picked up the items from Arrows + Hope office, while the young remained at home.

The children, guardians, and their families were glad for the extra support given to them at this time. Business is slow. Markets are still closed, casual laborers are in excess, and earning opportunities are limited – the list of challenges is long. The relief aid from the wonderful donors of Arrows + Hope has been a huge blessing!

It is a common scenario today for families to have only one meal per day, or to go to bed without food. Some survive on porridge, while others eat greens and raw mangos most of the time.

Beans have become a delicacy for most families, as they cannot afford a kilo of meat, fish, or white meat. Having meat is a thing of the past, especially at this time when the effects of Covid-19 are being felt everywhere.

Each child received 10 kg of maize flour, 12 kg of beans, 2 bars of soap, 2 sachets of salt, along with maize, cow peas and green gram for seed.

“It has been difficult for us as a family since the outbreak of Covid-19, eating and washing has been a problem,” said Ben. “May God bless and protect our sponsors.”

“My heart is delighted and relieved to hear that the sponsors of our children are fine. We shall defeat this virus by prayer,” Leah said. “May God keep you safe, add you more days and always provide for what you need. We are going to plant these seeds so that we can have more food in the near future. Our farms and crops were destroyed by water logging, we did not have any seed to plant again as a result of this. Now that we have received seeds, we shall get back to our farms, plant and pray to God for the best harvest. The God who provided for you, will reward you for your giving, thank you so much.”

The difficulty in earning money has made life extremely difficult for many families. Children and guardians bathe without soap. Others wear one set of clothing for weeks and months without washing. Thanks to Arrows + Hope for providing soap and oil, this will help prevent the children and families from contracting avoidable infections and diseases. The food aid to the children and their families will greatly reduce the chances of malnutrition.

The food and seed assistance will reduce food insecurity among vulnerable populations and help build resilience in communities facing chronic poverty and recurrent crises such as drought, floods, water logging. Equipping people with the knowledge and tools to feed themselves also reduces the need for future assistance.

Alleviating hunger is critical to Arrows + Hope communities, where hunger persists and instability grows. By supporting vulnerable and orphaned children, Arrows + Hope is building a more stable community and ensuring opportunity for people to lead healthy and productive lives.

Our hearts are delighted by your generosity, thank you so much for your support and unwavering faith in us. We affirm our diligence, love, and trust in our generous donors. May God richly bless and protect you now and tomorrow. We love you and are proud of you!