How are our children doing? Infos about the current situation in Uganda
After many questions from sponsors how our children are doing, how bad Covid-19 is here in Uganda, how the current situation is in the country, if we have a famine, if Vision for Africa has enough food available etc. we would like to inform you and answer your questions, hopefully we can also take your worries.
Generally the Corona Virus is relatively mild in Uganda so far - compared to other countries, especially compared to Europe. We currently have 54 confirmed (tested) Covid-19 infections. On Easter Sunday another 169 people have been tested and only one was positive. There is no death case because of the virus yet in the country. Whether or not the figures are representative is questionable due to expensive tests and people would have to pay for their own test result, which leads to relatively few tests compared to other countries. Die government has called in a general lock-down one month ago which included the closing of bars, coffeehouses and restaurants to the closing of all big markets and restricted supermarket opening times, to the complete shut-down of public transport (taxis and "boda bodas" - motorbike taxis can only carry goods) to the general ban of private cars. After 7pm no one is allowed to move outside also cargo transporters are not allowed after that time. Two days ago the Ugandan president extended the regulations for 21 more days.
To Vision for Africa:
I would like to inform that last week, the government of Uganda brought some food (Maize flour, beans, sugar and milk) for the children in our homes in Kiyunga. We were very grateful!
As a ministry, we took serious precautions as by Ministry of Health guidelines. All our gates have sanitizers and everyone must wash hands before coming in. we stopped most of operations, so we do not have many people coming in. Most of our staff who were commuting from home to work were asked to stay home.
Regarding all other sponsored children, they were all sent back home, only those who were not able to go are staying with us here in Kiyunga.
We are aware of food issues in most homes in Uganda , most especially those who stay in towns. This is largely because, most of town duelers depend on daily earning and most of businesses are closed. However, we need to note that most of our sponsored children are from villages and people in villages pick food from their gardens. There is no famine in Uganda that people are lacking food.
We do understand that there are families that do not have enough food in Uganda. However the government does not allow anyone to supply food to the communities. Food suppliers can only be done by government. Even if we would love to support some of our children that stay within urban centers, government will not allow us to us to move there. They do not allow people to gather more than 5 in any public domain.
As a ministry, we have enough food in our stores. We had purchased more for the whole term. So we still have food.
Regarding our children in Karamoja, there is food there, but the government does not allow movements of people moving from place to place. So it becomes difficulty to organize them for meals. We pray that with government’s support in the distribution of food, they will be helped. ! Another important information!
We currently cannot guarantee that your letter or package you are sending to Uganda will arrive here. Please do not send anything here right now, until the situation has eased. If you plan to send something later please ask at the post office for information about the assurance of the package arriving in Uganda. Thank you!
Shalom shalom
Stay safe!
