This Week: Safety During COVID-19

COVID-19 In Africa

Major African stats as of June 1:

  • Confirmed cases: 146,794
  • Number of deaths: 4,223
  • Recoveries: 61,773
  • Active cases: 80,798
  • Virus-free countries: none

Updates from where we work as of June 1:

  • Burundi: 63
  • Malawi: 284
  • Tanzania: 509
  • Zambia: 1,057
  • Zimbabwe: 56

(source: africanews.com)

Support our Work During COVID-19 by Donating HOPE Packs!

voh africa hope packsEach package contains:

  • 1 bottle of liquid hand soap
  • 2kgs of nutritious porridge
  • reusable face masks (with use and care instructions)
  • children’s multi-vitamins
  • a COVID-19 safety handout

Each HOPE Pack costs $20. We’ve already raised over $5,000–that’s over 250 HOPE Packs!

Support this initiative by donating a HOPE Pack!

 

VOH Bulale (Tanzania) Update: Taking Care During COVID-19

Due to COVID-19, the VOH Bulale children are not able to come to school regularly. However, all of our staff are continuing to do their part and ensure we are ready to welcome the kids back when the time comes.

In the meantime, our teachers are preparing weekly homework packages and doing follow-ups with our community families in Bulale to make sure they are continuing to learn.

In addition, we are distributing regular nutrition through our new HOPE Packs so the children remain strong and healthy during this time.

Back at the Village, our groundskeeper, Edward, is making sure our gardens are maintained so the children will come back to a beautiful, well-kept site!

We’re grateful for everyone’s hard work during these exceptional circumstances.

VOH Bwiza & Maramvya (Burundi) Update: Administration Meeting

The VOH Maramvya administration team recently joined with the VOH Bwiza administration as part of our ongoing meetings about how we are continuing to care for our children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ever since we first knew about the pandemic, even before there were any cases in Burundi, we have followed the W.H.O. measures of prevention.

The children have cooperated and are settled into the new norm of proper and frequent hand washing and social distancing.

VOH Chongwe (Zambia) Update: Preparing for School Reopening

The president of Zambia has directed the Ministry of Education to reopen schools starting with grades 7, 9, and 12. Schools have been ordered to strictly put in place all COVID-19 measures including: water points for washing hands, wearing masks, checking for signs of the virus, regularly sanitizing, and social distancing.

We are working tirelessly to meet all these requirements and standards before reopening the school. We also hung COVID-19 prevention information posters for the staff and children.

In addition, our nurse is equipped with thermometers and will take each child’s temperature at the main entrance before they come in.

We are happy to report that the ministry of health and education inspected our school and were very satisfied with all the measures put in place!

VOH Kitwe (Zambia) Update: Spending Time at Home

This week at VOH Kitwe we would like to share some of the ways our children living at the Village are spending their time.

60 of the 1,100 children who are a part of our VOH Kitwe family live in children’s homes at the Centre. They have been helping with harvesting our rainy season crops and are learning to share what they have harvested with other VOH children who live in the surrounding communities.

We are using this opportunity to remind them how important it is to always think of others as well as yourself.

They are also enjoying the time they now have for art projects. We have encouraged them to draw pictures that we can display in the playroom.

We are all learning how to live and continue to thrive in the new temporary normal that we are experiencing.

VOH Malawi Update: Providing Weekly Care

At VOH Malawi we continue to provide weekly nutrition support to all VOH children. We do this by sending home 1kg of high nutrition porridge for each child each week

A staggered pick-up schedule allows the children and their caregivers to come in a manner that follows physical distancing practices. They pick up their porridge and receive a bar of soap and a homework pack for them to complete during the week. They also hand in the completed homework pack from the week before. Lastly, they have a chance to talk to our staff about any concerns or troubles they are having.

We are so glad we can continue caring for these amazing kids during these unique circumstances.

VOH Mongu (Zambia) Update: Keeping Busy During Lockdown

 

At VOH Mongu, 48 of the 800 children who are a part of our VOH family live on-site in children’s homes. These kids are having so much fun spending the days together while the city of Mongu continues to be in lockdown.

The younger kids are spending their days playing games, spraying each other with water (hours of fun!), completing educational activities, and having a lively game of soccer. Many of our older children and teenagers are delving into their creative sides and are practising photography, improving their guitar and keyboard skills, writing songs, painting, and doing skits for our local church’s online service!

While they are excited to start back to school soon, they are utilizing this time well and having fun amid these unusual circumstances.

We are so proud of our kids and the house mothers for keeping everyone calm and positive for so long!

VOH Mwanza (Tanzania) Update: Supporting Our Community

At VOH Mwanza our school remains closed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic; however, we are doing everything we can to continue to care for our children, even while they are at their homes in the community.

In addition to distributing essentials like nutritional supplements, supplies, and educational materials, members of our staff have also been ensuring we visit each community child’s home regularly to check-in and find out how they are doing.

Our Community Engagement Officer and our Chaplin recently visited some homes of our community children and we have several other small teams of staff members that include teachers, teaching assistants, and office staff who are taking time each week to visit homes in the community.

We do this as safely as we can (keeping as much distance as possible, washing hands, and wearing masks), but we feel it is so important to keep a personal connection with each family and to let them know we are very much still here, still working, and still finding creative ways to help care for their children.

During each visit, we check on how the children are doing and take time to pray with the families if they want us to.

Generally, we are very happy to report that most of our community families are doing remarkably well despite the challenges this season has brought on them. Their spirits are high, they are appreciative of the support and they are doing their very best to protect and care for their families.

VOH Zimbabwe Update: Planting Crops!

There is a strong drive in Zimbabwe during the COVID-19 pandemic, to increase food production. This is in response to price increases that are taking place due to the scarcity of some of the basic food items we all need.

At VOH Zimbabwe we are taking this opportunity to teach the children self-sustenance so they are equipped for the future.

The children and their caregivers worked hard to help with land preparation. After the land was prepped, we planted, and now the crops are growing! We are anticipating a bumper harvest and a reduced food cost for the coming months!

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