Friends of the Kamukama Foundation,
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact families worldwide, both here at home and in our beloved village of Bwindi. We want to provide an update on the state of the pandemic in Uganda and how the Foundation is responding.
The country of Uganda has taken drastic measures to curb the spread of the virus. All schools, lodges and businesses in Bwindi have closed and will stay closed for the foreseeable future. Bwindi is a region that depends on tourism. These shutdowns have had a devastating economic impact on the local community. Uganda has no social services or support from government agencies and very few opportunities for employment. Even before COVID-19, the threat of starvation and malnutrition was an ever-present battle. Today, food has become even more scarce, making food security a top priority during this pandemic.
Since 2012, the Kamukama Foundation has been committed to supporting the spiritual, emotional, physical and educational well-being of our students in Uganda. In the process, we have also lifted up the families, communities and villages that these students belong to. We intend to see our 575 sponsored students and their families through this crisis.
When the pandemic hit Bwindi, we worked with our Foundation employees in Uganda to establish a local food procurement and distribution system. Our 450 families – who together total more than 2,000 people – were divided into community pods with an assigned leader. We established five distribution centers throughout the village and have been safely distributing food at the end of each month.
Because officials expect the COVID-19 crisis to last for some time in Uganda, we have been working to build a more sustainable solution to address food security in the long term. We are working with local partners and our school communities to develop gardens and farms that can be permanent food sources for the future. These will be maintained by our school communities for their benefit. As we meet the immediate needs of families through our food procurement and distribution system, we are also working in parallel to invest in these agricultural projects that we see as more viable solutions in the long term.
Throughout COVID-19, the Foundation will continue to pay teacher and staff salaries at Ebenezer School and Victory School, our cornerstone school partners. Our social workers will also remain stationed at the Foundation’s Bwindi Headquarters to serve our students and their families.
As a Kamukama Foundation community, we’ve come together to provide an education for 575 students who would not otherwise have the opportunity for a quality education. Together, we will see our Ugandan brothers, sisters and friends through this crisis. We thank you for joining us on this journey and send our prayers for the health, well-being and safety of you and yours in the coming weeks.
Blessings,
Carol and Jeanne
Vision for the Future
In Uganda, where the young adult unemployment rate is 64%, Kamukama Foundation is committed to expanding our outreach to support the educational needs of more children.
Looking forward, we will broaden our vision to encompass not only educational support, but also the spiritual, emotional and physical well being of nursery, primary, secondary and vocational students. By taking a more holistic approach, we hope to spark excitement and mold these children into well rounded adults, equipped with the tools necessary to tackle their futures with great success.
