Living in an Orphange during Covid-19

Hi everyone

I wanted to keep you updated with how our friends in Uganda are coping with Covid-19. Our thoughts are with everyone throughout the world who has been affected by the disease, as you can imagine - the situation is intensified in a country with poor health standards and procedures.

Life is incredibly hard in Uganda. The country is in complete lockdown and whilst in New Zealand and other countries of the developed world we have support networks and the ability to go to supermarkets and pharmacies, that is not allowed in Uganda. People are starving and many will die. Remarkably Uganda has been spared, to date, of large numbers of infection ... to date 53 cases and no deaths.

People are locked indoors, the Orphanage of Hope has had the Security Gate locked by Police which is really, really hard with 172 children being confined with absolutely no means of "entertainment" - especially with the wet season where each day there is very heavy rain, wet firewood, wet clothes, and red African mud.

Uganda has suffered tragically with diseases....AIDS (thought to have been brought in from the USA) Ebola (brought in from the Ebola River region of the Democratic Republic of Congo) and now Covid-19 ...brought in from Rwanda by a single person on the run from authorities.

Our major concern is the need to buy more food at the local market at inflated prices, as we are unable to go the 12 kms to our three garden areas and harvest the crops that were planted earlier. Fortunately a large bag of beans or Maize flour can be bought for a little over $250 which will feed the children for 14 days. We are seeking help from all our readers and followers. Maybe next time you shop at the supermarket you could think beans ....and give a small donation to keep our needy orphans fed. Every dollar reaches the children. I will continue to keep you updated.

Lindsay