Wow! We are simply blown away by the success of Action In Africa's Virtual Awareness Week. We had so much fun with each and every one of you. THANK YOU for being part of this special event. While the circumstances that led us to coordinating our first-ever virtual fundraiser are scary and overwhelming, we are grateful for the unique opportunity it gave us to spend the week connecting, learning, and giving with you!
Below we've included a link to photos from some of the virtual classes.
This week, Brenda Nassanga, AIA's Director of Center Operations, and our on the ground team, finished distributing all 377 Quarantine Kits. Together we made a huge difference for 2040 individuals in our beloved community of Nakuwadde, Uganda. While there's still much work to be done, we want to take a moment to celebrate! With your help we raised enough money to provide 509 families with Quarantine Kits, 132 more than our original goal but far less than we'll need long term. 509 Quarantine Kits will help us provide approximately 2,500 individuals experiencing hunger and food insecurity. This is life-changing work and we are so grateful to you for being a critical part of our emergency relief response.
Next week Brenda will meet with the local government to determine who will receive the additional 132 Quarantine Kits. And because of you, the success of last week's event has allowed us to include face masks in each one of Action In Africa's Quarantine Kits. The Ugandan government has mandated that individuals are required by law to wear masks in public, which is tricky for people who don't have enough money to buy food. We're thrilled that we can step in and help our community gain access to masks. What's more, the masks in our kits are being made by the women in Action In Africa's women's support group, which has created local jobs for women who are otherwise unable to go to work. Below is a video of Mama Sumayya assembling Quarantine Kits in her shop.
All of these developments are remarkable and we are blown away by your continued generosity. That being said, we would be remiss if we didn't mention how the need in Uganda is ongoing - and growing. Sadly the cases of COVID-19 in Uganda have been on the rise which means people will be required to stay home longer, kids will be out of school longer, and more people will look to Action In Africa for help meeting their basic needs.
Our team in the US is working closely with our team in Uganda to map out a long-term plan for the Nakuwadde community. As we celebrate the success of last week we ask that you keep us in mind, stay tuned to find out what transpires, and join us as we continue to respond to the ongoing challenges in Uganda. Thank you!
We will continue to help the most vulnerable people in Nakuwadde, which means we will continue fundraising. Your gifts make a difference, and we are so grateful for you. If you haven't already, please consider making a donation towards Action in Africa’s Quarantine Kits. Each kit is $35 and provides one family (4-6 people) with 2+ weeks worth of life-saving supplies!
With Gratitude,
Sarah Nininger and The Action in Africa Team
