The team at the Mbuyu Foundation want to keep our sponsors and supporters up to date on the changing and challenging situation in Kampala.
We have learnt a lot from the initial lockdown in Uganda and hope to continue supporting our slum community through this increasingly difficult period.
Uganda has entered a strict lockdown as the country battles a third wave of COVID-19. Communities are left without income, food, education and without support if they find themselves vulnerable to violence.
The President of Uganda on 18th June 2021 imposed a strict 42 day lockdown until 30th July 2021. There is no public transport, schools are closed and people must stay at home.
There will be no food provision from the Government during this lockdown. On average (as of 20TH June 2021) Uganda has recorded s 3364 new cases infections, which is primarily affecting the younger population aged between 20-39. (most in this age group are parents already - leaving to many children losing their parents)
It is estimated that 23% of the urban poor are at risk of losing 100% of their daily income due to the informal nature of their work, with up to 90% of young urban slum dwellers in Kampala relying on informal labor
As of 5th of July, the total number of confirmed cases in Uganda stood at 83,636 with 1,111 deaths according to WHO. week. The increase started at 30%, but now has reached 131%. The country’s health system is under serious strain with many struggling to find medical care. The harrowing reality is that both vaccines and oxygen are running low, leaving many vulnerable to the effects COVID-19.
Many people are being asked to pay hundreds to thousands of US dollars before being treated as resources are in such short supply. You can understand for the majority of Ugandan's this is out of reach.
Many Doctors are reporting severe lack of resources, even basics including gloves, aprons and hand sanitizers have almost run out.
In the slums of Kampala, people do not have access to emergency help in their time of need. Emergency medical services are not accessible and public services lack the funding necessary to respond to social and domestic crises. Without the safety nets available, the poorest families are extremely vulnerable in times of crisis and COVID-19 has exacerbated these issues.
Our community staff and volunteers are there to provide food for hungry families in crisis and emergency care for children at risk. We are aiming to work together with police and community leaders to provide a safety net for families and children in need.
COVID-19 lockdown procedures are having a devastating effect on the slum dwelling communities we support in Kampala.
Our organization is initially focusing on immediate needs and providing food to vulnerable children and families. We are also ensuring children continue their education by providing home school packages as well as providing them with story books and novels to reading during the lockdown which keeps them occupied to and avoid unnecessary movements and involvement in bad groups .
We have learnt a lot from our response to the first lockdown in Uganda and are doing all we can within the government guidelines to support vulnerable families get through this difficult time. The road to recovery is a long one, and the impact of Covid-19 on the communities we work with will last a long time.
Our teachers and social workers are doing follow up visits, making calls to check on and support children and their families when they can with counseling and often mediation.
Without our support during this pandemic families would have nowhere to turn.
Our target is to reach out to as many families as possible during this lockdown
We are incredibly grateful for the generous support we have received over this time, which has made it possible for us to stay connected to the children and communities who are most on the edge.
Please help us reach more people with COVID relief by donating to our feeding program. For $20 you can help us feed a family in the slums for a week.
You can give through our website ( select COVID relief) or you can message us through the contact page or email for more information.
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we endevour to bring life and healing..... and hope during this time.