Responding to Covid-19 and Helping the Children

We are so grateful to each person who is continuing to support the children and young people at our projects during these uncertain times. Our partner organisations work directly with the children. Some have adapted their programmes, or launched new ones, in response to the pandemic and lockdowns. Others have had to find ways to keep going, at a time when it is much harder to get support. Many have turned to Children’s Helpers Worldwide (CHW) and we are thankful to all who are helping them.

Casa Mea, Romania: the sign says, “Everything will be alright.”
With thanks to Felicia for this photo.

With the help and kindness of CHW’s supporters, the following has been made possible over the past few weeks:

– Support for two food distribution programmes in South Africa. One of our South African partner organisations, The Future Factory, is involved with an initiative distributing food in Cape Town. The other programme was started by ORT SA CAPE.
– Assistance with the ongoing running costs of the home, Casa Mea, in Romania.
– Funding for Refugiu’s social assistance programme in Romania, for resources to be used during and after the lockdown.
– Extra support for a centre in Argentina, run by Manos Abiertas. The centre temporarily houses babies and children, aged 0 to 5, who have suffered abuse or neglect.
– Assistance for education programmes that had to go online in China and South Africa. Stepping Stones, in China, began giving lessons over the internet. CHW made its regular donation to them for the semester, to help during these uncertain times. ORT SA CAPE, in South Africa, is making its resources and trainings available online for its beneficiaries. However, access to the internet is costly and ORT SA CAPE is supplying data bundles so that their beneficiaries can continue to learn. Fortunately, these bundles can be bought at a reduced rate.

We also recently received a request from Pinocchio Creche in South Africa for help with funding Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), so that they can have everything in place when the time comes to reopen. As well as this, New Life in Ghana has been distributing items that have been greatly needed during the lockdown to children and families in the local community. New Life has identified nine families that are particularly in need of extra help and has asked us for support with supplying food, soap and face masks to them.

The situation continues to be complicated and many of the above needs for help are ongoing. If you would like to make a difference right now, you can contribute here.

We are truly thankful to each person who is helping these children during this very challenging time.

ORT SA CAPE has started distributing food in Cape Town.
With thanks to Bev and Karen for this photo.