Rwanda – AGL Provincial extends food support to Don Bosco Muhazi and other communities through Salesian COVID 19 Emergency responses

14 April 2020

(ANS – Kigali) – The Provincial Superior of the Salesians of Don Bosco in the African Great Lakes Province (AGL), Father Pierre-Célestin Ngoboka has allowed the distribution of food support to needy citizens in AGL and employees of the province currently overwhelmed with family demands as a result of the Corona Virus outbreak.

The support delivery has already started in Rwanda, the first country of the AGL Province which has announced the four-week total lockdown to slow the spreading of COVID-19.

The food support targets vulnerable citizens in Kimihurura (Kigali), Kabgayi, Rango and Don Bosco Muhazi where the staff of Don Bosco House and the teachers of the Don Bosco Muhazi TVET School have also benefited from the support.

The Provincial Superior, accompanied by the Vicar of the Province, namely Father Bavumiragiye Raymond, earlier last week drove to Don Bosco Muhazi to donate food support as a backing to the community’s staff currently overwhelmed with family demands due to the total lockdown set by the Government of Rwanda to stop the spread of the Corona Virus in the country.

Since 21 March 2020, Rwanda announced a total lockdown in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus, banning the unnecessary movement of residents within the Central African country and closing its land borders.

Schools and other services, including many jobs, have closed, leading to the shortage of food among families who had been able to buy food after their daily jobs.

At Don Bosco Muhazi, the staff of Don Bosco House and the teachers of Don Bosco TVET School have been affected by the lockdown since they are obliged to nourish their extended families who are unable to get food during this lockdown period.

Speaking to the beneficiaries, Father Ngoboka expressed the Province’s commitment to support the suffering communities during this hardship time since it is enshrined in the Salesians’ values of helping the needy persons not only in the normal times but also in difficult circumstances like this time when the world is facing the deadly Corona Virus.

Apart from Don Bosco Muhazi, the Province has dispatched tons of food to other communities as part of the Salesian COVID-19 Emergency response.

So far, a total of 400 families have benefited from the Salesian during this time of hardship.

The AGL Province continues to give more supports to a needy population while enhancing awareness campaigns on COVID-19 Prevention as well as advocating for more funding to be able to reach the increasing number of hungry people.

In Burundi and Uganda, Salesians are working remotely to ensure that the needy are supported with available means.

In the Palabek Refugee Camp, the mission has successfully prepared sanitization materials and distributed cans, sanitizing spirits, soaps, face masks, etc., to various beneficiaries including the Army staff, police, camp authorities, market and nursery school.

The support delivery has been conducted in close collaboration with local leaders who are working on a daily basis to ensure that most vulnerable citizens are supported during this hardship while waiting for the COVID-19 situation to come down.

Other Interventions

The AGL Province also continues the COVID-19 community awareness-raising campaigns by encouraging all communities to abide by the guidelines from Government and World Health Organization as the pandemic is seriously affecting all living aspects of the countries.

The campaign also is being conducted via online communications among other means.

Communities mobilization targets handwashing with soap and avoiding unnecessary movement, practicing social distancing among others.

Promotion of Hygiene and Sanitation in Burundi also takes a centre stage as the country is reporting the first three cases as of Thursday, 9th April 2020.

To date, Rwanda has the highest number of COVID patients, followed by Uganda whose number of patients is also increasing.

Rwanda and Uganda have already announced the total lockdown period to help the Authorities and Health organizations deal with the pandemic.

It is not clear when the situation will return to normal as the number of patients are increasing day by day in every country.

InfoANS

ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

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