Mutebi’s emergency relief fund for the vulnerable
“This fund has for over a month now been giving out an assortment of relief items to the most affected families,” he notes. “A total of 173 people; 115 of whom are children and 58 adults in 43 households, have been beneficiaries of this relief.”
As soon as the lock down was announced in Uganda, philanthropist Brian Mutebi sprang into action. Through an organization he runs called Education & Development Opportunity- Uganda, Mutebi quickly set up what he calls the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund.
Having worked with different vulnerable communities, Mutebi knew that the lock down would make life difficult for them. “We developed a concept for the relief fund,” he says. Besides food, he also anticipated an increase in sexual and reproductive health needs. He was right! It was not long before they got calls from the community asking for food and contraceptives.
“One particular lady was worried her days had run out and she didn't want to conceive.” Mutebi weaved a short-term project around these needs for beneficiaries in the districts of Kampala, Wakiso, Mityana and Kiboga where the organization operates.
“This fund has for over a month now been giving out an assortment of relief items to the most affected families,” he notes. “A total of 173 people; 115 of whom are children and 58 adults in 43 households, have been beneficiaries of this relief.”
Mutebi and team distributed maize flour, rice, beans, groundnuts, bread, soap, sugar, salt and tea leaves. After a discussion, they also agreed that they would distribute hard cash for people to meet needs they may have been omitted.
“Someone gave me charcoal, but no food. And my only piece of soap for bathing was stolen by a rat. I am so happy you didn't only buy me food, but a whole bar of soap," an elated mother said upon receiving her package.
On the reproductive health front, Mutebi says that the money was indeed a welcome stride. “That is the money some women who needed contraceptives used to buy them,” he says.
By Civsource Africa Team