Our global coronavirus response has taken us back to Tijuana, Mexico, and to the Jardin de las Mariposas house. Our Changemakers team is well acquainted with the house, a place that is full of community and is deeply passionate about supporting the LGBT community in Tijuana. Because of the coronavirus outbreak, the house is, unfortunately, not currently accepting new residents in an attempt to protect the current residents as best as they can. But it’s also hard to do that when you don’t have the supplies you need to do so. So, we decided to get them some more emergency relief supplies that they would be able to use to the house squeaky clean. This included things like alcohol wipes, cleaning sprays, gloves and a first aid bag! This change made possible by Tradition Capital Bank. … [Read more...] about Squeaky Clean
Changemakers365
Secure and Solar
Today we are at Rubondo secondary school in Nakivale. In order to finish secondary school, you must complete the final exams which require a lot of preparation. For the students of Rubondo, when the sun is gone so are your chances to study. This gave our staff the idea for today’s Changemakers 365 - solar powered lights! These lights will help illuminate students’ studies, increase safety, and overall makes for a better environment at the school. “I am going to encourage parents to send their students for evening classes to help them boost their performance because the school is fully lighted and will support both the secondary and primary students in their reading, thank you Alight for the support to the school.” Said one of the parents of the school. Now the students will have increased time and opportunities to study! … [Read more...] about Secure and Solar
Lighting Up the Maternity Ward
Today we are in Nakivale and focusing on mothers – future mothers to be exact. At the maternity ward in Rubondo, a part of the settlement far away from other health services, there lies a building with no accessible light. Seeing as babies do not respect people’s schedules when a baby is born at night there can be issues! Our team got right to work installing solar power into the building. “We have been suffering at night as caregivers that we couldn’t move out for short or long calls in the night due to fear, this solar will be very helpful to us mothers in this community and also the doctors will be able to attend to us when we come at night which, makes us feel safer and assured of services.” Said Franscine one of the mothers at the maternity ward. A police officer named Amooti told us, “This new solar system is going to ease our night inspection works as it provides for security lights that were not on the old system and it also has more panels and batteries that we hope can … [Read more...] about Lighting Up the Maternity Ward
Sanitation for Days
Today our COVID-19 response brings us back to Nakivale Uganda. Everyone knows to stop the spread of the virus you need to wash your hands but what happens when you don’t have soap to wash with? Today, our teams are tackling the issue of lack of soap in Nakivale. Through this Changemakers 365 project, we were able to provide raw materials for making 8,000 liters of liquid soap. That’s a lot of soap to go around! The soap will be going to different community members, busy places like reception center, hospitals, police, and offices. Joseph at MTI told us, “From the time the pandemic was officially announced in Uganda the prices of essential items like soap have gone high and yet for the health facility liquid soap is one of the most wanted items for the cleaning of the facilities and in this period of time more cleaning and hand washing is required this makes the facility strained, thank Alight for the support and being thoughtful in this trying moment.” This change made possible … [Read more...] about Sanitation for Days
Soap and Paper
Today our COVID-19 response brings us back to Tijuana. Working with our partner organization ORAM, we visited Jardin De Las Mariposas. Jardin De Las Mariposas is a shelter for LGBT migrants. Like all vulnerable populations, COVID-19 has greatly impacted the shelter. When asked how we could provide support the answer was soap, toilet paper, and paper towels. We made our way to the store and were able to pick up enough supplies to restock their supply! “Thanks to great organizations like ORAM & Alight whose continued support allows us to provide much-needed services. Thank you for giving us joy and hope in these challenging times,” exclaimed a staff member seeing the supplies. This change made possible by Tradition Capital Bank. … [Read more...] about Soap and Paper
Taking Our Medicine
Hello, hello! It’s our third and final day in Jordan and we’re busy responding to the coronavirus. Today, we’re focusing on getting necessary medicines to those who need them. We’re with our partner organization Questscope again, and we’re really seeing the ways in which they live their motto, “putting the last, first.” … [Read more...] about Taking Our Medicine
Putting Our Kids First
Today, our global COVID-19 response is back in Jordan for another day. We are working with our partner organization Questscope to come alongside the community during these uncertain times. Our second COVID-19 project here is Jordan makes sure that some of our most vulnerable—young children—are taken care of. Questscope has deep relationships in the communities they serve in Jordan, and, similarly to the United States, refugees and low-income families were hit especially hard by the economic impact of this global pandemic. To support them, we were able to quickly identify families who were having trouble feeding their kids and provided 60 children with meals. This would make a huge difference to these families. One of the kids who received the meals was Sally. Sally is three years old and suffers from a calcium deficiency, so she needs special milk to make sure she gets enough calcium every day. Her father works in construction as a day laborer and his income goes to support … [Read more...] about Putting Our Kids First
Working Together
Today our global COVID-19 response takes us to Jordan! We are working with our partner organization Questscope to come alongside the community during these uncertain times. Our first Changemakers 365 project is all about equipping people to better prevent and identify COVID-19. The local family protection unit and juvenile police identified that they could use some more prevention supplies. Our teams were able to provide 13 infra-red thermometers and 500 facemasks to these awesome local organizations! Not only did it fill a critical need, but it was also a great way to strengthen our relationship with these partners! This change made possible by Tradition Capital Bank. … [Read more...] about Working Together
Wash Wash Wash Your Hands
Today is the last day of setting up a new quarantine space in Nakivale. As part of our COVID-19 response, we’ve been working with our teams on the ground to identify what changes we can make to control the spread of the virus. In refugee settlements, space is an issue that presents a problem for social distancing. Over the last couple of days, we’ve been setting up a new quarantine space and today we put on the finishing touches. The final touch comes in the form of water basins. Our team procured 30 water basins so that everyone who is in the quarantine space can easily wash themselves and their clothes. These basins have multiple uses and will be able to provide a sense of normalcy to patients during these times as basins are commonly found in everyday life. “Thank you Alight for the support,” one medical worker said as the last supplies were delivered. With quarantine space ready to go, our staff are feeling much better and more well equipped to take on anything that may come … [Read more...] about Wash Wash Wash Your Hands
Water at the Ready
Today, we are back in Nakivale continuing our COVID-19 preparation. Our response in Nakivale has been focused on creating a quarantine space in the event of COVID-19 reaching the settlement. We’ve got beds, blankets, and today our staff had another great idea! Their idea was jerry cans for holding water. During this time people are going to need water to drink, wash their hands, and for cooking. The ability to keep their water with them will help with social distancing and reducing the need for excess movement. These quarantine spaces are slowly but surely becoming a human worthy place of recovery. “On behalf of OPM, I am pleased and happy for your immediate support that is great and lifesaving, if all organizations in the settlement would respond with such a positive attitude then we shall overcome this challenge as on big family with much strength,” the Deputy commandant told us. This change made possible by Tradition Capital Bank. … [Read more...] about Water at the Ready