COVID-19
Many of us around the world are facing circumstances that we’ve never encountered before. The coronavirus pandemic has unfolded with incredible speed and is demanding rapid and decisive global action to stop its spread, even as we face the fluid uncertainty of what comes next.
To those who are affected by the virus, our thoughts are with you and your family, and we wish you a swift and full recovery. To all the health-care and frontline workers around the world, thank you. Thank you for risking your personal health—and the health of the people you love—to care for us and keep us safe.
As a grassroots organization, we’re incredibly concerned about how the Kenyan communities we work with can cope with the far-reaching health, education, social and economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis.
Currently, the number of cases in Kenya is low but, unfortunately, on the rise. In response, Kenya’s government has announced restrictive measures in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus, including school closures, bans on the entry for non-Kenyans, and instructions for anyone who has traveled internationally in the previous 14 days to self-quarantine.
Our mission is and will continue to be creating educational opportunities for children and youth that help break the cycle of poverty for the long term.
We are in close and constant contact with our team in Kenya, and our utmost priority during this time is to ensure the safety of our staff, students, teachers and administrators and the local partners and communities we work with.
Supporting communities and preventing the spread
Today, we want to share the actions Village Impact is taking and what our supporters can expect from us during this challenging time.
Our Commitment to Staff
We have suspended all work-related travel.
Our staff will work remotely only. Upcoming internal and external meetings will be virtual where possible. Where not possible, we have postponed them.
We are regularly reviewing updates from the WHO, public health experts, and government to ensure our responses are in line with all recommendations. We are also exploring how best to equip our staff with what they need to continue to thrive, collaborate and be productive throughout this challenging period.
Our Commitment to our Partners, Students, and their CommunitiesÂ
We stand together in this crisis with a commitment to learn, adapt, be flexible and innovate.
Immediately, our focus shifts to working with communities, local governments and partners to tackle the spread of COVID-19 through soap distributions, the dissemination of public health information and promotion of best hygiene practices, and the installation of hand-washing facilities and supplies at our schools.
We will work with teachers, parents and our counselors to ensure children get the pyscho-social support they need.
Despite temporary setbacks, we will do everything possible to ensure we scale up rather than scale back our support in helping students learn, thrive, grow and succeed.
Please look for any further updates from us on our website and social media channels. In the meantime, stay healthy and stay safe.
Support our efforts
As we continue to navigate this fluid situation, we are deeply grateful for the support of you, our dedicated donors, whose contributions enable us to play our part in managing this global pandemic. For more information about how you can help further reach and protect our students and their communities, please visit villageimpact.com/donate.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions about our approach or are interested in additional ways to help, please email us at [email protected].