Volunteers deliver food and hygeine kits to the most vulnerable São Paulo families.
How you are helping people affected by coronavirus around the world
As part of one of the largest aid networks in the world, our local experts work with some of the most remote and difficult-to-reach people in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
Because of your incredible response to our Coronavirus Appeal, these local experts have been responding to the pandemic across the world, in your name, working with some of the most vulnerable communities. While the pandemic has exacerbated many existing challenges, with your support, together we can rebuild.
Here are some of the stories of people you are helping to survive, rebuild and heal.
Bangladesh
Richard Sloman, CAFOD’s Programme Officer for Bangladesh, tells us how your generous donations help to change lives. During the pandemic your support has been more important than ever to help families survive.
He shares this message with you:
“The other thing that gives me hope is the generous support and donations that people make that make this work possible. Every time I go to Bangladesh, I go to very rural communities and they’ll say to me please, please, please say thank you to the people that have given money on behalf of CAFOD. Just a huge thank you it really, really does make a huge difference.”
South Sudan
South Sudan has endured years of conflict, suffered a serious food crisis in 2017, and now faces coronavirus.
Ibrahim Njuguna, CAFOD’s country representative for South Sudan, explains how your support is making a difference in South Sudan.
We are working with experts on the ground to deliver vital hygiene messages via radio. Local health volunteers have also been trained with accurate information about coronavirus, and we are delivering food to households that need to isolate.
We are also working with women’s groups to protect wives, mothers and girlfriends from the risk of domestic violence during lockdown and working to provide access to counselling and other services.
“We realise that working with women has a huge impact. It will help move the country forward.”
Brazil
In Brazil, a new strain of the virus, collapse of the public hospitals and a shortage of supplies and oxygen has caused the death of hundreds of people.
In Manaus, the first delivery of oxygen has now arrived, bringing the ‘breath of life’ to dozens of people.
“We would like to say thank you for sending these cylinders which are already being sent to the interior of Amazonas State. We thank Caritas who acted as intermediary for this delivery from CAFOD.”
With your support, we have also been distributing essential food, facemasks and hygiene kits to help stop the spread of the virus in cities. And in the Amazon, we have been providing information in local languages.
Sri Lanka
Food and hygiene packages have been distributed to households headed by women, including people living with disabilities, daily wage earners, and families from minority religious and ethnic groups who are often subjected to exploitation and discrimination.
In Sri Lanka, the local experts and aid workers you support are helping communities build a 'new normal'.
From finding ways to share their common home with elephants, to getting food to those who need it and ensuring dignified burials for those lost to coronavirus, your support is giving people renewed hope.
Sierra Leone
Kayode works for CAFOD in Sierra Leone. He told us how lessons learned during the Ebola outbreak helped to save lives when coronavirus hit.
“Ebola devastated the economy, social systems, almost every aspect of life. It lasted almost two years. Part of the reason our work was a success was because we brought leaders on boards – community leaders of all faiths – and we gave them training. The community had trust and respect – they trusted the leaders.
“Trust is so important. We believe that by working through faith leaders, and with the trust they have build in the communities, we can get information out about what people need to do.”
“We defeated Ebola, and we know that by the grace of God, we are going to defeat coronavirus.”
Support our Emergency Response Team
The Emergency Response Team is funded by our loyal regular donors who have chosen to specifically support our emergencies work.
Many humanitarian situations can escalate quickly so having regular donations that we can depend on gives us the flexibility and agility we need to respond and react to emergencies whenever they strike.
You can also now sign up to receive prayer texts for when there is an emergency.