I think we can all agree at this point that the year 2020 is a complete wash. One never would have imagined that things would take such a horrible turn so quickly. We entered the year optimistic about what the new year would bring and for the rug to be pulled out from under everyone’s feet so rapidly is beyond unnerving. The number of cases globally and nationally are rising at an alarming rate and what many thought was a small viral outbreak, and in some cases, just a hoax, has quickly come to be the number one topic discussed by everyone.

As of today, April 17^th, there have been a total of 48 cases in Zambia, with 30 having recovered and 16 active cases remaining. The effects of the virus are truly being felt as the economy has begun to suffer. Livingstone, where our offices are located, is known for being the tourist capital of Zambia and most businesses rely heavily on the large tourist presence we usually have, but due to travel being restricted and mostly all visitors having returned to their respective countries, businesses have had to shut down or scale back. A lot of hotels, lodges and guest houses have had to let their staff go and close down as they could not keep up with the running costs without their clients. Restaurants and other hospitality related establishments are also facing major challenges as their income has drastically reduced due to people not being able to patronize them.

As can be seen in the photo above, there have been quite a number of people recovering but the numbers are still alarming. In response to the current situation, RN has invested K8,000.00 in the fight against COVID-19 through the distribution of handwashing buckets, soap, spirit and glycerin (to be used to make hand sanitizer) and some items of food. The items were distributed in some of the communities in our working areas after our volunteers were sensitized on how best to prevent COVID-19 and the topics they should cover when sensitizing their fellow community members. This is not a battle that can be won in a day and we all need to pool our resources to help contain this pandemic. Contact us to see how best you can be a part of the solution too. Check out our social media platforms to follow our updates regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.