Rain for the Sahel and Sahara

Niger

Niger declared a national state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 27.  The measure was extended for another three months starting July 12.

Challenges and Concerns

The following is excerpted from a summary report by Katherine Kolios, Executive Director of Rain for the Sahel and Sahara.

This has been an especially challenging period in Niger. The country had its first case of coronavirus in late March and the government reacted swiftly - they shut the borders, limited transit within the country, closed schools from Kindergarten through University, and asked people to remain home if possible. The government's reaction was necessary - Niger simply doesn't have the medical infrastructure to deal with a widespread outbreak. Unfortunately, as we've seen in many other countries, the impact of the virus goes well beyond the virus itself. Closing borders and limiting transportation made it harder to access basic necessities. As stockpiles dwindled, prices soared. RAIN's partner communities - poor, remote villages - are some of the hardest hit. 

In April, David Beasley, the head of the World Food Program, announced that we could expect to see famines of "biblical proportions" across the globe. This is what our partner communities feared - not coronavirus, but starvation. In this way, COVID reiterated the importance of communities being able to meet their basic needs locally. Rural and nomadic communities without access to safe water are at significant risk if the coronavirus or another disease infiltrates the population. They are also most vulnerable to price fluctuations as they have limited access to markets and goods. Now, more than ever, our partner communities need support – and Rockflower stepped in to help. 

Adaptation Measures

RAIN’s Field Team, led by Director of Programs Boube Aw, was committed to standing by our partners, especially during these challenging times. The team applied for special dispensation to travel and pivoted from running education and livelihood programs to delivering emergency aid and training. 

In recent weeks, RAIN’s staff:

• Distributed over 40 cartons of soap – over 1,000 extra-large bars of soap. Soap was given to 101 women mentors in the Agadez region of Niger in the villages of Aouderas, Batarmatas, Tinteloust, Etaghas, Eferouane Nord and Soulefet. In turn, these women coordinated distribution to students and families across all 6 villages.

• Established 5 washing stations to serve local middle school students and to decrease their risk of virus transmission as they return to school.

• Delivered awareness building & training seminars on the transmission of COVID-19 - encouraging people to follow the five steps outlined by Niger’s Department of Health (wear a mask, cough or sneeze into your elbow, avoid shaking hands, wash your hands with soap, & remain at home or, if out, retain at least one meter of distance from others).

Emergency Fund

In June, Hassana Alidou, the Former Ambassador from Niger to the United States and Canada spoke about how, in these rural communities, ceasing programs to limit the spread of coronavirus posed a greater risk than the virus itself. With Rockflower’s support, we were able to help supply the resources for our partner communities to continue programming but also to do so safely.

“We believe in the power of these entrepreneurial women, these curious children, and these committed families to build their own futures – but we also know how hard that is to do without support. They are grateful and we are grateful to Rockflower for pitching in to ensure that these basic vital needs are met so that education and opportunity do not need to be put on hold for COVID.”

— Katherine Kolios, Executive Director of RAIN

Casa Congo

Nicaragua

As one of the last countries to confirm COVID-19 cases Nicaragua is being carefully monitored by the Pan American Health Organization to ensure accurate statistics are being shared. There have been no strict lockdown measures enforced and as a result information about the spread of the virus is not uniform. The need to keep abreast of the government’s reporting will be of ongoing importance in the maintenance of balance for community health.

Concerns and Challenges

Casa Congo is very concerned about the spread of COVID-19 given the state of the Nicaraguan health infrastructure. Those with limited resources and access to healthcare will continue to be at most risk.

Adaptation Measures

As the pandemic began to take hold in late February, Casa Congo’s international team members quarantined in their respective home locations of Dubai, France, the Netherlands, Vancouver and Rome. The team on the ground in Nicaragua made the decision to close school operations to safeguard the local community. Casa Congo itself has been closed to volunteers, tourists and children which continues to challenge a well prepared budget, but the community’s safety is the first priority.

Although the pandemic has significantly altered plans, Casa Congo continues to move forward with great fervor. They have adapted to include numerous initiatives and activities, amongst those, a partnership with Buy Food with Plastic (a local waste program), increased gardening activities, a meeting with the Nicaraguan Minister of the Environment and surf lessons for local children.

Emergency Fund

In the coming weeks, Casa Congo will begin to budget and implement a seed program utilizing our Emergency Fund contribution. With the completion of their application for a grant to deliver water filtration systems, they are now looking ahead to what else can be prepared in advanced for long term food security.

Footsteps Africa

Malawi

Malawi was one of the last countries to announce a case of COVID-19. President Peter Mutharika has banned foreign nationals from some countries from entering Malawi and has told Malawians to social distance. However, the country remains open. In mid April, a lockdown was blocked by the High Court due to a challenge by the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC). It was said that more had to be done to help those that would be worst affected. The President is now starting an emergency cash transfer program. Additionally, Malawi’s Supreme Court upheld a ruling from last year that the general election has irregularities and a new election must occur no later than July 3.

Concerns, Challenges and Adaptation Measures

Footsteps Africa has received concerns from the locals that live in the villages they work in about them possibly bringing the coronavirus with them when they come to work on community projects. The rural communities have not yet seen health impacts due to the coronavirus, but have felt the economic strain.

Emergency Fund

Footsteps Africa has utilized the Emergency Fund donation from Rockflower to distribute corn grain to vulnerable, elderly women in their project areas. These women rely upon remittances sent by relatives. Due to the consequences of COVID-19, including loss of daily income, their relatives are no longer able to send them financial support.

Foundation for Research and Sustainable Development

India

India reported 8,909 new coronavirus cases, its biggest single-day rise as the total number of infections rose above 200,000.

This map from the New York Times shows India’s coronavirus case count by region. Our partner, Foundation for Research and Sustainable Development (FRSD), is located in Tamil Nadu.

Concerns and Challenges

FRSD’s major concern is the spread of COVID-19 through migrant workers as the country begins to reduce its lockdown restrictions. The risk of spreading COVID-19 in rural areas of Tamil Nadu are high and will flood the healthcare system there. In response, communities have been treating migrant workers poorly due to their fear of the coronavirus.

Emergency Fund

Rockflower’s Emergency Fund has supported FRSD in education initiatives on the preventative measures they can take in regard to COVID-19 and the distribution of food provisions and masks to the public. The women’s group FRSD works with has been making face masks to help with the demand as they have been mandatory at many public gatherings.

Foundation for Women's Dignity

Uganda

Uganda has had one of the strictest lockdowns in Africa with only essential businesses functioning, dusk-to-dawn curfews, and bans on transportation. In addition to the coronavirus, Kasese, Uganda has been devastated by flooding.

Concerns and Challenges

Due to the lockdown and flooding, Foundation for Women’s Dignity (FOWODI) has had trouble reaching their beneficiaries as they were only able to travel by motorcycle.

As with many of our partners, FOWODI has seen that food was in high demand. Now, due to the displacement of so many from the floods, food supplies are essential.

Emergency Fund

Rockflower’s Emergency Fund aid has supported FOWODI’s community and beneficiaries by supplying food and introducing a Seed to Life program.

The food supplied per beneficiary included: 10 kg of high quality processed maize flour (totaling 400 kg for 40 women), 2 kg of soya milk powder (80 kg total) and a variety of fresh fruits.

The Seed to Life program is fulfilling a gap in the lack of vegetable farming in the community. FOWODI beneficiaries were supplied with vegetable seeds to begin their own kitchen gardens for sustenance and market consumption. So far, 100 tins of different vegetable seeds were purchased and distributed to 48 households in the Kasese district.

Food distribution to a FOWODI beneficiary

Seed to Life program

Horizons for Women and Children Association

Morocco

Morocco declared a state of emergency that took effect on March 20, 2020. It was originally slated to remain in effect until April 20. That has been extended multiple times, the latest to last until June 10.

Due to the curfew, the High Planning for Commission found at least one-third of Moroccans had lost their incomes.

Challenges and Emergency Fund

The members of the Horizons for Women and Children Association are amongst those that make up the 33% statistic stated above. Before the lockdown, the Horizons for Women and Children Association took out a loan to invest in a location where the women would be able to work on their argan oil production process. Unfortunately, as a result of the strict lockdown policies that have been implemented in Morocco, the women have been unable to gather to continue to work and the revenue they were planning to collect from argan oil production has not been generated.

Rockflower’s Emergency Fund donation to the association will help to pay off the loan and ease the stress associated with finding financing for the loan as incomes are restricted for the women during this pandemic.

Hope for Rural Women

Uganda

Ugandan women are some of the most resilient, innovative and adaptable humans you can find, and yet the recent events in Kasese are pushing the limits of even the strongest. The people of the Kasese district have had their lives upended by flooding and rock slides. It began in the middle of the night on May 14. Four rivers in the Kasese district – the Nyamwamba, Mubuku, Nyamughasana and Lhubiriha – had burst their banks. On Sunday, flash flooding caused more devastation. Thousands have been displaced as the waters swept away homes, schools, farms, roads, the hospital and power station.

Concerns and Challenges

While the threat of COVID-19 is looming, the immediate problem for Hope for Rural Women is to help those that have been moved to emergency camps due to the flooding. The government of Uganda has provided provisions, including 200,000 kgs of maize flour, 100 blankets, tarpaulins and jerry cans. But there are more people than there are supplies resulting in many not receiving anything at all.

Hope for Rural Women is unable to check on their members as the town has been devasted sending everyone in different directions to multiple emergency camps.

Emergency Fund

Fortunately, the newly built Aquaponics Fish Farm survived the flooding however it is within the floodplain of the rising waters.

Hope for Rural Women utilized the Emergency Fund to educate its members on the risks of the coronavirus and to procure essential supplies. Hope for Rural Women printed 1000 posters in three local languages to spread correct information on how COVID-19 is transmitted. Members received maize flour for food, and soap and basins for washing.

Society for Participatory Research and Integrated Training

India

India has been under a nationwide lockdown since March 25. The lockdown was to end May 17, but was extended until May 31. The government began easing restrictions on May 4, including the reopening of neighborhood shops, manufacturing and farming in rural areas, and began running a limited number of trains.

This map from the New York Times shows India’s coronavirus case count by region. Our partner, Society for Participatory Research and Integrated Training (SPRIT), is located in Tamil Nadu.

Concerns, Challenges and Adaptation Measures

Due to the strict lockdown, SPRIT was unable to visit their ongoing projects occuring in the villages. As the government began to ease restrictions earlier this month, they were able to visit some areas although not all as some are still under red alert.

Emergency Fund

The Emergency Fund from Rockflower was used by SPRIT to place an order of 150 reusable masks with a local woman tailor. This not only helps protect the tribal families, but also provides economic empowerment within the community.

Mategemeo Women Association

Tanzania

Schools and borders are closed. However, Tanzanian President John Magufali has been criticized for encouraging the public to attend places of worship. President Magufali has stated that Dar es Salaam will never be in lockdown.

Concerns, Challenges and Adaptation Measures

Mategemeo Women Association has taken the threat of the coronavirus very seriously and followed WHO guidelines for social distancing. In addition to providing sanitation equipment, they are adjusting their programming to fit within this new “normal”. Spreading correct information on preventative measures has been done through mass text messaging and megaphones. Additionally, Mategemeo Women Association has created Online Girls’ Clubs, social distancing communication networks, and distancing learning to ensure that girls do not feel isolated during this time and have the support networks they need. These will cover life skills, sexual education, personal well-being and provide motivation for learning until school begins again.

Emergency Fund

Mategemeo Women Association received assistance from our Emergency Fund two ways. The first was through a donation made by Rockflower for the production of reusable face masks by WomenChoice Industries. 900 masks were produced, so far over 700 have been distributed. In addition to the face masks, Mategemeo Women Association received funds to assist families in purchasing food, hand sanitizer, soap, and essential medicines.

Rainbow House of Hope

Uganda

Ugandan President Museveni has extended the lockdown on multiple occasions but begins to ease measures. Uganda has had one of the strictest lockdowns in Africa with only essential businesses functioning, dusk-to-dawn curfews, and bans on transportation. While the lockdown was extended yesterday, it will begin to ease as businesses including hardware shops, restaurants, wholesale stores, and others will be allowed to reopen.

Concerns and Challenges

Rainbow House of Hope works in one of the most challenging environments possible when it comes to the spread of COVID-19, the slums of Kampala. They have multiple concerns ranging from lack of resources to physical challenges. As with so many of our partners their focus is on the women, who depend on daily income and are now struggling to survive. The lockdown and curfews in Uganda have had severe impacts on their entrepreneurial businesses.

Emergency Fund

Rainbow House of Hope used the funds from Rockflower to reach out to the women they work with, their families, and their communities. They have purchased sanitary pads, water tanks, and face masks. The water tanks were placed in slum communities for handwashing.

Women Advocacy and Development Services

Uganda

Ugandan President Museveni has extended the lockdown on multiple occasions but begins to ease measures. Uganda has had one of the strictest lockdowns in Africa with only essential businesses functioning, dusk-to-dawn curfews, and bans on transportation. While the lockdown was extended yesterday, it will begin to ease as businesses including hardware shops, restaurants, wholesale stores, and others will be allowed to reopen.

Challenges and Adaptation Measures

As with many of our partners, Women Advocacy and Development Services (UWADS) has seen the women entrepreneurs lose their daily incomes and turn to their savings for survival.

UWADS has sent basket-making materials to the women for an additional activity to do while in lockdown.

Emergency Fund

With the Emergency Fund from Rockflower, UWADS was able to purchase 500 kgs of maize flour, 2 cartons of soap and a box of hand sanitizer. In addition to distributing the previous items, materials were given to the women entrepreneurs to make their own reusable masks.

Update from June 2020

UWADS Coordinator and two volunteers have spent two weeks visiting each member of the organization to provide them with food items, soap and materials to make face masks.

Update from July 2020

Around the world, over 243 million women and girls have been subjected to sexual or physical violence in the last 12 months. UWADS has been providing trainings against domestic violence throughout the pandemic. In their discussions with the women they work with, they have found that none of their members has been abused during the lockdown due to the education they have provided in how to respond accordingly to a situation and their economic empowerment in being able to support themselves.

Solidarité des Femmes pour le Développement Intégral

Democratic Republic of Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo has surpassed 1,000 coronavirus cases yesterday. The state of health emergency was extended for a second time last week.

Challenges and Concerns

The current state of health emergency has increased food prices in the retail market leading to starvation.

Adaptation Measures and Emergency Fund

Through the financial support of our Emergency Fund, Solidarité des Femmes pour le Développement Intégral (SOFEDI) was able to arrange a group meeting with 30 vulnerable women, girls and boys. The goal was to provide information on preventative measures against COVID-19 and domestic violence. In addition to the education session, food parcels of millie, rice and washing powder were distributed.

SOFEDI has expanded their existing Food Security Program due to the uncertainty of the coronavirus. The program was created to address the growing challenge of food insecurity in emergency situations. Vulnerable families are identified, including elderly grandmothers with grandchildren, the sick, and sudden deaths. A total of 40 families are chosen every three months and are provided with food parcels. This lessens a worrisome burden while employment and new ways of sustaining livelihoods are sought. After three months has elapsed, families are reassessed.

“Rockflower’s belief in us has contributed to SOFEDI being the “heroines of hope” to whoever knocks on our doors for assistance.”

— Dr. Alice Lukumbu Rose, Executive Director of SOFEDI

Update from July 2020

SOFEDI has been witnessing the increasing challenges occurring in the Democratic Republic of Congo due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the outbreak of a civil war in the Fizi and Uvira districts. These districts are already high risk for rural women and girls because of current living conditions.

While the government has called for a State of Health Emergency, SOFEDI has continued to support the women and girls in the South Kivu Province through advocacy and programming, such as their “Peace First” program.

WomenChoice Industries

Tanzania

Schools and borders are closed. However, Tanzanian President John Magufali has been criticized for encouraging the public to attend places of worship. President Magufali has stated that Dar es Salaam will never be in lockdown.

Concerns and Challenges

Business has slowed as travel restrictions have been put in place that limit the transit of goods to one driver.

Adaptation Measures

In addition to manufacturing reusable sanitary towels, WomenChoice Industries has begun producing and distributing reusable masks to their staff and the local community.

Rockflower’s Emergency Fund donated the money for WomenChoice Industries to make face masks for our other partner in Tanzania, Mategemeo Women Association. They were finished last week and sent by bus from Tanga to Arusha.

Mukuru Clean Stoves

Kenya

A dusk to dawn curfew has been installed nationwide by President Uhuru Kenyatta. In addition, travel restrictions increased to ban movement in and out of Nairobi, Mombasa, and two counties. Other restrictions include: closed borders; schools, pubs, entertainments venues, churches and mosques shut; everyone is required to wear face masks (arrest possible if not worn).

Concerns, Challenges and Adaptation Measures

Due to social distancing, Mukuru Clean Stoves has had to create new strategies to limit contact in their factory. Production and the number of workers were reduced to allow access to only two people at a time. Members of the production team are still working as they are unable to work from home. This will also ensure products are available when markets are open again. Due to the closure of markets, sales agents have closed their shops and Mukuru Clean Stoves has seen a drop in sales by almost 60%.

Emergency Fund

Rockflower supported Mukuru Clean Stoves through our Emergency Fund. Vulnerable families were identified with either young mothers or grandmothers living with 3 or more young children. They were able to distribute food parcels, including 2 kg of maize flour, 2 kg of rice, 1 liter of cooking oil, 2 kg of sugar, half a kg of salt, a bar of soap and face masks, and some cooking stoves to 25 families in Siaya County. The food will last a family for approximately one month.

Jiwo Paro

Kenya

A dusk to dawn curfew has been installed nationwide by President Uhuru Kenyatta. In addition, travel restrictions increased to ban movement in and out of Nairobi, Mombasa, and two counties. Other restrictions include: closed borders; schools, pubs, entertainments venues, churches and mosques shut; everyone is required to wear face masks (arrest possible if not worn).

Concerns, Challenges, and Adaptation Measures

Understanding the risks and preventative measures of COVID-19 are of utmost importance. Jiwo Paro recognized this and quickly arranged for a public health official to train their staff and beneficiaries on correct protocols.

Additionally, beneficiaries were urged to work from home whenever possible.

More training sessions are planned for the future, including a face mask sewing workshop.

Emergency Fund

The support from our Emergency Fund has helped purchase food packages, of flour, cooking oil and soap for handwashing, for 40 women entrepreneurs.

Rwenzori United Group for Life Improvement

Uganda

President Yoweri Museveni continues to extend the lockdown initially set for 14 days beginning on March 30, increased for 21 more days until yesterday, May 5, when it was extended again for 2 additional weeks. Uganda has had one of the strictest lockdowns in Africa with only essential businesses functioning, dusk-to-dawn curfews, and bans on transportation. While the lockdown was extended yesterday, it will begin to ease as businesses including hardware shops, restaurants, wholesale stores, and others will be allowed to reopen.

Concerns and Challenges

As we have seen with many of our partners during the pandemic, Rwenzori United Group for Life Improvement (RUGLI) has reported that families who rely upon their daily business lack basic needs, such as food and medicine.

Adaptation Measures and Emergency Fund

RUGLI provided sanitation equipment and face masks to local women in Kasese. Rockflower provided support through our Emergency Fund. RUGLI quickly utilized the funds and identified vulnerable families to receive food parcels.

AVAZ Derneği

Turkey

Turkey has the largest number of coronavirus infections in the Middle East, over 124,000 cases have been confirmed.

In comparison to countries in Europe and the Middle East, Turkey’s lockdown measures have diverged. Curfews were imposed for those under 20 and over 65, exempting the majority of the workforce. Now, lockdowns of a few days mostly on weekends are implemented by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Adaptation Measures

AVAZ Derneği have temporarily stopped all in person activities since March 16, 2020. They have begun testing distance education programs for some of their Livelihood courses. Additionally, AVAZ Derneği is informing the public about COVID-19 by raising awareness through technology. Those that do not have access to smartphones and the Internet have been given hard copies of credible information on the coronavirus, including best practices for protective measures.

Emergency Fund

AVAZ Derneği received money from our Emergency Fund and quickly put it to use before the most recent 3 day lockdown in Turkey. In coordination with government departments, they distributed food parcels to people in disadvantaged areas.

Update from June 2020

Within the scope of cross-border activities, AVAZ distributed food basket and toys in the Rasulayn region of Syria.

Association Burkinabé des Femmes Battantes

Burkina Faso

In March, the government introduced restrictive measures to attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19, including closing borders and schools, and banning gatherings of more than 50 people.

The markets in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital, have been closed since March 25. The government opened one on April 20 as a test to see if the rest of them could be safely reopened. “Sellers and customers who entered the market this week had to wear a mask, wash their hands and have their temperature taken, said Armand Beouinde, Ouagadougou’s mayor. He said that only two people are allowed inside shops at one time, and that all shops had to carry hand sanitizer.”

Concerns and Challenges

Association Burkinabé des Femmes Battantes (ABFB), similarly to many of our partners, has seen families suffer due to the lack of a daily income as a result of the markets being closed. The risk of starvation and COVID-19 infection are higher for them as food, sanitizers and face masks are hard to come by.

Currently, ABFB’s Weaving and Dyeing Project has not been affected as it is in Godin, Burkina Faso. However, ABFB is challenged with the travel restrictions and was unable to make it out of the capital for a time.

Adaptation Measures

ABFB organized early outreach awareness programs by educating women and children beneficiaries of their projects on preventive measures against the coronavirus. Demonstration sessions on washing techniques hands were incorporated.

Emergency Fund

ABFB used the money from our Emergency Fund to purchase essential food items, soap and face masks. All of these were distributed to 30 women on April 22 to comply with restrictions put in place by the government and to an additional 40 women over 2 days, April 23 and 24, who visited ABFB’s headquarters to receive the items.

Gambia Goat Dairy

The Gambia

The Gambia closed its borders for 21 days beginning on March 23, 2020. The Gambian Ministry of Health releases daily situation reports here.

Concerns, Challenges and Adaptation Measures

This week we had a Zoom call with Brianna Parsons and Corey Spires, Project Managers for Gambia Goat Dairy, to discuss the Gambia, the goat farm, and visions of the future.

Prior to the pandemic, Gambia Goat Dairy was conducting small-scale research on the West African Dwarf goat milk production, comparing the milk production of goats fed a veterinary-formulated diet to goats fed traditional feeds. Their objective is to create a West African Dwarf goat lactation curve—a graph showing how milk production changes over time since giving birth to offspring. This is a powerful tool for Gambian dairy farmers to manage their herds and does not currently exist for the West African Dwarf goat.

The following is a summary report by Brianna Parsons, Project Manager for Gambia Goat Dairy.

Gambia Goat Dairy, still in the early stages of implementation, employs only two Gambians at this time and has a limited outreach scope. The country itself has only a few confirmed cases, though preventative social distancing measures means the majority of businesses are closed, public transportation is limited, and citizens are having difficulty acquiring their basic needs. The difficulties faced by Gambians are in some ways similar to those we are facing in the US but in many ways, much more extreme, as lost incomes and disruptions to food supply chains exacerbate already existing food insecurity.

We wanted to share stories of how the coronavirus is impacting our employees. Even in a crisis, our goats need daily feeding and care. Our on-site goat caretaker and watchman, Sainey Badjie, has stepped up to fill this role on his own. In doing so, Sainey is ensuring our goat herd is cared for and that he and Sulay decrease potential coronavirus exposure.

Harness created by Sulay to monitor the goats’ weights

Our herdsman, Sulay Camara, significantly limited his trips to the farm and when necessary to do so, takes all precautions, including face mask and gloves. Despite being physically distant from the farm, Sulay is still thinking about farm operations. During this period of social-distancing, Sulay crafted a harness for the goats to allow for comfortable and safe weight measurements. This is a weekly process, done to monitor the goat kids’ growth to make sure each kid is gaining a healthy amount of weight. Like so many others around the world taking up new crafts and hobbies while sitting at home, Sulay got creative with his time and made a new tool to help improve our future operations.

We’ve had 10 goat kids born in the last month on the farm. Sainey is doing an incredible job making sure all the newborn goats are healthy while Sulay is missing spending time there. We are thankful for the health of our employees, their families, and our friends as we do our best to maintain farm operations during this highly uncertain time.

Update from July 2020

In response to the pandemic and prioritizing the health of their employees, Gambia Goat Dairy had to halt data collection in March 2020. 

Gambians have been dramatically affected by the coronavirus. Market closures in early weeks resulted in limited food availability, higher prices, and a loss or disruption of jobs. Public transportation fares doubled as drivers limited maximum passengers in cars and vans to half of their normal capacity. Recently, the country has begun relaxing some of those protective measures as case numbers remain low. Markets have re-opened but public transportation continues to operate at limited capacity. 

Emergency Fund

The Emergency Fund from Rockflower has supported investment in masks and protective equipment for their farm employees. Additionally, the funds allowed Gambia Goat Dairy to contract with local farmers to grow feed for next season. Many Gambians grow peanuts (groundnuts), a staple food in the region, as cash crops. After harvest, the remaining plant can be dried and produced into hay for livestock feed, an environmentally conscious way to repurpose crop byproducts. The economic impact of COVID-19 has affected Gambians through losses in employment resulting from lockdowns, declined remittances, and higher priced goods in the markets. This combination makes it difficult for Gambian farmers to purchase agricultural inputs, like peanut seeds, at the beginning of the growing season. Gambia Goat Dairy is using Rockflower’s Emergency Fund to finance the purchasing of seeds for farmers, who will grow, harvest, and sell the peanuts, and in return for the up-front financing, provide Gambia Goat Dairy with the hay-crop. Using the Emergency Relief funds in this way helps Gambia Goat Dairy to not only reduce farm feed costs for the upcoming year, but spreads the benefit of the relief fund to the agricultural families hit hard by the economic effects of the global pandemic.

Cherehani Africa

Kenya

Kenya has had a partial lockdown with travel restrictions to ban movement in and out of Nairobi, Mombasa, and two counties. Additionally, it has an overnight nationwide curfew, that has resulted in more than 400 arrests for violations.

Concerns and Challenges

COVID-19 affected the economy with an immediate effect in Kenya, especially small businesses. The imposed curfew has limited business hours affecting those that rely on their daily incomes.

As the pandemic has continued, the restrictions have put several women micro-entrepreneurs out of business and threatens countless others.

Adaptation Measures

The following is an excerpt from Cherehani Africa’s Newsletter sent on April 8, 2020.

Customers
We are leveraging our knowledge platform to support the government's effort to disseminate information on best practices during this period to all onboarded customers via SMS. The information shared is from the Ministry of Health and WHO. 
We have introduced check-in phone calls to active customers in a bid to reassure them of our commitment during this difficult time and to assess other ways we could be of help.
We are restructuring loans for customers who are facing financial hardship due to the coronavirus.
We are financing customers in essential businesses like FMCG retail to enable them to deliver essential products and services to their communities.
We have suspended physical group meetings by our customers and are encouraging them to use face masks at all times when operating their businesses. 

Employees
We have implemented a work from home policy for staff in our Nairobi office.
We are promoting regular hand washing and use of hand sanitizers. We have availed personal protective gear (face masks) for our field team.
We have reduced requirements to our relief fund to enable employees to promptly access emergency funds during this period.

We are supporting the prevention measures recommended by the government by ensuring our staff at the HQ work from home and that field staff are well trained on how to go about their duties (social distancing, washing hands and sanitizing).

Emergency Fund

Cherehani Africa received money from our Emergency Fund that will be used to buy face masks that will be distributed to women vegetable vendors in rural communities. The vegetable vendors are an important part of the rural communities as they each serve tens of community members daily. It is crucial that they acquire and use protective gear when serving customers to instill health, safety, and confidence.