How OTYO! is responding to the COVID-19 global crisis.

Locally, our VP and board-member, Cathy Chappell-Chambers, and her family began making face-masks and providing them to the people in her local community when the critical need developed. At a time when Covid-19 cases were surging locally, and no masks were available, Cathy and her family put together the materials and the know-how to make masks for her neighborhood and beyond. Many of the people who received a mask from Cathy’s family then donated to OTYO! in gratitude. 

Globally, we created an immediate assistance plan for our target population in Rukungiri district, Uganda. Our President, Jolly Bugari, reviewed our needs-assessments, and developed an intervention for immediate implementation. Subsequently in May, OTYO! used some of our funds to provide immediate critical support during the Covid-19 crisis. Our board-member and Uganda liaison, Louise Bugaari, set up the procurement and distribution of hand-washing soap and face-masks to the entire community in Kebisoni, through her expert management, local network, and business expertise.  This project is being conducted currently with the help of local community leaders, the local church, and Archdeacon Van Amos Katsigazi. Members of this community do not have ready access to handwashing soap at this time, let alone face masks. And it is important to note that the people of the Rukungiri district and Kebisoni do not have ambulances or first responders, nor nearby hospitals with modern technology.

Moving forward, OTYO will be conducting further needs-assessments with the help of our network in Uganda, and we will be providing further community support in regards to the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. COVID-19 is impacting this rural farming community in a similar way as has the AIDS crisis.

Our board meets monthly.