COVID RESPONSE “The New Normal”

Families who were struggling to survive before Covid-19 now find themselves at the mercy of local government units and charities to help them meet their daily needs.

Upskills + Foundation Inc (UFI) is working closely with the local government to find solutions to these new challenges; its core aim to help those most in need in the most sustainable way possible.

Understanding the Needs

The majority of families in the communities supported by UFI are considered to be the poorest of the poor and survive on a meal to meal basis, many eating leftovers from restaurants that are frequently closed, their biggest challenges now is where their next meal is coming from and how to keep their families safe.

Families live in makeshift shanties, the size of a small bathroom, water is only available in the evenings making it difficult for families to safely store their water during the day. Many of these homes are overcrowded making social distancing impractical, placing them at the highest risk of infection.

Many adults have lost their jobs or their hours of work have significantly reduced. The majority of the adults earn a living from recycling from the cities waste but the volume of waste has also reduced, making it challenging for families to earn sufficient money to meet even their most basic needs.

Government schools remain closed and a blended learning system of workbooks and online classes is in place, students struggle with poor phone signals and money to buy phone data.

Local health clinics have closed or run on reduced hours making it difficult for people to access health care services.