March 15, 2020
The news has been rippling through the radio stations and whispering through the alleyways of Wakiso. The world is shutting down. Borders are closing. And now, the reality of COVID-19 has landed on our doorstep. While the world talks about “social distancing” and “working from home,” I look outside my window at the crowded paths of our community, and I realize: those are luxuries we do not have.
For the rest of the world, this virus is a health crisis. For the slums of Uganda, it is an economic and survival catastrophe waiting to unfold.
Social Distancing in a Crowded World
Here in Wakiso, life happens shoulder-to-shoulder. Our homes are often single rooms shared by large families. Our water comes from communal taps where dozens gather daily. Our food comes from crowded markets.
How do you tell a child to “stay six feet away” when they sleep three to a mattress? How do you tell a mother to “stock up on food for two weeks” when she earns her money day-by-day selling vegetables or washing clothes?
“Social distancing is a privilege of the wealthy. In the slums, survival is a communal act. We cannot survive alone, but now, being together is the danger.”
The fear here isn’t just the virus itself—it is the hunger that comes with a lockdown. If our parents cannot go out to work, there is no food on the table by evening. The anxiety in the air is thicker than the dust.
Our First Line of Defense: Water and Soap
At Fecane Child Foundation, we cannot build new hospitals overnight. But we can fight with what we have: Information and Hygiene.
We are immediately shifting our focus. Starting today, our priority is education and sanitation. We are setting up makeshift handwashing stations—simple jerrycans with water and soap—at key points in the community. We are walking door-to-door (keeping our distance) to explain to the grandmothers and the children exactly why they must wash their hands.
Many of our children do not have access to running water at home. A bar of soap costs money that could buy cassava or maize flour. We are stepping in to fill that gap because we believe that hygiene should not be a choice between health and hunger.
A Call for Solidarity
This is an uncertain time. We don’t know how long this will last. We don’t know how hard it will hit. But we do know one thing: We are not leaving.
While businesses close and people retreat behind high walls, the Fecane Child Foundation remains on the ground. We are the eyes and ears for these children. If a family runs out of food during a lockdown, we need to be ready to help. If a child falls sick, we need to be ready to advocate for them.
We are watching the global news, but our hearts are fixed on the local reality. This virus does not discriminate, but its impact certainly does. The poorest among us will suffer the most if we do not act now.
This is a fight we cannot win without ammunition. We need soap, jerrycans, and emergency food rations for families who can no longer work.
Will you help us build a shield around these children? Click Here to Donate to Our Emergency COVID-19 Fund
