Easter greetings!
Dear Friends
Do lockdowns in Africa cause more harm or good? Who knows. But Africa’s 300 million slum dwellers can no more draw from reserves than millions of street children. In order to survive, many disregard the curfews – and risk their necks.
In Kids of Africa we sheltered many children in need for the duration of the quarantine. After three weeks of isolation, with many more children than usual, life feels a bit like Noah’s Ark. Together they resist the storm – that sounds almost Eastersy. A short report.
First cases
This week, two young men from our neighborhood, suspected of being infected were arrested by police and deported on a truck to the national quarantine camp in Entebbe. That’s how fear is spreading among communities. Nobody wants to be affected, nor deported. But bare of universal testing, the virus of fear is everywhere.
Our new protégés
Prior to the quarantine, we welcomed three new protégés (I reported): the brothers Isaiah (3) and Isma (5), plus baby Philipp (6 months). All three are on the road to recovery. Their initial malnutrition and signs of mistreatment have been overcome, as have the symptoms of malaria. They are warmly supported by their new brothers and sisters. For those who live here know, that injuries to the soul heal best through friendship and cordiality.
Kids weeding
Village life is not only about playing and learning. A regular daily routine, including work for the children is part of it. This is not only necessary and even satisfying, but it also protects against camp fever.
Cleaning-out the workshop!
Dorte Budolfsen, our long-time director, recently cleaned our wood workshop with a few children. Here the older children especially enjoy learning and working. But sometimes they forget to clean afterwards. Sounds familiar?
That’s why today is the time to sweep, sort and clean up thoroughly! Because Dorte sets a good example, the children also follow – and after half a day they are finished – and happy!
Milling maize
Luckily, we were able to harvest on our external maize field before the quarantine. So our maize reserves – besides ten pigs and fruit from our trees – are our most important food reserve for the four weeks in isolation.
Kirunda, our farm worker who remained in the village, grinds the maize here together with helper Christopher.
Sharing dinner
Community delights and strengthens us. Guided by mothers, our kids prepared a BBQ, last Palm Sunday. In Uganda as well as in Europe, children love to wrap dough on a stick, grill it – and enjoy their self-made “snake bread”! And because it is Palm Sunday, one of our pigs gave us meat for everyone.
P.S.: Coincidence or not? While mostly our girls cater to the BBQ, the boys seem to prefer playing table-tennis at the nearby table.
Once again, thank you for supporting these many children and protecting them from the perils of slums, street-life or being on their own in times of curfew.
On behalf of Kids of Africa
Yours ever
Burkhard Varnholt