Those Africans with land where they can grow their own crops do a bit better than those that dwell in the cities. However, even those who can grow food of their own buy nearly half of the food. As “The Economist” points out, Many are only part-time farmers, topping up their earnings with transport, trade, or wage labour.
An article in the New York Times, dated April 22, 2020, by Abdi Latif Dahir underscored the hunger many people will face due the coronavirus. The title of his article was provocative ‘Instead of Coronavirus, the Hunger will Kill Us.’ A Global Food Crisis Looms. This New York Times article states: The coronavirus pandemic has brought hunger to millions of people around the world. National lockdowns and social distancing measures are drying up work and incomes and are likely to disrupt agricultural production and supply routes – leaving millions to worry how they will get enough to eat.
When Uganda shut down its’ schools on March 20th, many of our students had to leave the safety of the schools where they not only received an education but were assured of a clean place to live and food to eat. This is important. St. Kizito students – many of them – rely on the generosity of our donors to obtain an education as well as enjoy a more secure life; that is a life where meals are provided along with the stability and structure the school environment offers. With the suspension of school we fear for some of our students, whose parent or parents are day laborers who are now forced to stay at home with no means to support their family and no safety net to turn to.
Pre-primary, Primary, and Secondary schools were tentatively scheduled to resume this past week on April 27th. This did not happen. Schools remain closed as of today. The tentative new reopen date is set for June 1st.
