COVID-19 in Uganda – Aid from Itambira Island Seeds of Hope

The number of COVID-19 cases in Uganda keeps increasing (although still low compared to other countries). As of Saturday, 15th August 2020, the number of cases is 1,300 and 12 deaths. Movements, transport and gatherings are still restricted, and the curfew is still on from 9.00 pm to 5.30 am. Schools and places of worship are still closed. Everybody is expected to wear a mask, but most people are not wearing them, waiting for government to provide the masks. This is a big and expensive exercise to undertake which I think will take quite some time.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone across the globe though in varying degrees. It has affected productivity across sectors, employment, earnings and quality of life.

In Uganda:

1. Socially: closure of schools and institutions imply the children stay at home. It has proved very difficult for families to cope with looking after the children. Homeschooling is not easy for most parents because they are illiterate. Governments have tried to send reading materials across the country, but it is difficult to reach every home. Children and students cannot access internet facilities either there is no electricity up country, or they don’t have computers or smart phones. Children out of school has also increased the workload for women at home.
   Unfortunately, a number of teenagers have become pregnant due to too much leisure time and redundancy; others have taken to drinking alcohol and drug abuse. Closure of worship places have made the situation worse.
2. Economic: disruption of economic activities has led to reduction of income and food insecurity. Restrictions of movements, transport, market operations have negatively impacted the agricultural households that rely on market sales. Many community economic activities depend on the makeshift markets. Such markets are not allowed to operate. Those employed in tourism like working as tour guides lost jobs. The people who make a living from selling vegetables, fruits and handcrafts to tourist sites lost income too.

In short, the pandemic has increased poverty and inequalities in communities.

At Itambira Island…

COVID-19 is having a big effect on the project.

Tourism has virtually ceased since the onset of COVID although we are OPEN and welcomed a few guests in July (from Kampala) the first since lockdown.

We have kept all staff on, unlike most resorts. Workloads have been revised during this time with all staff prepared to do any jobs – maintaining the property, tending the vegetable gardens,The staff work well as a team.

However, we don’t expect tourism to get back to ‘normal’ for many months, affecting our income – which goes towards the community programme.

We are using this quiet time to do renovation work to prepare for the next season and offer some local employment at this crucial time. Work includes: improving some of the paths, replacing the papyrus roofs on some of the accommodation, wood on the docks and restoring the mushroom growing hut.

We are also trying to continue the project work albeit with some adjustments to suit the new environment, including following up the outreach work in the community.

We’ll update on our projects separately.