COVID-19 Response Update From Komera Country Director, Dativah!

Dear friends of Komera, 

Following the growing concern for the safety of the citizens of Rwanda, Komera leadership decided to halt all programs and office work as of March 16, 2020, as directed by the Government of Rwanda. Since then, all the program work and connections between Komera staff and beneficiaries is being done online through direct calls, messages, Skype, WhatsApp, and Zoom. We have taken necessary steps to ensure all students, staff, and beneficiaries are safe and that we’re maintaining our communication with them through the above online channels.

Facing the challenges of the lockdown and closure of schools and businesses, Komera is still serving all its members by creating innovative methods to stay connected. For our secondary and post-secondary scholars, the program manager makes weekly calls to ascertain their well-being and to remind them to continue revising their work and, for those with radios, to tune in to the Rwanda Education Board lessons. We are also supporting them with counseling and psycho-social support as many of them are worried for the future.

Komera Scholar Neema and her mother at home

For our university students, we are also checking in with them weekly and providing emotional support for students as they face the uncertainty of the coming year. Many students are still continuing their studies online. Most of the university students are at home with their families, while some remained near campus during the lockdown and are staying in their apartments or with nearby friends and relatives. We are following up with each university student to see those who cannot get food or are unable to pay rent during this time and finding ways to best support them.

Our Komera staff and community mentors are in touch with our teen mothers through weekly calls and trying to support them as much as possible. This group has been especially negatively impacted due to their reliance on small business as their main source of income. Komera has identified this group as one of our most vulnerable populations, and thus has begun to provide direct support through food and cash transfers to the teen mothers in our program.

For our Komera Parent and Guardian Cooperative, many families are able to continue farming their land to provide food for the family, even though they cannot sell their crops at the markets. We are happy to share that some of the cooperative groups had a good harvest this year and are able to share some of the rice and beans they cultivated within the cooperative to support several families. We expect the cooperative will have good success in selling their crops when the markets reopen. The Komera team is actively working with the Parent Council to provide resources, counseling, and guidance during this challenging time.

Social Worker Manager, Ruth, donating food through the Kayonza District

However, even though we’ve seen our programs adjust to the current circumstances, we are still facing challenges. Sometimes the wifi network is unreliable, we are still adapting to remote working and learning, and the looming fear of what the future may hold can be overwhelming. We are still trying to find the best ways to support our community. So far, we’ve helped by donating food through the Kayonza District, providing counseling and support, and holding virtual weekly staff meetings.

The government of Rwanda is still maintaining a nationwide lockdown, providing food to vulnerable citizens, continuing public sensitizations on the virus through several media channels, and providing radio and TV lesson presentations for both primary and secondary level students. Currently, the government is doing a research study by testing 4,500 Rwandans for COVID-19, with subjects representing each district, and the results will determine if the country can open again or remain in lockdown. Hopefully, we will know the government’s decision in early May!

Our most pressing task at hand is food scarcity. The Komera team is actively working to address the need for food and basic supplies in our Komera community and the Kayonza district, and have plans to establish an emergency relief fund so we are able to distribute cash transfers to those in most need. Right now, food is the most pressing need we’ve seen in our community, so our team is working diligently to assess how drastic the need is in each of our families. 

Please know the Komera team is always thinking of you and our generous supporters. We hope you are safe and well, and staying home with your families. Thank you for your continued support! 

Murakoze,

Dativah Bideri, Komera Country Director

P.s. If you would like to support our response and help us provide food relief to our families, donate now!