COVID-19 Kinder Paradise update

KP Schule Exkursion Muell

Dear Donors,

so far, Kinder Paradise has been spared from any infection with the virus.

At the children’s home, we still maintain our isolation measures for staff and children. This is for the following reasons:

With crowded living conditions especially in the cities, the pandemic expands as expected. Despite rising figures of infected persons nationally, the lock-down in the big cities (28.2.-26.4.20) has been lifted to enable the predominantly poor citizens gain much needed resourced through their daily activities, and enable them to feed themselves in the absence of food-supply chains. 
Even though it is mandatory to wear masks, only a smaller part of Accra’s citizens is wearing them (correctly). Presumably there are even much less in rural areas since even in suburban Accra, barely anyone wears a mask. Infection figures are constantly rising, and medical support cannot be guaranteed.

National borders remain closed since 23.3.20. It remains unforeseeable when schools may be fully opened again. In addition, there is shortage of water in some places, and the cost of living has increased.

Children (but also the aged, disabled and ill persons) are hardest hit in these times. Children cannot attend school and suffer from the lack of financial resources, because their parents cannot generate income as before. At home, they often don’t get something to eat (absence of school feeding), and frustrations and domestic violence are increasing. Therefore, more children are prone to end up in the streets, at a time where they need protection more than anything else.
Street children are vulnerable and have lost substantial means of income with the drastic reduction of people moving about in public. They lack a social network which could supply them with food and shelter.

Since the beginning of the lock-down, Kinder Paradise staff have kept in touch with urban poor and street children who had already been supported through the Day Center. They receive small care parcels with provisions and hygiene articles. A total of 80 children benefitted from this activity. They are also educated on safety measures with regard to transmission of the virus, and how and why to wash hands, maintain social distance, and wear face masks, hoping to mitigate the effects of the general relaxed attitude towards the risk of infection.

Wishing you and all of us a soon end to this crisis. Stay safe!


With warm regards,
Your Kinder Paradise Team

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