Lending a Helping Hand (and Veggies!) during COVID-19

A lot has changed, but we’re continuing the fight against chronic malnutrition. Check out how we’re responding to COVID-19:

As global food chains are disrupted and health systems saturated in the wake of COVID-19, we recognize now more than ever the vitality of our work: it is key to creating resilient food and health systems. This is why we are committed to continuing our mission of sustainable, home-grown agricultural solutions wherever possible. It’s important now more than ever for vulnerable families to have access to sustainable sources of nutritious food and knowledge about how to stay healthy.

Here’s the situation in Rwanda:

🇷🇼 The Government of Rwanda acted swiftly and responsibly after the country’s first confirmed case of Coronavirus in mid-March.

🇷🇼 Shortly thereafter, the government issued guidelines, including an ongoing country-wide lockdown, to #stopthespread.

🇷🇼 While new cases are confirmed daily, transmission has been low and slow. Rwanda’s mortality rate remains at zero.

Here’s how we’re doing our part to respond to COVID-19:

✅ We’re prioritizing the health and safety of our staff and the communities we serve. After suspending all normal field-level activities late last month, GHI office staff continue to complete their important work remotely. Our farm technicians continue to care for our farm headquarters while observing social distancing and handwashing measures.

✅ We’re promoting financial security. In Musanze District, we’re facilitating 48 savings groups with an average of 25 members each. While social distancing, program graduates support each other by individually contributing to a collective hardship fund and encouraging each other to maintain healthy nutrition and agriculture habits.

✅ We’re contributing nutritious foods to those who need it most. We donated dried corn, pumpkins, and a variety of nutrient-packed veggies from our garden to vulnerable families of the Gasabo District community. Additionally, we provided food - and a little boost of energy! - to front-line healthcare workers.

✅ We’re giving a little extra. We’re providing additional seeds to schools that have expressed the need for extra veggies, through the Homegrown School Feeding Initiative in partnership with the UN World Food Programme. We’re also ensuring the successful maintenance of nutrient-packed vegetable gardens at schools through additional funds for garden caretakers.

✅ We’re adapting. We’ve formed a task force to design and virtually share our educational agriculture and health curriculums.

Text and photo by Jessica Wright.