WASH
COVID and HIV: An Update From The Global Community
Nadia Kist, Blood:Water’s Director of Africa Programs, recently attended the global AIDS conference where she learned that HIV and COVID-19 have an even greater overlap than previously expected. For starters, the fact that so many people require immediate attention adds a large burden to health systems around the globe, many of which are not even equipped for their existing needs. Coronavirus has presented a situation none of us expected or know what to expect from, so we are still learning how it will impact greater issues that were already being faced.
A Glimpse Into What Our Partners Are Up To
As our partners continue to work diligently to adapt to the challenges of COVID-19, we wanted to share some insight and updates about how a couple of them are doing these days.
Exciting Updates from the Field
We are so grateful for your support even in these difficult times and for the incredible work of our partners, so we wanted to give you a little update on how each of them are doing amidst the COVID-19 crisis as it grows in Africa.
What Water Wells and Kidney Transplants Have in Common
We as a culture have looked at the local organization as the younger sibling to the large international organizations. In doing so, we have fueled a long, solutionless investment that has done more to build a western hero complex rather than truly help solve the challenges that continue to burden our world. It is time to change.
The Experts Are Not Who You Think
The question that should pop up in your brain at this point is, “Has the international development community largely operated without elevating the importance and integral role of local expertise?” And the answer to your question is a resounding and painful, “yes.”
On The Frontlines In Uganda, Our Partner Is Taking Action
While COVID-19 still presents a serious threat to them and the people they serve, our partners have been proactively fighting to contain the disease in their corners of the world. And we are excited to highlight the efforts of one such partner to show you how, despite all of our current challenges, we can still band together to help. Partners for Community Transformation (PaCT) has been one of Uganda’s leaders in health for some time now, and they are going above and beyond to proactively address this new pandemic.
Dying to Live
The physiological description of the brutal death of Jesus has always challenged me. There is something about John’s telling of Jesus’ crucifixion that felt connected to the work of helping people gain access to clean water in communities where a virus found in the blood stream was doing it’s best to destroy the immune systems of it’s targets.
We Take It For Granted, But It’s Saving Our Lives
How many sinks in kitchens and bathrooms have that long forgotten bottle of hand sanitizer or hand soap tucked in a dark corner? Is there dish soap somewhere near a dishwasher? Is there body wash and shampoo in a shower? How many bottles in how many showers? If it was truly a life and death situation, how far would you need to go in order to gain access to the soap you needed?
COVID-19 Is New. The Impact Is Not.
The societal impact that COVID-19 has had gives us a rare opportunity to personally empathize with our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world who have not had access to good health care, clean water, and proper sanitation facilities for years. As sub-Saharan Africa currently holds almost 50% of the global burden of the water crisis and almost 70% of the global burden of HIV, it is a highly vulnerable area – which is why we partner with grassroots organizations on the ground in that region.
