What is happening in our projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America?

What is happening in our projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America?

What is happening in our social projects in Kenya, Peru or India? What is their situation in the context of the coronavirus?

We want to continue to share the news about the projects we work with in different countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.. To which we are normally connected throughout the year, among other activities, through international volunteering.

Although we are unable to travel right now, and we don't know when we will be able to travel normally again, Tumaini's commitment to building a better world is still present in our daily lives and in our mission.

For this reason, and without wishing to add further concern to the situation we are experiencing, but with the desire to continue helping and building, we tell you how this health crisis is being experienced. in some of the projects we work with. As we get more information on all the projects, we will keep you posted.

In addition, at the end of this post we update information on the international travel situation in the context of the coronavirus, with recommendations and contact details.

 

Peru

As in almost all our projects, the reception of volunteers is at a standstill and the centres we work with in the country, most of them related to children's education and leisure, are closed. This means that the children who usually attend the projects are at home, without going to school or other places. Containment measures at the national level in Peru are strict and it is expected to be one of the first countries in Latin America where the health situation is worsening.

The cessation of activity in the Cuzco projects means that the children are confronted, above all, with the worsening of their diet because of the lack of family income. Her parents live mainly from street vending of different products and, with the confinement, they are unable to go out.

 

Some of the project coordinators have spoken to the most vulnerable families to get them to look after their children, as many of them have anaemia that could be aggravated in these circumstances. Also, it is common that the situation of vulnerability of minors will increase in relation to issues such as domestic violence.

The educational project of the IquitosThe only way to reach the village of Santa Clara is by boat, there are no roads, and this service is cut off. The only way to reach the village of Santa Clara is by boat, there are no roads, and this service is cut off, so the project tells us that they find themselves in a situation of isolation. without access to basic facilities The people have had their water cut off, including pharmacies, shops and even drinking water. In the last few weeks they have begun to have problems accessing basic foodstuffs.

 

 

Bolivia

In the animal protection centre of Bolivia The situation is also delicate. All the sanctuaries are closed and, although the staff of the centres is healthy, the lack of volunteers and other resources that they often receive makes it difficult to maintain so many animals. The maintenance of these centres depends especially on volunteers and the care of the animals is directly affected.

 

India and Nepal

In both Nepal and India, everything is closed, even the shops, so there are lack of supplies and food in general. The young people from the Kathmandu school have been fortunate in that they made the decision days ago to return to Komang, their mountain village, after a long journey of days of bus rides and hiking on trails.

In Komang, while they suffer from other shortages, such as the lack of heating in very low temperatures, they have The children are assured a minimum food supply thanks to the gardens and meet their families..

In addition, the situation at the organic farm in Pokhara is quiet. On the one hand, it is located in a remote rural area and, on the other hand, they have their own food supply from their own gardens.

In India The lack of supplies is beginning to be felt. The centres we work with are closed and at McLeod Ganj they have reduced the working hours of their staff, trying to cope with the lack of income. They don't know if they will be able to pay the rent on the space where they work, which they had just expanded with plans to open a cafeteria.

Kenya

The situation is similar in the Kenyan projects, mainly educational and childcare projects. Schools have been closed for several days at the national level, as have the centres with which we collaborate.

Some projects face staff layoffsas is the case in other countries. In all centres they are particularly concerned about the vulnerability of childrenMany are HIV-positive and do not have their defences up to 100%.

In addition, we are told that the government has concentrated on containing the epidemic in major cities, such as Mombasa and Nairobi, where the outbreak is expected to be most virulent, leaving other equally vulnerable parts of the country less well-attended.

 

About the projects in Peru, Bolivia, India, Nepal and Kenya that are not mentioned, as well as the projects with which we are collaborating in Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailandare also closed.

For now, we do not have much more information on the country context and the situation in the country, beyond the fact that its personnel are in good health and in various conditions of confinement. As more information becomes available, we will share more information. If you would like to know more about any of these projects, please do not hesitate to contact Tumaini via email: info@viajestumaini.org

 

 

The Tumaini team in Spain has set up several mechanisms to support the projects.

On the one hand, we are weaving a web of care to be in contact with them at all times. Although the contexts are very different, the basic protective measures against the virus as outlined by the World Health Organisation are common, which is why we believe that information exchange and emotional support are important.

 

On the other hand, we are encouraging through different channels the Tumaini volunteers who have visited the projects to write down their experiences as a way of raising awareness and sensitisation.. Many of them have already done so on their return, but some of them have kept their memories and, perhaps, this situation of confinement will inspire them to reflect on some issues, which we will publish in our blog. If you are one of them and you are reading this, cheer up!

 

Finally, we are carrying out a assessment of the specific situation and needs of each project to identify those that are most vulnerable and those that may need specific assistance. We will soon be able to share in our Donate these needs. We also have open our membership campaignYou can collaborate with Tumaini and support the general maintenance of the organisation and its projects from €3 a month. You can consult the destination of all the funds we have raised in previous campaigns in our section of Tumaini in Figures.

 

The empowerment of these small projects as well as the building a fairer world through international volunteering, as a more responsible form of travel, continue to be the motives for our work. As well as caring for the environment, animals and cultural diversity.

We know that the movement of people in this globalised world will return. We only hope that it will do so with more awareness and responsibility. Fingers crossed that the impact of this virus in the most vulnerable places will not be too strong.

 

Travel information in the context of the coronavirus

We update the general recommendations for any traveller as well as specific recommendations for Tumaini travellers. From Tumaini, we are closely following the evolution of the spread of the coronavirus at international level and therefore we continue to recommend not to travel, as indicated in the communiqué from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the beginning of the health crisis. The first priority remains the health of everyone.

For all the Tumaini solidarity travel If any changes are made, we will modify the reservation of the place free of charge - subject to availability. Access to all countries with which we work, as well as mobility within them or in stopover countries, is closed. It is not yet known when national and other countries' airspace will be reopened.

All Tumaini travellers who have any questions, we are at your disposal through any of our usual channels: social networks (FB, TW and IG): phone +34 691 45 06 65 (Jenni, Latin America and Asia) / +34 606 84 00 25 (Monica, India and Kenya) and also by email info@viajestumaini.org.

We continue to recommend that you only seek information from official sources on any issues related to travel, host countries or coronavirus safety. Here are some links of interest:

• World Health Organisation Basic Protective Measures
• Advice on coronavirus rumours from the World Health Organisation
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Spanish
• Health information telephone numbers by community autonomous