BY ANNAH MARY TUSIIME COVID-19 has been a huge challenge for many people in Uganda, creating fear and anxiety amongst the young and old alike. Children have been out of school since March and social distancing has left them feeling isolated and even bored. They are looking for something to do – just like Mark …
2020 has been a year like no other. Viva’s Chief Executive, Mark Stavers, reflects on our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, outlines our next steps and shares our strategy for the coming five years. When I look back over the last eight months or so, my overall feeling is one of great pride in the …
Young people at university in the UK are facing significant mental health issues under coronavirus lockdown. Charlotte Pearson-Miles shares sad news about someone she knew, and reflects on her own struggles as a student and the way out she found in the words of Jesus. Prayer days, outdoor services and light displays will have taken …
BY KANICE HO The COVID-19 pandemic has changed affected only the physical, but the emotional health of the world. A World Happiness Survey was conducted in September and found that in Hong Kong, the happiness score for people between the ages of 12 and 18 was 5.87 out of 10. The score for this group …
Mim Friday, Viva’s Africa Director, reflects openly on more than 200 days of COVID-19 lockdown in Uganda, and describes how Viva and our partner network, CRANE, are responding in new ways to the many needs of vulnerable children in Kampala to keep more of them safe from harm. The moment one COVID-19 case was reported …
Global Updates 1. Phone Mentoring Viva’s new Phone Mentoring programme is being set up in 25 of our partner networks. This phone mentoring programme is designed to ensure people have trustworthy information on COVID-19, reduce domestic violence, improve family relationships and improve home learning. It is useful in lockdown and also in supporting children and …
Viva’s phone mentoring programme is exceeding expectations, as it positively impacts thousands of children and families worldwide facing increasingly desperate times because of COVID-19. The initiative has been developed collaboratively by Viva’s global team over the past six months in response to the emerging realities of the pandemic. Restrictions have made it difficult for Viva’s …
BY MIM FRIDAY Whilst responding to the coronavirus crisis is a major focus for our global partner networks, the pre-existing, strategic work must continue. Here is one example of an ongoing programme from CRANE, our partner network in Uganda. A partnership with the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution has allowed CRANE to train …
BY CHARLOTTE PEARSON-MILES One unexpected silver lining of moving our Oxford-based youth work online has been the greater contact we’ve had with parents (who have had to fill out parental consent forms and help children access our Zoom groups safely). Pre-lockdown, much of Doorsteps’ youth work took place via school. We were well placed to …
BY GARY KAMAAL To support vulnerable families and children during the COVID-19 pandemic, Viva India is distributing food relief to daily wage earners and migrant workers in five cities. Those receiving relief have lost their jobs, and are fearful of the present situation and uncertain about their future. Their children’s development is being adversely affected …