Zambia is also affected by the lockdown. FCTrelief has taken measures to ensure that the children can continue to eat once a day. Rachael and Eugene Mtonthola report.
Following Zambian government’s closure of all learning institutions and banning of public gatherings in an attempt to contain the spread of the Corona virus Pandemic, FCTrelief Zambia foundation has made efforts to mitigate the immediate impact of school closures, particularly for more vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Linda Compound due to Covid 19 pandemic. FCTrelief has resolved to conduct all teaching and learning activities through homework and assignments. We cannot do 2 weeks workshops unfortunately as no gatherings are allowed & police are very strict. We hope schools will reopen on 11.5. as planned.
The pupils can eat at the prescribed distance from each other at school.
However, in all of our pupils’ homes food scarcity is the order of the day hence the need for FCTrelief to resolve to takeaway lunches for the pupils. FCTrelief has been providing lunch takeaways to the 78 pupils in Linda. The pupils are all very grateful for the food & because they are usually hungry in the morning they turn up early for lunch which is ready by 11 am. Cooks have been preparing lunches and Teachers ensure that children observe social distancing and all preventive precautions against Covid-19 such as washing of hands with soap, sanitizing hands and avoiding handshakes to mention but a few. The five families in George compound were not left out as they also received a 25 kg bag of mealie meal each since they could not come to Linda during this time.
Keep your distance, even when queuing for hand washing.
Most of the children hardly have food to eat in their homes The lunches we provide for them make a big difference. One of the children said “I have not eaten anything since yesterday. The last meal I ate was the snacks I got here at FCT and my first meal today is the nshima I’ve received at FCTrelief.“ The healthy meals the pupils receive make it easier for them to concentrate in class.
Some of the children do not want to take the lunch home to eat, as they have more siblings at home who would want to share it and then there would not be enough for all of them! So we let these children sit either at a desk or on the grass alone to eat their lunch before going home.
All the children are thankful and appreciate the healthy meals they enjoy at FCT relief.
