ACT is responding to the crisis brought on by the global pandemic. ACT staff and partners are coordinating a relief effort for April, May and June which hopes to see some 1,200 families in dire need supported per month.
After almost 40 years of working alongside Tunisian partners, ACT is drawing on its wealth of experience in new ways, in order to respond to the devastating effects of the Coronavirus outbreak. Working with existing partners and local initiatives, a coordinated relief effort is gaining momentum.
“An unprecedented health crisis has led to unprecedented measures of confinement,” says ACT General Director Adriaan. “The need expressed by most partners is [for] food security, as well as hygiene and sanitation. Our goal therefore is to help the most marginalized and needy through the provision of food supplies and hygiene items.”
Despite current challenges, ACT is drawing on all available options to extend the scope of relief efforts in this crisis. While the logistics – gathering volunteers, being issued the correct travel permissions, coordinating with wholesalers, etc – are being still being worked out in places, ACT is honoured to be able to show solidarity and support to those affected throughout Tunisia.
Reponses
In each ACT ‘hub’, a local response team has been set-up, tailoring a monthly plan based on the needs, connections and capacity in each location. In some cases, individual projects are also able to co-ordinate their own efforts.
Locations
In Sfax, ACT plans to deliver food parcels to 200 families per month. These have been identified by a local initiative and are being coordinated by ACT Staff Member Sameh. “People are so thankful; they are very glad to receive food parcels, especially as they contain fresh produce items such as chicken and eggs.”
Sfax have, in a way, been the starting point for further relief following ACT’s initial response. It’s exciting to see the efforts supercharged for a second round.
In El Kef, April will see an initial 100 families receive food parcels, boxed up and distributed in coordination with the Ministry of Social Affairs. Following the evaluation of this, ACT hopes to be able to increase this number up to 500. This will help many more families from the interior of Kef governorate in need.
In Gabès where ACT capacity is much more limited, funds are being donated to the local branch of the Red Crescent. Joining efforts in this way will help cover the cost of supporting 22 vulnerable local families.
In the spirit of doing-what-you-can-with-what-you-have, ACT is exploring further ways to be able to help in Gabès. For some unable to leave their houses, this means making masks for local hospitals, as well as for the Red Crescent volunteers.
Such an encouragment from all who want to help!
Projects
In Nabeul, working with ACT’s local partner, aid will be delivered to 110 families. Some of these will be the women who have taken part in the Livelihood Project for Mothers Without Family Support. In Monastir, the second location the project has been run, it will be 122 families. Help will be given in either by way of bundles of nappies and formula for babies, food vouchers for local supermarkets, or through cash postal orders.
In Tunis, some of our Capacity Building Project partners will reach around 90 families with food parcels and other practical support. These will be country-wide, with the organisations making use of contacts in multiple places.
“THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU”
The words of one of ACT-UK’s Board of Trustees could not be better put.
The response from you, supporters and friends of ACT, has been incredible. Thanks to the generous giving – made especially poignant during a time where so many are facing financial insecurities at home – ACT has been able to commit to all their planned relief efforts for the month of April. We are also able to start planning help and support for many more families during the months of May and June for which we still need funding.
Around 50€ (150 TND) covers the basic food and hygiene needs for an average family for an entire month. There are a few ways to support the work ACT wants to do in response such great need being faced.
- Through our head office in Sweden – via bank transfer, full details of which can be found on our website.Please use the reference ‘ACT Covid19 relief’, and email finance@actdev.orgto enable us to keep track of donations.
- Through Paypal– please use the reference ‘ACT Covid19 relief’.
