2020 was an unprecedented year and feels like is not over. For those in Venezuela already struggling with a complex humanitarian crisis, it was inconceivable to have an additional crisis as a result of Covid-19.
We believe this pandemic year has showed all how vulnerable we are all despite some sense of stability and confidence. For our local teams, like for many of those in Venezuela, 2020 showed them how resilient and fearless they were, in a the middle of a pandemic, to still ensure the education, nutrition and health of our children. Our admiration and gratitude for such devotion and heroic work that is also possible thanks to the support of hundreds of donors, both individual and organizationals, that contributed to the following results:
Our work is far from over. We are all still fighting Covid-19 and a complex humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. We thank you very much for your support during 2020 and we hope we can continue joining forces in 2021.
Cordially, Paolo
PS. We will be releasing our 2020 Annual Report in the weeks to come. We look forward to sharing it with you!
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When our lifes were disrupted by Covid-19, many lost their jobs and children stopped attending school, among many other effects and how things changed. This pandemic has also made us reflect on our daily life. In crisis, unfortunately, the most vulnerable are the ones suffering the most. Imagine now Venezuela, already sumerged in a complex humanitarian crisis by the time this pandemic hit.
Friends' ongoing programs in Venezuela continue responding to Covid-19 and adapting to the new context. Despite the challenges and missing opportunities, we are still standing by those underprivileged children and their families, and those health workers lacking all the conditions but fighting with all their heart.
OUR IMPACT:
RESULTS & INDICATORS
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Since February, Friends took action to provide our teams and programs in Venezuela with all sort of cleaning, disinfecting and germicidal supplies, together with all the needed PPE. Thanks to grants from IRC (International Rescue Committee) and Anthony R. Abraham Foundation, our partnership with International Aid, and certainly the donations from many of you through GlobalGiving, we were able to implement and strengthen our Covid-19 Response Plan (see attached) by even adding 2 ventilators!
Today, in many countries, Covid-19 continues challenging health systems, disrupting economies, and certainly increasing the number of both new cases and deaths. In early June, Venezuela was reporting +50 new cases per day, with peaks of +100 cases, for a total of 2,087 cases and 20 deaths. Today, there are +10,000 cases, +300 new daily cases, new peaks of +400 cases per day, and at least 100 deaths. Yet rights groups claim real numbers are much higher than those reported.
As of June, Friends has provided with:
As for our ongoing programs, Covid-19 prevented us from executing and replicating major drives that in 2019 brought us +$30K worth of donations, from diapers, to baby formulas, to nutritional supplements and more. Yet, we continued having the support of great partners such Victus' Clinical & Nutritional products, with critical items such as Enterex, pediatric & youth catheters, dressings, among many others; Chamos Foundation, with an additional donation of vitamins Alvityl Vitality for children +6 years old; Celebrating Childhood once again donated hundreds of Elephantitos' beautiful shoes and dresses for children, among other partners.
But once again, your contributions have made possible that thousands of health workers, little patients and their family members receive basic but highly needed supplies such as formulas, nutritional supplements, etc. Here other indicators as of June from Friends:
Friends will continue protecting his teams, patients, and hospital staff and even bringing hope in the middle of the humanitarian crisis and the breakdown of the health system that Venezuela is experiencing. We thank you for your continuing support with both our ongoing programs and our Covid-19 Response Plan.
Once again, thank you!
Paolo
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Curious about how we finished 2019?
We just released our 2019 Annual Report which includes in great detail all the challenges, accomplishments, and overall financial and statistical results.
Of course, our greatest accomplishments are both the smiles you put on thousands of children and families under vulnerable, underprivileged conditions, and the lives we saved thanks to your continuos support.
Needless to say the positive impact on the doctors, caregivers and overall hospital staff at the Jorge Lizarrage Pediatric Hospital. Like our children, they know they can count on us to provide the best medical attention.
We still have so much to do, but together we can continue bringing hope, love and support to all those newborns, infants, school-age children, families, teachers, hospital staff and everyone under our programs.
Thank you once again for trusting on our work!
PS. Please see below our 2019 Annual Report as an attachment.
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Project Reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
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