By Our Reporter
Prudential Uganda has donated UGX 350 million towards supporting communities that have been affected by COVID-19.
This fund will go towards providing food relief to 3000 primary and secondary school teachers in Eastern Uganda who have been impacted by the COVID-19 epidemic; and providing interpersonal psychotherapy to 1500 vulnerable working adults in Kampala aged 18 years and above, whose mental wellness has been affected by the COVID-19.
Prudential Uganda is carrying out this initiative through implementing partners; Humanitarian Operations Projects & Emergencies (HOPE), a none profit humanitarian and development organization focusing on humanitarian aid in Africa; and StrongMinds Uganda, a mental health support organization which provides free, group talk therapy to low-income women and communities.
“Our Purpose is to help people make the most of life; and no better way to do this, than to stand with them in their most trying times. Last year, when the pandemic broke out, as a company whose values are hinged on improving people’s lives, we reached out to the most vulnerable in the slums of Kampala and Mbarara providing food relief. After careful and thoughtful study, we made the decision to support primary and secondary school teachers who have not had gainful employment since schools were closed in 2020 and the vulnerable working adults with depression because of the COVID-19 for a period of 6 months,” said Arjun Mallik, CEO, Prudential East and Central Africa, while addressing guests at their head office in Kampala.
While receiving the fund on behalf of HOPE, Emmanuel Kashaija, the Country Director, noted that Primary and secondary school teachers whose salaries depend on parents’ contributions were hard hit by the lockdown that is meant to curb the spread of COVID-19 and appreciated Prudential for coming through to support them.
“For almost two years, many teachers have not been working and coming out to give them food is a demonstration to them that we are standing together with them and wish them the very best until the re-opening of schools, which we trust is soon,” he said.
According to StrongMinds Uganda Director Peter Okwi, up to 25% of the women and adolescents living in the vulnerable communities suffer from depression. Despite one in four suffering from depression, the services to treat these individuals are limited.
“StrongMinds will address the urgent mental health needs of vulnerable populations aged 18 years working in both the formal and informal sectors of Uganda’s economy by providing remote messages of support and access to free teletherapy, thereby filling a large gap in services for this population,” said Peter Okwi.
This COVID relief fund has been provided by Prudential Uganda with the support from the Prudence Foundation, the community investment arm of Prudential plc in Asia and Africa, and Chairman’s Challenge, Prudential’s flagship international volunteering programme, that brings together people from across the Group to help their communities.
