LYT Newsletter February 2021
Dear LYT Family,
How are you? Is everyone hanging in there?
It’s been 4 months since our last note to you all and we wanted to send you an update on all that we’ve been up to over these long, lockdown months, including: our latest donations given in January, our focus for the first half of 2021, and an update on the work being done by some of our partners utilising some of the funding we gifted in the second half of 2020. We thought you could use a moment in your day filled with good news..
OUR FOCUS FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 2021
As you may recall, we were originally supporting Camp Jojo in the first half of 2020.. and then Covid arrived. As a result, Camp Jojo were forced to cancel their camps in the Summer of 2020 and were happy for us to use 2020 to focus on emergency Covid related needs with some of our international partners instead.
However! We’re so happy to announce that we are back to shouting the Camp Jojo news from the rooftops from Jan-June of this year. Unfortunately Martyn’s touring has been cancelled through July, so there will be no in person shouting, but we will be focusing our main area of support to Camp Jojo over these next several months, in anticipation of the upcoming Summer. They are very hopeful that they’ll be offering 3 camps this Summer, and have spent their down time working on updating their equipment, their website and their online community, as well as getting their Charity Commission status approval! We are thrilled for them, and equally thrilled that we can finally give them our support.
If you want to get reacquainted with Camp Jojo, go check out their brand new website at: https://www.campjojo.org
AN UPDATE ON SOME OF OUR RECENT DONOR RECIPIENTS
In June of 2020 we gave our largest 6 month donation to date - £50,000 - in support of several of our partners in dire need due to Covid related circumstances. We thought you would like to see how they’ve been fairing (we tried to keep it succinct bullets of info newsletter length purposes!).
Project Somos - Guatemala - 10k Recipient
- Since July 1st Project Somos has served almost 12,000 people via its life saving Food Bank, supplying families with fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, rice & eggs and maintaining their focus on healthy nutrition.
- An additional program has since been created offering the grateful recipients a half-day of labour exchange in the Somos garden once every two months, which has greatly assisted the Somos workers as the Food Bank has grown so dramatically.
[Photo Credit: Project Somos]
Umthombo - Tanzania - 15k Recipient
With our donation, our newest partners in South Africa were able to respond to the urgent situation facing children and young people on Durban’s streets as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, particularly the girls and young mothers living in abandoned buildings across the city. Consequently:
- They distributed 331 monthly food parcels these last 6 months to young people living in abandoned buildings and townships around Durban – (each pack feeds six people for 3 weeks)
- They served 6,720 pre-cooked meals to children/youth living on the streets, distributed 261 packs of sanitary towels and 72 packs of baby nappies to young mothers and provided 220 hand sanitisers, 700 bars of soap, and 1,920 face masks
- They have reached a total of 1,875 children and young people, of whom 1/3 (637) were new to the team. In a standard year they would expect to reach approximately 150 new children; the massive increase this year reflects the increased numbers of children forced onto the streets because of Coronavirus’ impact.
[Photo credit: Alison Sloane]
Advantage Africa - Kenya & Uganda - 15k Recipient
- In July, LYT’s support enabled 185 people affected by albinism in 26 families in eastern Uganda to receive emergency packages to help them get through the crisis. Additionally, seven hand-washing stations were installed in strategic locations
- 160 people in 41 families were supported with emergency supplies including food, sunscreen, fuel and bedding
- Two houses were built for families about to become homeless
- Surgery was conducted for two people with albinism with advanced skin cancer to save their lives
- 16 people were fitted with mobility appliances
- A further 172 wheelchairs were secured for future distribution
- Repairs made to a school kitchen and classrooms were done to enable 60 children with learning disabilities to continue their education
- Advantage Africa allocated the remaining funds towards further services for people with disabilities, including income-generating activities to take place early this year
[New home being built! Photo Credit: Advantage Africa]
OUR LATEST DONATIONS - £30,000!
With so many of us all struggling through Covid these past 12 months, we were quite honestly expecting to (understandably) lose many of our supporters. We have been astonished by your continued monthly gifts and donations, from those of you who have been regular supporters to those of you who have donated recently to help balance out donor loss.. You have literally kept us going. We hope the above updates have helped you to understand even a little bit how deeply impactful your continued giving has been to families and individuals all over the world. It is an immediate, incredibly important action you are taking, and continue to take.
As a result of your wonderful partnership with us, in our December Board Meeting we were able to approve a donation sum of £30,000. We sent it out just a few weeks ago to our two recipients, a continued support in Gaza via Amos Trust and a shot of support to Zac’s Place in Swansea.
Gaza:
Covid first entered the main population in August and rates have soared since. There is a massive shortage of testing kits in Gaza, as well as a shortage of PPE gear. With less than 100 ventilators in total, their healthcare system is in near collapse.
Additionally there is a widespread lack of understanding of how to keep safe and that very many people are unable to do so, as:
• Gaza is so densely overcrowded
• Unemployment levels are enormous – pre-covid they were at 49% which has
increased even further
• Family incomes are so low (over 80% are dependent on food aid) that people
cannot afford face masks and hand wash
• Those in work are mainly in casual employment and if people don’t work then
they won’t eat. As a result some people are keeping it quiet if they are ill or family member are ill as they think they will lose their jobs.
We are delighted to report that at the time of our donation, Amos Trust were running a matched funding campaign.. So our donation of £15,000 was quickly turned into £30,000 as it was matched in full by Amos supporters.
Zac’s Place:
From Sean Stillman, founder, in his own words-
“When the pandemic first hit, Zac’s Place, in partnership with another project in the city, Matt’s Cafe, were asked by the NHS homeless nursing outreach team to set up a food provision programme to see a hot meal delivered to what became nearly two hundred people every day. Many of these people were in emergency accommodation with no cooking facilities. We very quickly engaged the local community in partnership including Swansea Council, The Liberty Stadium, Mecca Bingo, and SCVS who provided delivery vans and drivers, additional kitchens and volunteer recruitment. It was a truly huge effort and made a significant impact on the health and well being of some very vulnerable members of our city.
When the initial lockdown was over, many of those who were helping due to being furloughed or in the case of the Council staff, were diverted to a role with us, had to return to their usual work responsibilities. We took the decision therefore to provide a takeaway hot meal for those who had been receiving the delivered food. We set up a seven day a week lunchtime hot meal takeaway to help those in ongoing need of food. Along with Matt’s Cafe, we have engaged the support of of two other local churches and several suppliers and restaurants who offer discounted supplies. Zac’s Place serves hot meals to between 60-90 people every Thursday and Friday via a new window serving hatch provided by the Council.
Currently this provision has been costing us in the region of £200 per week and includes the purchase of takeaway boxes, drinks, fruit, cutlery etc plus PPE for volunteers. We received a grant from Crisis to cover the initial early stages of the support and the local night shelter project has also helped us meaning we have enough funds set aside until the end of February. We fully expect there to be a need for this level of support, providing good food, served safely for several months beyond the end of February.”
With our donation of £15,000, Sean says they will be able to continue to meet the community’s needs through the end of the Covid crisis.
Additionally, some of you will remember the large hall at Zac’s Place that we used for the gig with MJ and Bob Harris several years ago.. Unfortunately it is now in need of significant renovation and repair and Sean and crew have obtained planning approval to see the space transformed into something far more functional that will meet their versatile needs ahead. (Gaining a much larger kitchen, new serving area, internal courtyard and still keep a small performance space possible, naturally!). Any remaining funds will thus be put toward this project, once the higher, Covid-related level of meal support has finally decreased.
[Photo Credit: Zac's Place]
Whew. Thanks for hanging in there with us, but as you can see - we had a lot to fill you in on!
We know lockdown fatigue is setting in for a lot of folks.. we hope this has put a sunbeam into your day, even if only for a moment. Even as you tuck into your next 30 minute daily walk, you are making such a very real and very vital difference.
Hang in there, friends. And thank you.
In gratitude,
Justine & the LYT Team