The arrival of the COVID-19 virus and the preventive measures taken by national and local governments to reduce its spread have affected the work of Alvaralice Foundation, as it has the rest of society. The crisis has required extensive adjustments, as we have aligned our work with preventive measures and the awareness that Alvaralice works with some of the most vulnerable communities in Cali which have scarce resources to face this type of situation.
Even before the national government introduced lockdown measures, Alvaralice started taking steps to protect our collaborators and to help minimize the risk of the spread of the virus. On March 16th, Alvaralice adopted a set of measures that included hygiene protocols, social distancing, and working remotely for its core staff and for some of the projects’ activities.
Members of our staff that work on our various projects, such as Cure Violence, Rumbo Joven, BIS – Cali Progresa con Empleo, and Saberes PacÃficos, have been in touch with the participants, providing them with support regarding their physical/mental health and focusing on the importance of following the government’s preventive recommendations. The educational programs, especially Rumbo Joven, have adjusted its curriculums in order to advance the development process of the students. Income generation programs continue to support employment networking for former students in the still active essential jobs sector. Unfortunately now, many formerly employed participants lost their jobs.
Alvaralice is participating in initiatives to support vulnerable communities in the areas where we have ongoing projects. Alvaralice is a member of the Coronavirus working group of the Association of Family Nonprofits and Business-affiliated NGOs. The Foundation also has linked up with the campaign #UnaSolaFuerza, to deliver food in the same communities where the Foundation works. The Cure Violence team that works in the Comuneros neighborhood continues to support the Mayor’s Office in the distribution of 5,000 food parcels. In the Potrero Grande neighborhood, Alvaralice distributed groceries to 400 families. In the Charco Azul and Comuneros I neighborhooos the Foundation helped stock the food pantries organized by the community, and distributed food vouchers to programs participants.
The Somos PacÃfico Technological and Cultural Center launched a fundraising campaign to deliver 500 food parcels to the families of the children that attend the Tecnocentro. Thanks to this initiative, approximately 15 million pesos have been raised. We invite all of our friends and followers to join this initiative by clicking the below so that more families can continue receiving this support.Â
In this edition of our newsletter, we’re including an article from Cali Cómo Vamos that shows figures for the population groups most at risk from COVID-19 in Cali. This edition also outlines some of the activities that Alvaralice Foundation’s projects have done in response to the pandemic. True to our commitment to work for a more inclusive and peaceful society, we continue to adapt in order to contribute to the most vulnerable and economically disadvantaged.