Covid-19 Update #2: our partners in action

Since our latest update in May, our local project leaders have been busy. We wish to use this space to share more about their initiatives with you. We encourage you to take a deeper look at the contributions the project leaders are offering their communities.

Earlier in April, we, the ITTF Foundation, decided to reallocate funds to the #TableTennisUnited donation campaign. Thus, solutions could be generated by the local project leaders to alleviate the impacts of Covid-19 on their communities. More information here.

As the effects of the pandemic drag on, ITTF Foundation dream building fund-partners* have shifted their activities dramatically to bring solutions to the immediate needs of their communities: food, hygiene kits, information, and education.

Below, we illustrate, the successful actions our grantees in Ecuador, Ghana, India, Kenya, and Uganda brough to their communities in these challenging times. We continue to stand by all our grantees during this global crisis — and we will update you on their contribution here:

FUDELA successfully donated 100 kits to families from their programme. The kits contained basic healthy food supplies, health and hygiene kits, basic table tennis equipment (racquet and ball) and a manual guide outlining examples of recreational activities that could be done at home.

See them in action:

The FUDELA team, assembled and delivered the respective kits themselves to ensure security and respect of health norms. The delivery took time as the team wanted to review an updated status of each family of beneficiaries in different areas of Ecuador to determine which areas were not receiving external aid and would have a higher vulnerability index to the emergency. Through this evaluation, it was determined that the 100 food kits would be distributed to: Esmeraldas, a city in the north west of Ecuador and the sports kits would be distributed among several areas namely: Sucumbíos, Esmeraldas, Quito, Imbabura and Santo Domingo.

Given the situation in Esmeraldas and the little external support it has received, the FUDELA team thought it would be important to assist in making the deliveries themselves.

Access the activities guideline: HERE (Spanish & English).

On the 28th of May and 1st June of 2020, the implementation of ‘Smash Covid-19 Away’ project was done by ASOBA & NK Foundation in Ofankor and Kweikuma communities, respectively. A total of nearly 200 families, 100 in Ofankor and 100 in Kweikuma received food and sanitation support. This was given during an official event that was organised to raise awareness and provide necessary information to the recipients.

Ishmael Abraham Armah, project leader opened the event saying:

Dr. Kwasi Ofori-Anti of the National Covid-19 Intensive Care Unit educated the families on Covid-19 and discussed with the parents and the kids the best ways to be safe.

Charles Tachie-Menson, Executive member of Ghana Table Tennis Association appealed to all and sundry to support the good works of Asoba and NK Foundations to continue to reach out to more kids and families in distress.

Joyce Nsiah, headmistress of Kweikuma MA Primary School offered advice on studying during the crisis to the kids.

Pro Sport Development managed to provide hygiene kits to 800 participants and their families studying in the two schools of Bhubneswar namely, Beena Bharati Vidya Mandir (Bharatpur) and Vivekananda Shikshya Kendra (Dum Duma). Moreover, PSD has provided sanitary kits to partner schools in Bhubaneswar where these children study.

The hygiene kit for each child and his/her family in Bhubaneswar include:

• • 2 Face masks
  • 3 Soap bars
  • 2 packets of Sanitary pads (20 pads in each packet)
  • 1 set of Pamphlets with official information on COVID-19 and fitness at home exercises

The sanitary kits for the schools in Bhubaneswar (Beena Bharati Vidya Mandir, Bharatpur and Vivekananda Shikshya Kendra, Dum Duma) include:

• • 15 litres of Liquid Soap in each school
  • 3 Soap Dispensers in each school

The purchase and distribution of both kits was carried out by the team in Bhubaneswar between the 28th of May and 10th of June 2020

See them in action:

Talent4Development project leader went to more than 20 of the families of children participating in their programme to provide food supplies, soap, locally produced masks, some schoolbooks and a table tennis racquet and ball.

Only half the families could be supported because the others had moved to the rural areas because the lock down made it too hard for them to stay without being able to work. The families will come back as soon as the lockdown is over, and they are able to work again so the team will provide them with support to start back strong and gain hope after these challenging times. The donation was a success because it allowed the staff to get to know the families of the programme beneficiaries better and build a stronger relation for when the programme starts again.

Meet Marie speaking about the situation and table tennis as a single mother:

Slum Ping Pong were able to buy in bulk and distribute in smaller portions food and soap to 35 families whose children are part of the programme, most of who cannot work due to the lockdown and are not allowed to travel to the cheaper market further away. Each Family was able to get:

• • 10 kgs of Posho
  • 5kgs of Rice
  • 5kgs of Beans
  • 5kgs of Sugar
  • 3pacs of Salt
  • 5bars of Soap.

The support of 35 families may not sound like much but this reaches 112 children from slum ping pong directly. Distribution took place on the 28th May 2020.

HONECRIC partnered with Radio Hoima 88.6 FM to support learners to study from home. This broadcast featured teachers and live class lessons in the afternoon from 2pm to 3pm for twenty weekdays (Monday to Friday) starting Wednesday 13th May and running until 12th June 2020.

Professional teachers working under Hoima district, Kikube district and Hoima municipal facilitated the lessons, covering the upper primary section. The teachers deliberately selected topics in the current syllabus for term one but cutting across the three classes of P.5 – P.6 to support children in a wider section to do revision while at home. We had twenty-three lessons in total for five core and examinable subjects in primary i.e: Integrated Science, English Language, Social Studies and Mathematics.

Listen to an example of the English lesson:

In addition, HONECRIC offered the 13 table tennis project schools with hand washing facilities and detergents.

We are very proud of the solidarity within the Dream Building Fund projects and their involvement in their communities. The ITTF Foundation continues to stand by all our grantees during this global crisis and hopes the lockdown will be lifted soon so that parents can make a living again and children can play again.

If you wish to support these projects, as well as, all those in the table tennis family impacted by Covid-19: TableTennisUnited

*Find out more about the Dream Building Projects:

- Click HERE for 2019 Funds

- Click HERE for the 2020 Funds (start postponed until further notice)