Thanks to everyone who has responded to Children of Colombia’s Covid-19 Amazon Appeal. Scarlett Wood raised over her target of £500 in her recent Triathlon. We are so grateful to all our other generous donors who have helped bring aid to the Colombian Amazon families hit by Covid-19.
This is where the funds are going: the picture shows health care workers with the latest batch of essential medical supplies to help the battle against Covid-19 in the Colombian Amazon.
Covid-19 Hits the Colombian Amazon
The busy township of Puerto Nariño on the banks of the River Amazon in south east Colombia has been hard hit by the pandemic. Covid-19 has reached even these remote communities with devastating consequences.
Kilyam Gomez, a qualified nurse and member of the Fénix education programme, was born in Puerto Nariño. Kilyam is responsible for the active search for cases of Covid-19 in the department of Amazonas. There are 7,000 inhabitants nearly all Ticuna, Cocama and Yagua Indians in Puerto Nariño and surrounding villages. There are many vulnerable people including the very old and children suffering from malnutrition. The local hospital lacks basic equipment such as oxygen regulators and even face-masks and other protective equipment for the staff.
Tourism, a major source of employment, has completely dried up leaving many families without income or food. Local flooding has spoiled harvests and now hunger is a serious additional threat.
With no government aid arriving Nurse Kiliyam is appealing for urgent help. Fundaciónes Natütama and Fénix are meeting some of the most desperate needs: Fénix has sent oxygen regulators, N95 masks, disposable gloves, and face shields for the health care staff. Natütama is funding food supplies for families without resources.
To make a contribution to help feed families and ship further health care supplies to these vulnerable communities just push the Just Giving/Donate button at the top of the page. We can reclaim UK tax increasing the value of donations by 25% if you Gift Aid your donation. Please earmark your donation for either Natütama or Fénix.
Latest News from Colombian Amazon
Here’s the latest update from Fénix Director Timothy Ross to Children of Colombia Chairman Kate Seal:
“Dear Kate,
Latest reports from the Amazon are mixed: while the rates of new infections and of deaths appear to be slowing, the virus has now spread to some of the most isolated indigenous communities that canot be reached by land or by river, only by air, making prevention, diagnosis, and treatment harder.
Nurse Kilyam says the supplies are hugely welcome and are making a real difference to response capability.
She has just sent us a picture of some of the Puerto Nariño health care team unpacking the latest Fénix shipment of face masks and infra-red thermometers.
Abrazos
Timothy”
