Phase I

FUNDED and COMPLETED

As an operator of a school network, when schools closed nationwide in the Congo, our team realized the urgent need to pivot to continue reaching our students with quality education. In a no-tech/low-tech environment, this required our team to get innovative and creative to reach our 2,000+ students with the shelter-in-place orders.

In April, our team launched a COVID-19 Phase I Response. During the initial phase, we developed distance-learning workbooks that were delivered to our students at their homes. Our teachers pivoted from the classroom to become public health agents, delivering essential, myth-busting and life-saving public health information to not only our students, but also their families and often their neighbors. Our team also began conducting child protection evaluations and implementing stress management strategies for parents to minimize stress during times of crisis.

BY THE NUMBERS:

Phase II

FUNDED and completed

In June, our team saw the need to further deepen the quality of our distance-learning program by adding in some low-tech solutions that could be easily accessed by a large body of students. In early June, we began piloting radio lesson broadcasts.

The target audience were primary six students who needed to prepare to sit for their end of primary school national exams. We were overwhelmed by how well the radio lessons were received. “When will you do this for other year groups?” is one of the most common questions we were asked.

Phase III

FUNDED and completed through One Day’s Wages Foundation

Looking ahead, we are determined to incorporate radio lesson broadcasts into normal JR operations, and we are currently working through what that would look like. It has also become clear to us that we need to double up our effort in delivering interventions like WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene), gender equality and PSS (psycho-social support) interventions because they are needed now more than ever.

As schools re-open nationwide in the Congo, our team is also working to provide PPE equipment for all of our students and staff at Justice Rising. We are preparing for the school year inside the classroom, though with the radio program continuing through the Fall and our experience in creating and delivering workbooks, our team is ready to pivot to remote learning should schools shut again due to COVID-19.

Phase IV

In partnership with Love Does, food container, delivered more than 200,000 meals.

Ongoing Needs:

While the pandemic itself may not have had the same impact as in other global hotspots, the precautionary measures implemented by national health agencies has indirectly led to massive increases in food prices (up 100% to 200%) and widespread food insecurity. Even pre-pandemic, many families struggled to find food in a country where 70% of the population lives on just $1.25 USD or less per day. The challenge now is greater than ever.

Our team is hoping to secure a container of food to deliver more than 200K meals to our students and their families to provide some added relief during this time. We are also aiming to provide increased scholarships or reduced school fees to students enrolled in Justice Rising schools.

The cost of school fees per student each month: $5 USD.