The world we live in isn’t always equal, a fact that is seen clearly when it comes to the health of people and communities everywhere. We are witnessing this before our eyes right now with the COVID-19 crisis. For some parts of the world, hope is on the horizon with vaccine access rolling out to more and more of the population.
For millions more, this crisis is far from over. For many, it is actually getting worse.
- The number of people facing starvation has doubled over the past 12 months, bringing the number to 270 million.
- 11 million of those facing this hunger emergency are children.
- Schools have been closed for 168 million children globally, many of whom do not have access to remote learning.
- For those already struggling, the pandemic’s disruption to livelihoods has pushed them further into poverty.
- Only 1% of vaccine doses administered globally have gone to those in low-income countries
This doesn’t mean we should lose focus on hope. In fact, the solution to this crisis depends on us putting our hope into action for others! ADRA has launched the next phase of our COVID-19 response, putting the focus on the evolving needs of those whose lives continue to be disrupted by the pandemic.
In a situation like this, we like to say that access leads to access. This means that the sooner everyone has access to the vaccine, the sooner they regain access to education, livelihoods, resources to feed their families, and everything else they need to thrive. ADRA’s latest projects are helping communities overcome the hurdles standing between them and their access to vaccines, as well as providing emergency resources to support the vital needs of those in crisis until the vaccine is readily available
Time and time again, our actions prove that we are stronger together. ADRA has been overwhelmed with the outpouring of support that our community has shown during this pandemic. Last year alone, ADRA supporters helped us reach almost 20 million people in 96 countries with urgent COVID-19 resources!
Our continued partnership is critical to reaching those whose needs are growing more urgent by the day. Together, we can help provide access to the emergency resources they need right now.
Here are 3 easy ways for you to make an impact:
- Make an urgent donation. You can provide emergency resources for as little as $15 per person at ADRA.org!
- Get the facts. Misinformation is a serious concern in any crisis, so make sure the sources you trust and the information you share with others come from reliable organizations and outlets.
- Share your offering. Adventist churches around the world will be collecting the annual disaster and famine relief offering on Sabbath, May 8 to support ADRA’s emergency work.
To read more about the support ADRA has already provided to millions affected by COVID-19, our global report is available online: https://adra.org/adra-provides-hope-during-coronavirus.
Sources
UN News: https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/12/1079742
UNICEF: https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/covid-19#latest-covid-updates
Picture: PAHO