 Things are changing so fast.
I was on a call yesterday with a longterm partner and dear friend, Father Alex Busuttil. In addition to discussing our shared programs and strategies for future fundraising, we talked about the new social order that's unfolding right before our eyes. Father Alex spoke about building new structures in his life and work. He talked about the challenges he is facing in reaching the thousands of people in his Parish and the hundreds of people in his programs. Talking to Father Alex and considering the messages I've been receiving from our team on the ground - it seems clear that over the past couple of days things are getting progressively more and more worrisome for the many people who are in our programs and projects. For people living in the experience of extreme poverty with a child (or children) living with a disability or medically fragile condition - life is extremely challenging at baseline. Now, in the dystopian world that is the COVID-19 pandemic - things are becoming overwhelming. We are working hard to support the families in our Ines Project. In places where they live - the pueblos jovenes invasion communities of the major cities of Perú – access to water is a big issue. Not having basic food supplies in the homes is a tremendous challenge. We're working to mobilize our partnerships to ensure the people in our programs have access to the basic items and resources they need to implement a prevention protocol under their unique circumstances. We're also working to assure public health messaging is culturally sensitive and appropriate to their unique needs of the people we serve. We're distributing messages that help families consider how they can use a bucket system to wash their hands. We're providing handouts that outline clear instructions on how they can make inexpensive home sanitizing solutions. We're working with mothers to consider ways they can creatively keep their children engaged in learning while under a home quarantine with a lack of access to the internet. We're working hard to expand the message of prevention for the novel-coronavirus that is inclusive to underserved and marginalized members of society. This leads me to a very important point – there is so much conversation about staying home and avoiding contact . . . but what about people living in the experience of extreme poverty? What about people who work in the informal sector and only make money when they can physically go to a job? This is a particularly challenging time for them. And, although the Peruvian government is doing everything they can to ensure underserved communities have access to a basic income through the bonus program the Vizcarra Administration instituted, it is not enough. We must not forget the most vulnerable, the underserved and the fragile members of our societies. We must assure they are not alone. We must ensure they are not forgotten. No one has a crystal ball and can predict how long this challenge will be upon us. It may be weeks. It may be months. However long it goes on, the more people living in the experience of extreme poverty and working in the informal sector of the economy are separated from work – the harder it will be for them to survive. We must band together to mobilize all segments of our “helping society" to build a safety net for the marginalized and underserved. Science is working very hard to find treatments and develop a vaccine for the novel coronavirus. Until the time that the science is prepared to roll-out a community vaccination program – we are the vaccine. Our efforts to support one another will be the greatest protection to combat loneliness, provide for the common good, and promote solidarity in this time of great struggle. We must be the vaccine humanity needs.  One thing I am finding extremely important in this very uncertain time - staying connected to our HBI team.
Today, on two continents in 20 different locations - all 38 people who make up the HBI team met on a Zoom internet call. It was the first time, virtually or physically we've gotten our whole team together . . . and, it was great. Being together today - with variable audio connections and a multitude of interpretations of virtual meeting etiquette - it was just awesome. It was so great to see the totality of our family. And, that's really what the meeting was all about - being together as an HBI family. This challenge has pulled us together It has made us stronger. We have a lot of work to do. We can't forget, as our conversation focused today, the marginalized and underserved of our communities. We must remember - in this time of great struggle, we must build bridges to help people recapture their lives once this challenge is behind us. No one has a crystal ball as to what the future holds - but one thing is clear, HBI is finding our groove We are uniting as a committed group. We are banding together as a family.  Things are changing so fast.
I was on a call yesterday with a longterm partner and dear friend, Father Alex Busuttil. In addition to discussing our shared programs and strategies for future fundraising, we talked about the new social order that's unfolding right before our eyes. Father Alex spoke about building new structures in his life and work. He talked about the challenges he is facing in reaching the thousands of people in his Parish and the hundreds of people in his programs. Talking to Father Alex and considering the messages I've been receiving from our team on the ground - it seems clear that over the past couple of days things are getting progressively more and more worrisome for the many people who are in our programs and projects. For people living in the experience of extreme poverty with a child (or children) living with a disability or medically fragile condition - life is extremely challenging at baseline. Now, in the dystopian world that is the COVID-19 pandemic - things are becoming overwhelming. We are working hard to support the families in our Ines Project. In places where they live - the pueblos jovenes invasion communities of the major cities of Perú – access to water is a big issue. Not having basic food supplies in the homes is a tremendous challenge. We're working to mobilize our partnerships to ensure the people in our programs have access to the basic items and resources they need to implement a prevention protocol under their unique circumstances. We're also working to assure public health messaging is culturally sensitive and appropriate to their unique needs of the people we serve. We're distributing messages that help families consider how they can use a bucket system to wash their hands. We're providing handouts that outline clear instructions on how they can make inexpensive home sanitizing solutions. We're working with mothers to consider ways they can creatively keep their children engaged in learning while under a home quarantine with a lack of access to the internet. We're working hard to expand the message of prevention for the novel-coronavirus that is inclusive to underserved and marginalized members of society. This leads me to a very important point – there is so much conversation about staying home and avoiding contact . . . but what about people living in the experience of extreme poverty? What about people who work in the informal sector and only make money when they can physically go to a job? This is a particularly challenging time for them. And, although the Peruvian government is doing everything they can to ensure underserved communities have access to a basic income through the bonus program the Vizcarra Administration instituted, it is not enough. We must not forget the most vulnerable, the underserved and the fragile members of our societies. We must assure they are not alone. We must ensure they are not forgotten. No one has a crystal ball and can predict how long this challenge will be upon us. It may be weeks. It may be months. However long it goes on, the more people living in the experience of extreme poverty and working in the informal sector of the economy are separated from work – the harder it will be for them to survive. We must band together to mobilize all segments of our “helping society" to build a safety net for the marginalized and underserved. Science is working very hard to find treatments and develop a vaccine for the novel coronavirus. Until the time that the science is prepared to roll-out a community vaccination program – we are the vaccine. Our efforts to support one another will be the greatest protection to combat loneliness, provide for the common good, and promote solidarity in this time of great struggle. We must be the vaccine humanity needs.  This morning I was going through my desk, as I hunker down for a long period of working from home. I found a bunch of old pictures. Some of the photographs were from a medical outreach campaign we did well over 20 years ago. A medical outreach project to a community where we still work today.
The pictures, aside from the young faces, tell an astonishing story of our history. From the work we originally did providing direct care to underserved communities, to our work developing advocacy programs, model service delivery programs, and training health professionals . . . we have come a long way as an organization. Now, in the face of this global epidemic, we are working as an organization to really make sure we have the knowledge, skills, tools and resources to best serve the communities we are called to serve. Today was the first day the team for our Ines Project, a project for medically fragile children and their families, met virtually. Our team got together on web cameras in various parts of the city of Lima and worked to assure families living in significant poverty with children with medically fragile conditions and living with a disability, have the resources, advocacy, and services they need to best take care of themselves . . . in this extraordinary time. I am so proud of our team. I am so proud where we've come as an organization. When I look back at the old pictures and I see the work we did; and now, the work that we are doing - it is astonishing how much we have grown. We are as committed as ever to building bridges. I am excited to see how much more we will learn and grow as we respond to the challenges facing the communities we serve in the face of the global pandemic – and in the new climate and culture that will surely form. There is an expression in public health parlance. It says - if the U.S. and Western Europe sneeze, the rest of the world will get the flu. Well, the sneeze has been felt around the world and things in Latin America are challenging to say the very least. Perú has declared a national state of emergency. The country is on lock-down. The police are starting to enforce a ban on movement and social engagement. They're holding people who are in violation. Word from our programs is that things are starting to get a bit desperate. People are beginning to feel the pressure of not being prepared or not planning. This epidemic will have huge impacts on the lives of those living in extreme poverty. Impact that will be deep felt and long lasting. We must be mindful to the underserved and marginalized in this situation. We must ensure they know they are not alone. We are working diligently to plan for our programs. We have a plan with the Casa Girasoles homes to store 30-days of food, supplies and medicine. Our team has delivered food, supplies and financial resources to our Ines Project families We are staying in very close contact with all our partners. The situation is only going to get more challenging before it gets better. Our plan is to be precautions and prepared. We will continue to build bridges to underserved communities We need to ensure they know they're not alone or forgotten. We'll be posting updates frequently. Be kind and compassionate. And, stay connected.  |
HBI BlogThe HBI Blog is a rotating journal from our staff. Our Blog is a series of messages from the field, insights from our work, and lessons in service. Archives
May 2020
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