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Ok. Got itEach crisis has its own challenges, but some universal truths will always apply.
As we begin to experience what the rest of the world is already experiencing, it is important to remember that this is not the first crisis we are dealing with (and it won’t be the last).
What lessons have we learned from other crises that required extensive disaster relief?
Cyclone Idai, which struck Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe in March 2019, caused catastrophic damage and a humanitarian crisis. In our latest Giving Report (IV) Tsitsi Masiyiwa, founder of the Higherlife Foundation and resident of Zimbabwe, shares the valuable lessons she and her husband, Strive, had learned about disaster response from the cyclone and previous disasters (Zimbabwe’s cholera outbreaks in 2008 and 2018). Here is a summary of their lessons and advice:
Globally, the Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund has raised over US$95 million.
The world is coming together to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, bringing governments, organisations (from across industries and sectors) and individuals together to help respond to this global outbreak. The outpouring of global solidarity and support sparked by this shared challenge has been phenomenal.
On 25 March 2020, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation, thanked the 200 000 plus individuals and organisations who had contributed to the Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund. In just under two weeks, the fund had raised over US$95 million. He told them, ‘You have come together to confront the defining health crisis of our time: We are at war with a virus that threatens to tear us apart – if we let it.’
Locally, our government has also established a Solidarity Fund.
To reduce the economic blows and challenges that businesses, employees and ordinary South Africans face during the 21-day lockdown, our government has established a Solidarity Fund. To ensure equity and proper governance, the fund has a board of eminent South Africans, chaired by Gloria Serobe and deputy chairperson Adrian Enthoven. It is being administered by a reputable team of people drawn from financial institutions, accounting firms and the government. The president has instructed that it fully accounts for every cent contributed and publishes the details on its website.
Please refer to www.solidarityfund.co.za for more details.
We encourage you to support those hit the hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic. As philanthropy specialists, we can give you expert advice on your Covid-19 giving.
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‘At its core, philanthropy is love for humanity. This is what keeps our family rooted and committed to this work.’
Tsitsi Masiyiwa, co-founder of the Higherlife Foundation