By now, we all know what the experts have been saying: COVID-19 will not be going away anytime soon. Faced with this dilemma, we have no choice but to adapt. As we follow the guidelines to protect ourselves from this virus, life must go on. We all need to find ways to protect ourselves when we must leave the safety of our homes. When we are home, we must find ways to keep in touch with our loved ones, friends and also find innovative ways to keep our minds busy so we can keep our sanity.
No matter how this new lifestyle has impacted us, most of our brothers and sisters in Port-a-Piment do not have the luxury of staying home on lockdown for a prolonged period of time. And for their lives to go on, they must leave their homes to find the means to survive. They cannot work from home; they cannot file for unemployment benefits or wait for a government stimulus. They must rely mostly on themselves and/or hope for assistance from a helping hand.
In order to help mitigate some of their risks, the KPP Board of Directors, together with KPP members on the ground, have taken 2 initiatives:
1- Face Masks: Six (6) local seamstresses were contracted to fabricate 1,000 face masks. On April 24th 2020, KPP members started distributing the masks to the general population. In addition, another 1000 face masks were ordered for patients and visitors use at the hospital. Materials have been purchased and provided to the workers.
2- Hand Washing Stations: Five (5)Buckets with water and soap were placed strategically throughout the town to encourage hand washing.
These initiatives were funded from donations made in honor of the late Dr. Roger Malebranche.
In our last update of March 29, 2020, we had announced that, with funds also donated in honor of Dr. Roger Malebranche, KPP had purchased needed supplies for the Radiology Department of the Hospital of Port-a-Piment. A 17×34 cassette, 500 X Ray films , 4 Laser Toners and 5 Cartridges have been delivered to the Hospital Administrator and Medical Director in Port-a-Piment
Our special Thanks go to the family, colleagues and friends of Dr Roger Malebranche for their invaluable contribution.
KPP would like to take this opportunity to also thank all the first responders, medical workers, essential workers all over the world who have sacrificed so much to keep all of us safe. Every day, they walk out of their homes, they put their lives and the lives of their loved ones on the line to make sure that at the end of this nightmare, we still have a world to live in. Also, our special thanks go to our supporters and KPP members who are part of this distinguished group.
Stay Home (when possible)! Follow the guidelines of the authorities. Keep Safe!
Y. Sidney
