# COVID-19 Emergency Health Rapid Response Fund for Indigenous people


**COVID-19 PANDEMIC - what does this mean for the indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation and to the uncontacted tribes?**


On March 11th, the WHO Director-General has characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic. Six countries in Africa (Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan) have reported cases of COVID-19 in the following 48 hours.

The COVID-19 virus infects people of all ages. However, evidence to date suggests that two groups of people are at a higher risk of getting severe COVID-19 disease: older  adults and people people who have serious chronic medical conditions (e.g. heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease).

Indigenous people are among the groups of people exposed to a high risk of contracting the virus. The number of indigenous peoples in Africa is estimated to be around 50 million. Most indigenous peoples are nomadic and semi-nomadic pastoralists and hunter-gatherers. Many of them are faced with multiple challenges, including the dispossession of their lands, territories and resources, forced assimilation into the way of life of the dominant groups and marginalization.

The number of indigenous peoples in Africa is estimated to be around 50 million.

In agreement with scientific community, the appropriate way for ***indigenous groups living in voluntary isolation and uncontacted tribes*** to PREVENT triggering the infection to is to avoid physical contacts with outer world.

Indigenous peoples experience major structural barriers in accessing health care. These include geographical isolation and poverty which results in not having the means to pay the high cost for transport or treatment. **This is further compounded by discrimination, racism and a lack of cultural understanding and sensitivity. Many health systems do not reflect the social and cultural practices and beliefs of indigenous peoples**.

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***Kampala, Uganda, 14th March 2020***

Environmental Defenders ltd and Comuni-dados have formed a coalition and created an Indigenous Emergency Health Rapid Response Fund to provide resources and emergency health protections of indigenous peoples in at risk regions in Africa that usually receives significantly less scientific and policy attention. 

The support will help to provide critical considerations and practical actions to keep territories of indigenous people safe from COVID-19. Our goal is to directly provide funding to indigenous organizations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Uganda, Kenya and to make sure that children and their families remain protected and informed. Thinking at Ogiek Peoples of Kenya, Endoroit People of Kenya, Masai People of Kenya, Batwaa People of Uganda, Baka People of Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic, Pygmy People of Democratic Republic Congo and Central African Republic, Bayaka People, Mbuti People, Effe People, hunter-gatherer Pygmies, the Mbororo pastoralists, the Kirdi mountain communities of Cameroon, and so on.

[video] (https://www.alessandromusetta.com/cloud/ogiek-people.mp4?_=1)

Prevention, containment and mitigation plans for COVID-19 will need to be developed and activated whenever required. It is important to restrict access to indigenous communities by outsiders and to support their community organisations and health facilities. In this regard, the objectives of the fund include:

* Providing community organizations with essential information in local languages about how to prevent infection and protect themselves;
* Delivering basic medical equipment to health facilities in and surrounding indigenous area;
* Supporting indigenous land patrol operations to prevent tourists and outsiders from staying in the areas.

These funds are being distributed directly to indigenous organizations, health facilities and other local partners where cases of COVID-19, preventing further spread of the disease and providing emergency health interventions to the communities at risk of being affected by the COVID-19.

**We ask individuals, collectives, national and international organisations and international development multilateral agencies and organizations to support this initiative, providing organizational and communication support, translations, scientific support and by contributing to the fund through donations**.

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### HOW TO DONATE

Bank Name: Equity Bank
Bank branch: Kawempe branch
Account name: Environmental Defenders Limited
Swift code: EQBLUGKA
Account number (currency USD): 1042201395092


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Annexes

* 01- Commintment and Support - extended version
* 02- Photo documentation
* 03- Photo documentation
* 04- Photo documentation