#Tonsemberera: Standard Chartered Bank donates over Shs1b to support COVID-19 relief efforts in Uganda

By George Mangula

Standard Chartered Bank Uganda has donated to UNICEF US$300,000 (about Shs 1.01 billion) to support communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic whose cases in Uganda are rising, even though no deaths have been recorded since the pandemic was first announced in the country.

The latest money donated is part of Standard Chartered PLC’s US$5 million pledge to support emergency relief activities by UNICEF that provide immediate protection and education of vulnerable children across 12 markets in Africa and South Asia, including Uganda.

The Bank says funding across the markets will focus on activities such as the provision of remote education via TV, radio, online and mobile platforms and child protection measures, including alternative care arrangements and family tracing services for children separated from their families due to COVID-19, training of social workers to conduct home visits to vulnerable children for mental health support, and alternative care and protection services for children of parents or caregivers affected by COVID-19.

Commenting on the donation on Thursday, Albert Saltson, CEO Standard Chartered Bank, Uganda said: “Standard Chartered Uganda is proud to be able to contribute to UNICEF programmes that reach the most vulnerable people in our communities. By working together, we are able to support the delivery of rapid and effective emergency relief that aims to address some of the key challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The Bank’s latest financial donation to Uganda is additional support of its initial national emergency relief efforts to tackle this pandemic which saw the lender donate Shs 113 million to Uganda Red Cross and the National Task Force on 24 April 2020 as well as an additional Shs 20 million to Uganda Bankers’ Association which also went towards the fight against COVID 19.

“While we are doing everything to support our communities that have supported our existence in Uganda for the past 108 years, we have also firmly supported our clients and employees with a host of targeted measures,” said Saltson.

While receiving the cheque, Dr. Doreen Mulenga, UNICEF Representative to Uganda, said: “The COVID-19 crisis is a child rights crisis and this unprecedented situation requires equally unprecedented solidarity. Thanks to the donation from Standard Chartered and other partners, UNICEF Uganda is able to meet its commitment to working in partnership with the government in scaling up support to help children continue their learning now, while transforming the education system for the benefit of all girls and boys in the future.”

Ms Mulenga said the school closure in Uganda has affected about 15 million learners, who had been enrolled in over 70,000 schools and institutions. Out of the 15 million, 12.7 million are enrolled in primary and secondary schools. “As the crisis continues to escalate, children confined at home are not only missing out on their education but on school meals and essential health and social-protection services,” she said.

The official added that Standard Chartered’s contribution would go a long way to meet the needs articulated in the Ministry of Education Covid-19 Response Plan within which one of the strategies is to utilize digital means, TV, Radio and self-learning materials to support the continuity of learning. “The intent is that these self-learning materials reach even those children who do not have access to any other means of learning.”