COVID-19 Global Relief Effort

March 3 | Distributions continue in Zimbabwe where hunger is most severe. Here's an update from our team: "Greetings, friends. We are gearing up now to distribute food aid to vulnerable families in Zimbabwe. So, so grateful for the opportunity to do this again! The needs on the ground are very real, and there are more kids with malnutrition issues than I have ever seen before. This picture is of a woman who was assisted today after her twins spent time in the hospital for kwashiorkor, a severe form of malnutrition. She was so grateful for the food aid."

February 11 | Through partners, we were able to distribute provisions to 150 families—enough food to last for 21 days. We are thankful to be able to continue feeding those who need it most! 

December 28 | Our trusted contact was able to distribute packages of rice to 150 families over the weekend—enough provisions to last for one week. When those supplies are depleted, we plan to do two additional distributions to these same families.

November 16 | Chebet*, a 22-year-old female, was approached by a broker who promised to secure her a domestic job in Saudi Arabia, earning an income of Shs 30,000 ($275 USD). When Chebet accepted the lucrative offer, the broker took her personal documents in order to process her travel arrangements, and in due time, he promised that everything would be ready. When Chebet contacted him at various times to find out more information, he continued to lie to her. One day, he agreed to meet Chebet and discuss her travel plans, but he never showed up at the arranged location. When Chebet was unable to reach him by phone, she became very distressed. 

However, Chebet was determined to pursue her job in Saudi Arabia and was on her way there when our staff noticed her at a transit station. After hearing her story, they offered their assistance. They were unable to trace the broker or the agency that he claimed to be working for. Based on these red flags, our team was convinced that Chebet was being deceived, and they counseled her about the potential danger of continuing her travels abroad. They warned her that the entire world is still in various stages of lockdown due to the pandemic, and they explained that international air travel has not yet resumed to various destinations, especially in the Middle East. 

After listening to our staff’s warnings, Chebet agreed to return to the safety of her home. She was grateful for their assistance, and since she arrived at her house, she has been keeping our staff up to date about her situation.

November 2 | Binisa*, a 32-year-old female, was walking hurriedly toward the border, carrying a bag full of clothes when our staff first noticed her. She was dressed in village clothing, and when they approached her for questioning, she seemed nervous and hesitant to respond. She told them that she was going to India for a promised job. When they asked Binisa a few questions about her future employment, she was unable to answer. She couldn’t provide the address for her final destination and did not know enough specific information about the type of work she would be doing. ⁠
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Since our team was unable to verify the legitimacy of her future employment, they counseled her about the potential danger of human trafficking, and they also warned her about the present risk of contracting COVID-19 in India. After talking with her, they convinced her not to move ahead in her journey, and she was later sent back to her home.⁠
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*Name changed for privacy and security reasons.⁠

October 23 | In the months of June and July, our team in one country in South Asia worked with a partner organization to provide relief to 196 families who were survivors of human trafficking or other types of social injustice. These individuals were once victims of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor. 

Due to COVID-19, these survivors shared that most of them and their family members no longer had daily wage jobs. Moreover, with travel restrictions imposed, they found it difficult to sustain themselves, especially with the lack of available jobs and the scarcity of food resources. Those enrolled in online classes were facing pressure to drop out because they couldn't afford their fees, and none of the families had ration cards, which further contributed to their inability to access food.

Through our partners at Justice Ventures International, we were able to provide financial assistance to each family and connect them to a welfare organization that could help with the provision of gas cylinders and rations. The emergency monetary assistance provided sustenance for a few weeks until the survivors could get back on their feet.

One beneficiary said, "I was working as a firework picker, and suddenly news came out about the COVID lockdown. I was shocked and thought we would die of hunger, but you came and helped not only me but also my whole family.”

October 21 | Last year, Alisha* was lured by traffickers to pursue a good job abroad. She was about to cross the border when she was intercepted by our staff. A human trafficking case was filed against her traffickers. After filing the case, Alisha stayed at our shelter until she could be handed over to a partner organization for further counseling and care. ⁠
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Two traffickers were involved in this case: one was arrested on the same day as the interception, but the other fled. Our investigations team started following him, and by coordinating with the local police, they were able to secure his arrest almost a year later! ⁠
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Since then, the two suspects have received convictions totaling 11 years, and they were each fined Rs 55,000 ($750 USD).

October 16 | Our team worked with a trusted partner in Jhinaidah to distribute food packages among 30 needy and starving families. This partner is a social worker and also the leader of a church for multiple villages in the southwest areas of the country. From his social work, he knew of many needy families who were already struggling with starvation due to COVID-19 when Cyclone Amphan hit. In the wake of the cyclone, these desperate families were suddenly left without a home.

In this distribution, we were able to give them rice, lentils, cooking oil, potatoes, onions, salt, and soap—enough provisions to last around three weeks. Our team member said, "They were so happy to receive those food packages for their families. They were trying to hold our hands for thanksgiving to show their generosity."

October 8 | Our Zimbabwe team recently distributed food packs to widows and the elderly, many who were almost destitute. The same week, they also distributed aid to frontline workers at a nearby hospital who have not been able to receive their current salaries during the crisis. Both distributions are pictured!

October 1 | Individuals received rice, lentils, cooking oil, potatoes, onions, salt, and soap—enough to last up to three weeks.

Our team member said, "During this distribution, all the beneficiaries were very happy and gave thanks to LJI and their supporters. They told us that they will continue to pray to their God for LJI." And then he stressed the importance of continuing our relief work and said, "Proverbs 19:17 tells us, 'One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his good deed.' So, we need to help the helpless!"

September 15 | Our team in Cambodia recently distributed 100 bags of provisions to individuals who would not have had any food for the month without our support. In fact, many of the recipients revealed that they had just finished their last supply of rice and did not know how they were going to continue to feed their families. During the distribution, our team was also able to share the gospel with some of the beneficiaries, many of whom chose to follow Jesus for the first time.

Overall, our team in Cambodia is extremely grateful that they have been able to give essential aid over the last month to 82 individuals who have been identified as the most vulnerable. Several of the recipients did not have any food when we first met them, and they weren’t sure if they would be able to survive.

September 11 | In partnership with a local church in Sirajganj, Bangladesh, we identified 25 families in desperate need of food. The area is very rural and poor, and our church partner has been working there for many years. Each family received rice, lentils, cooking oil, onions, potatoes, salt, and soap—enough to last most families three weeks. 

Our team member said, "Never before did we have to face a crisis of this scale. The poor and the vulnerable with their erratic and meager earnings somehow manage to keep fighting and living and demonstrating impressive resilience. Being confronted with illnesses and deaths is an everyday reality for many. While there is the fear of the coronavirus, there is also the acceptance that it is yet another addition to an already long list of challenges that they face."

One of the recipients said, "On behalf of all receivers I would like to express my gratitude. ... We and our children will pray for the USA and will be praying for the supporters who gave for us and many other people in Bangladesh." 

September 8 | This week, our team was able to distribute food packages to 20 households in the Chiweshe area of Zimbabwe. Prior to COVID-19, Zimbabwe was already facing a critical food shortage, and in the wake of this pandemic, they are now experiencing one of the worst human rights crises in the world. Our team shared that the recipients of this distribution were incredibly grateful for the provisions!

In addition to protecting the most vulnerable from being trafficked into slavery, we are determined to continue our hunger relief efforts in Zimbabwe—more to come!

September 4 | Our team in Bangladesh worked with a local church to distribute food packages in Dhamraj to 25 starving families who have been severely affected by the recent flooding. Dhamraj is a very rural village, and most of the families living there are extremely poor. Our church partner in the area has been active in this village for many years, sharing the gospel and loving the people. In this distribution, each family received rice, lentils, cooking oil, onions, potatoes, salt, and soap—enough provisions to last three weeks! Our team member said, "Most families depend on their daily income from their work. Because of COVID-19 and flooding water, roads are washed away, and many houses are now living underwater. Most of the families were living without food and starving with their family members."

August 31 | Our team distributed aid to 108 people in South Asia. These individuals were provided with rice, cooking oil, lentils, and soybeans. Some of the families had just run out of food when our trusted contact found out about their situation. Each family was overjoyed and thanked our team for helping them through these difficult times.

August 24 | After a distribution last week of essentials to very hungry beneficiaries in Zimbabwe, our team member said, "One of our beneficiaries arrived today with her two sons, one aged 6 and one still an infant. She was evicted after her husband left her and the kids totally stranded. Welfare assisted them to secure a room to stay in, but they had no food at all in the house. She was so grateful and after Judah [staff member] had served her, she went down on her knees to say thank you. As she did, she began to sob and kept saying, 'God bless you. God bless you.' Judah’s response reminded me that people need not only the natural resources we are giving but also to know someone really does care and does see."⁠

August 18 | Our teams in Zimbabwe are still hard at work with food distributions due to widespread hunger and starvation—a situation that continues to grow more dire. This week, 20 families were reached in Madziva and Epworth. One LJI team member said, "Food security is a real issue, and they were so grateful for the love and support shown."

Also, 22 packages of food were distributed in Mabvuku to children's homes and to those with high vulnerabilities. More to come!

August 14 | This month, we partnered with a local church to distribute food packages to 25 families living in rural villages in Bangladesh. Each family received rice, lentils, cooking oil, onions, potatoes, salt, and soap—enough provisions to last 2–3 weeks. The recipients have all been affected by the recent floods, and they were overjoyed to receive the food aid.

Our team member shared, "In these villages people struggle every day in their life. Because of COVID-19 and flooding, their suffering is now rising in the highest crisis. Because of flooding, roads are washed away in flood water, and many houses are now living under water."

August 10 | Our team in Zimbabwe sent some stories to share with the rest of our staff about how God has been helping them to “reach out to vulnerable people.”

One story was about how they were able to distribute food aid to a desperate pastor and his family. The father is involved in full-time ministry, and before the pandemic, his wife used to sell vegetables to help provide for their children. The family all knelt down and cried when they received the provisions. The wife told our team that she and her husband, along with their three kids, had been surviving solely on avocados for eight days! The parents were overjoyed to be able to cook a meal for their children, and they were very grateful for the assistance! 

August 5 | Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, our transit monitors have been providing hunger relief to those facing starvation, but that hasn’t stopped them from fighting trafficking. ⁠
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One of our monitors in Namibia has been working with homeless individuals during the shutdown, providing masks and food. Through this volunteer work, she was able to gather valuable intel on a trafficking ring. More to come!

August 3 | Last month, we were able to deliver 25-kilogram bags of rice to 100 needy and at-risk families. Based on average family size, that's about 400–500 individuals who received a month’s worth of food provisions in this group distribution! The community we delivered the relief aid to was recently devastated by two fires. The 170 families affected by these tragedies were already struggling financially, and in the aftermath of the fires, they were suddenly homeless and without any of their possessions. They were overwhelmed with joy when they received the provisions, and they thanked our team for their generosity.

In this distribution, we worked with local community leaders who also oversee trafficking cases and outreach efforts within the surrounding area. We are grateful that we were able to connect with them during such a challenging time.

July 29 | A young female met a man, and after a short acquaintance, he drugged her. When she awoke, she found herself trapped in a small house where she was forced into prostitution with many different men. Eventually, she became pregnant. 

During the COVID-19 lockdown, her traffickers suddenly released her. Thankfully, our monitors found her at a transit station, crying and exhausted from her pregnancy. After she spoke with the police, our team took her to a nearby hospital for medical treatment, and after that, they helped her return to the safety of her home. This situation is currently under further investigation.

July 27 | One of our teams in South Asia has been extremely active in distributing relief aid to migrants who are in desperate need. In addition to this work, they have started to monitor again.

Although there is just a slow trickle of people moving through the transit points that are normally bustling, the team was able to secure three intercepts of minors over the past couple of weeks.

July 24 | Amdan* lost his job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was contacted by a man he didn't know who offered him a job. He was waiting to meet the man when our staff first identified him. They counseled him about how to safely secure employment, and they educated him about human trafficking. Amdan was grateful for their advice and assistance, and he promised to follow the right channels when searching for employment in the future.

*Name changed for privacy and security reasons.

July 22 | A 10-year-old boy from Uganda ran away from home due to physical abuse that was being inflicted on him. Compounding this abuse was the fact that he was not in school due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. 

Unable to endure the abuse any longer, he decided to run away from home. Our monitors intercepted him, and recognizing that he was in a vulnerable situation and at high risk of being trafficked, they took him to the police to seek their assistance with locating other relatives who might be able to help him.

July 20 | This woman was abandoned by her family when she contracted polio at a very young age. It was by God's grace that she recovered from her illness and then later survived the war in Sierra Leone. When our team distributed aid to her, she told them that she had lost all hope of finding any food for her three children and herself. She was in near tears when they handed her the package of rice, cooking oil, tomatoes, onions, and sugar.

July 17 | Our team distributed aid to 108 people in South Asia. These individuals were provided with rice, cooking oil, lentil, and soybeans. Some of the families had just run out of food when our trusted contact found out about their situation. Each family was overjoyed and thanked our team for helping them through these difficult times. 

July 13 | By partnering with a local church, we were able to distribute food packages to 54 families. These provisions should last each family at least 15 days. Our team shared that so many of these families have been in dire situations due to the lockdown and cannot afford their daily needs. Each of the families shared their heartfelt gratitude for these packages, and some even cried tears of joy!

July 10 | This past month, our team was able to reach a man and his family who have been in need since the beginning of the lockdown. This man used to work as a laborer in construction, but due to the lockdown, he lost his job and source of income and was no longer able to provide for his family of five. Our trusted contact heard about the family’s desperate situation, and he was able to help them buy essential food supplies.

July 8 | Our team was able to distribute food to families—enough provisions to last them at least three weeks. Most of these people are day laborers, rickshaw drivers, van pullers, bus drivers, and housemaids. Our team shares: "Some people said to us that their house was empty. They have no income so they have no food, but … items that we distributed were an unexpected help to them. All the people were very happy."

July 5 | This past month, our team was able to return to several families and replenish their food supply for the next few weeks. One of the beneficiaries shared: "I just ran out of rice and didn't know what we were going to eat. This month's food distribution from LJI came just when we needed it most!"

July 1 | An LJI team in South Asia distributed relief aid to 107 desperate families. Each family received a package of rice, lentils, cooking oil, and salt. This particular country has yet to see its peak for COVID-19, and the duration of their lockdown has pushed many individuals to the brink of starvation.

June 29 | Recently, LJI Bangladesh was able to distribute aid to 500 families who are trapped in sex work at the notorious Daulatdia Brothel. This weekend, they were able to return and deliver provisions to 850 more that they were unable to feed during the first relief effort!

These families are now truly in hunger crisis because no one from the outside is allowed into the brothel due to COVID-19. Police are restricted very carefully in the area as well. Many women who received provisions were crying tears of joy because they were so grateful to have enough food to sustain their families for around 20 days!

"All of the 500 sex workers' families were starving. Because of their situation and their occupation, nobody wanted to go there. ... Nobody came to help those families," said an LJI Bangladesh team member.

June 27 | These families were in poor condition and were found living near the slums. Our team distributed food to them, and in one instance, a staff member personally provided essential needs for their shelter.

She shared: "These are four families that were in need of tarpaulin due to leakage in their roofs. They couldn't sleep inside their huts during rainy season because all the water would leak inside, and the floor would get muddy. They were also in need of mats because they were sleeping on a cold floor using only a thin shawl. From LJI, they received food, and from my personal side, I provided them with tarpaulin and mats."

June 25 | We have established a relationship with a trusted contact in Laos and have begun distributions in the country! Our team just received news of the first occurrence. Fifteen families received aid. More details to come! 

June 23 | During the course of their two-month lockdown, Love Justice South Africa ran a survey to understand more about the needs in their country. In a short period of time, they received almost 2,000 responses from individuals willing to share their experiences of how the lockdown had impacted them.

The survey showed that the weekly incomes for families had decreased dramatically, with most people only earning a quarter of their normal income and a quarter of respondents being left with no income at all. Many were previously working as servers, domestic helpers, construction workers, gardeners, and cashiers; for these daily wage earners, employment is precarious at best. Those who had run their own businesses, possibly in the informal sector, had to close them due to the lockdowns, and they were left without a viable way to make any money.

Of the respondents, 513 people asked our team for help, and Love Justice South Africa set out to see how they could meet their needs as best as they could. This distribution in Hillbrow (pictured) came out of their survey results. They fed around 800 individuals—a total of 400 families!

June 21 | One of our teams in a country in South Asia distributed food to 13 families. Our team member shared about one beneficiary:

“This photo [first picture] is of an 81-year-old woman who lives alone. She has a son and daughter also, but they do not take care of her. During her old age, it is hard for her to fulfill her basic needs. When our staff visited her house with relief aid, the pain of loneliness and pain clearly seemed in her eyes. Thanks to LJI who managed to support the needy people like her who are going through their hard situation to meet their basic needs due to the lockdown. She was overwhelmed with the joy after receiving food items as a support for her. The tears of happiness and joy were in her eyes. She was so grateful for providing her support which meant big help for her."

June 19 | LJI Bangladesh delivered packages of lentils, rice, oil, potatoes, salt, and soap—enough provisions to last each family three weeks. One of our team members said, “They are very needy and disadvantaged … but they are faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ. They have seen God's love through this distribution. They are so grateful to God and donors for this wonderful gift.”

One beneficiary said, “I lost my husband last year. And because of COVID-19, I lost my job last month. My 10-year-old son is suffering from lack of food. This relief will help us to survive a few days more. Thank you very much.”

June 17 | To date, we have provided essential food aid to 9,507 individuals in Bangladesh. At a recent distribution in Chittagong, one of our team members shared about his experience giving food to a particular beneficiary. He said, “When I handed over this gift, she cried and said that they have not eaten for days. Now they will cook and eat. They are very happy and grateful to you. They will never forget your help."

During this same distribution, our staff also met a recipient who is a widowed mother. Before the pandemic and lockdowns, she had been working as a housemaid at several homes in her area. Without her daily earnings, the woman has been unable to provide food for her family. We are grateful that we were able to meet her needs for a couple weeks.

June 16 | Our team was able to distribute 600 relief packages containing rice, detergent, pasta, and tomato sauce. Our trusted contact said, "The line was long that morning, but it was great to see all those people receiving food. ... Thanks again for the privilege of showing the love of Jesus to these folks, for being our partner!"

June 15 | This distribution was to a group of daily wage earners and their families, all in desperate need of food. To date in this particular country in South Asia, we've distributed food to almost 19,000 individuals!

During this project, our team in the field met a 42-year-old single mother and said, "She has five children, and her husband married another wife, leaving her. She does a labor job in constructing houses to support her family. Due to the lockdown, her work stopped, and she lost the source of income through which her family meets their basic needs. She was in trouble due to the lockdown. She has the responsibility of feeding her five children alone, and her family has to go through shortage of food. … She had no food left to eat. She was lucky to receive relief aid distributed … this will certainly help her family to survive in this catastrophe. She was overwhelmed with joy and happiness."

June 13 | This past week, LJI staff distributed food packets and water bottles to migrant workers who were returning back to their homes in South Asia. Some of these migrant workers could be victims of human trafficking, or they could have information about other people who were previously trafficked or who are at a high risk of being trafficked.

Our staff is hoping to do this same type of food distribution again, but this time they plan to use it as an opportunity to educate migrant workers about human trafficking. If they get approval from local government bodies, they are planning to attach a flyer about human trafficking to the food packets they hand out.

Our team member said, "If we can do this, we'll be doing relief aid work plus raising awareness and collecting information about trafficking at the same time!"

June 11 | The team in Cambodia has been doing some bulk rice distributions. They were originally planning to give 50-kilogram bags to 100 families. However, our community leader in the area’s most impoverished slum decided it would be better to give less rice to more families. So, they repacked the rice into smaller portions and were able to distribute a total of 320 bags.

This relief effort was a huge success. In addition to distributing food, the team was able to pray with many individuals and share a corporate gospel message. Our country champion said, "There were too many hands to count that raised their hand as having never before heard of Jesus ... and too many hands to count that decided to follow him. So many of these persons were truly hopeless ... most with little to nothing to eat, with limited to no employment. Thanks for making it possible to serve them!”

June 10 | The Tshedimosetso Youth Center in Ga-Rankuwa, South Africa, is a place of safety and care for many of the community's children, a place where they know that even when there is no food on the table at home, they can go to the center for some food.

There are 86 vulnerable, orphaned children who are a part of the youth center. Many are HIV-positive and need food for their medication. Usually the government funds a meal per day at the center, but since the lockdown, they have not funded food. The majority of the families in the community are headed by grandmothers who likely are using their pensions to look after their family members. With children not receiving food at the center or at their schools, their meager pensions would not have been able to stretch very far during lockdown.

In this distribution effort, Love Justice was able to provide food aid to 344 individuals in the community. A leader from Tshedimosetso Youth Center said, “We thank Love Justice for opening their hearts to us and donating food parcels. Your generosity will really benefit the school children and their families. It is such a big relief in this pandemic!”

June 9 | Living in a foreign land comes with huge challenges. Most people move to South Africa in hope of being able to support their families living back in their home countries, and they often come with little more than the clothes on their backs.

In Alexandra, South Africa, we delivered food to an abandoned warehouse—home to 19 foreign families trying to make it in a land that can be hostile to their presence. The warehouse is dark, its concrete floor harsh and cold. Broken-down cars lie scattered in between cornered-off rooms made from bricks. Washing hangs from a line outside. Warehouse-style toilets are shared by over 100 people. A big water tank with a pipe sits, broken, in the back.

Lockdown is particularly difficult for foreigners who are not eligible for grants and who work as domestic helpers, gardeners, or mechanics. These daily wage earners haven’t been paid since the shutdowns started. Love Justice partnered with a trusted contact named Pastor Philemon and an organization called Leaves of Healing to find these vulnerable people and provide enough food to last each family for a month. During the distribution, one beneficiary shared, “We are surviving on what Pastor Philemon brings us.”

June 8 | Our relief effort projects in Liberia continue to grow. Our country director, who is a pastor, partnered with the head of a single mothers' prayer fellowship group and distributed essential aid to 30 single mothers and their 64 children. The food will last these 94 individuals for approximately 25 days! The recipients are dedicated mothers who are struggling to provide for their families during lockdown because most of them own small businesses and live hand to mouth. Our trusted contact said, "Any help is greatly appreciated. We have empowered several of them!”

June 7 | Our team in Bangladesh distributed aid to 50 families in Dhaka. The beneficiaries of this distribution were either neighbors of our staff or were identified via a trusted contact. Most of the recipients are day laborers, rickshaw drivers, and domestic helpers who are out of work due to the lockdown. 

One of our staff members said, “All the people were very happy. They had blessed our team members and our organization. Some people said to us that their house was empty, like no food. ... Some people said to us that minimum three weeks they will survive through this help."

June 5 | To date, 5,910 individuals have received aid via LJI in Zimbabwe! Our team shared many stories and pictures from a recent distribution there. One volunteer said, "As I gave out the food baskets, I saw such joy and relief in the families we were helping, and I was so touched. What really touched me was that some of them had slept without eating, and their cries had been heard and answered. I rejoiced with them as they thanked God who has shown them such love.”

One recipient was in the hospital when we were distributing the provisions, but our team was able to supply her children with food. She has since returned home healthy from the hospital, and she shared, “I would like to say thank you for the food my family received when I was so sick in the hospital. It was comforting to know that they were being provided for. I have no way to show how grateful I am. May God bless you so much.”

June 4 | Each evening from Monday through Friday, our team in Cambodia has been delivering hot meals to those trapped in prostitution amid COVID-19.

"We give out 30 meals nightly but could easily hand out 50+. We are seeing the same 30–45 women each night. … They are some of Phnom Penh's most vulnerable. The virus situation has left them with little to no income. Many are having to sell what little possessions they have, and some have even been kicked out of their homes."—Team Member in Cambodia

June 1 | In this distribution, 49 families received aid in South Asia. Most of the recipients are concrete makers and sand collectors who have been lacking work due to the COVID-19 lockdown. They live near the bank of a river, and our trusted contact, a pastor, helped us identify them.

May 31 | Most of the people working in Alexandra, South Africa, are daily wage earners who have been hit hard by their inability to work during the lockdowns. Our trusted contact Philemon runs an NGO called Blessed Are the Givers and works as a junior pastor in Alexandra. He established a feeding program for 400 school children, and it has been put on hold due to COVID-19 restrictions. Philemon said, “I worry about the kids I used to feed because I know their parents aren’t working now. What will they eat?” He is now working with an NGO called Leaves of Healing which sources food to give to the communities. Recently, Love Justice partnered with Leaves of Healing to identify vulnerable people and supply food to those who need it most.

In response to the shutdowns, Leaves of Healing has set up a temporary feeding program, operating out of a small two-by-two meter home that houses a kitchen, bedroom, and lounge all in one. Volunteers work in the kitchen, a makeshift emergency cooking room, and each day, they fill about five large pots in preparation for the rush of 300 children who reside in the nearby squatter camp. Philemon said, “We just want to make sure they get something every day, even if there is no meat—something that just fills their stomachs.” Our team spoke with several women who helped start this feeding program, and one of them named Florie said, “Most of the people aren’t working, and the kids aren’t going to school. So, people are hungry; we had to help them.” These amazing women walk around Alexandra each day asking people for food to cook. Florie said, “We feed about 300, but there are always more who we have to turn away.” By partnering with them, Love Justice was able to provide 1,875 highly fortified meals, aimed at staving off the hidden hunger that comes from a diet consisting of limited nutrients. Join us in providing necessary food to those who need it most!

May 29 | This distribution was made possible by our trusted contact, a pastor, who has been running a community kitchen to serve food to jobless villagers. We partnered with him to provide cooked meals for four consecutive days, delivering a total of 3,600 meals. Each day, the beneficiaries received one meal consisting of rice, lentils, soybeans, eggs, and other vegetables. Most of the recipients are daily wage laborers who earn their livelihood by working as construction workers, carpenters, quarry laborers, etc.

Our contact said he couldn't collect any quotes because "people were eating"—something to celebrate! Thankfully, since that distribution, the pastor has been able to receive enough funds from other donors and sources to continue his community kitchen.

May 28 | Our COVID-19 Global Relief Effort projects have now begun in Liberia! In this first distribution, we partnered with Provision of Hope to identify and provide food for 65 individuals who are either blind or living with other disabilities. Afterwards, extra food was given out until everything was gone. There is so much need, but we are excited to see our relief work expand more in this country.

May 27 | We completed our first distribution in Ghana in two phases at Buduburam Refugee Camp where we delivered essential supplies to 62 individuals who were in desperate need of food. The beneficiaries included widows, single mothers, and young children. We were able to give them packages of food, water, face masks, and hand sanitizer—enough provisions to last two weeks.

May 26 | Through trusted partners in the Philippines, we were able to deliver 375 meals to the neediest in the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown. For this distribution, the recipients were primarily families who lost their jobs due to the shutdowns. Many of them worked as laborers, seamstresses, drivers, porters, vegetable vendors, etc. Our trusted contact said, "Thanks to our donors—whose love of God is overflowing from their hearts to others."

May 24 | Love Justice Uganda distributed their third phase of aid. Many amazing testimonies came out of these deliveries. One of our field monitors said, "I could not control my tears of joy to see this family after sharing that they were starving already. The wife could not help but cry because she least expected such a miracle. The children were very happy and excited. It was an amazing experience. I have seen the reality of the love of Christ through working with LJI."

One beneficiary in particular said, "I am a single mother of eight children. I am a private school teacher who supports my family through my job; unfortunately the situation has negatively affected us. I feed my children with one meal per day, and sometimes we sleep on an empty stomach. I am very grateful for the help that LJI extended to us through the provision of these food items. My children are happy, and we pray that God will bless you." 

May 22 | LJI Bangladesh distributed to 50 families in Jessore.

"We distributed rice, lentils, cooking oil, potatoes, onion, salt, soap. This would last for about 3–5 days. People in this area are now suffering a lot. Most of them are daily laborers. ... During present COVID-19 situation, it is getting impossible for them to provide food to their children because they have no work or jobs to do to earn."—LJI team member

May 21 | In this project, 223 individuals (57 families) were identified through recommendations from the Beautiful Dream Society, one of our trusted partners in Lesotho. The needs of these potential beneficiaries were confirmed through local officials including village chiefs and pastors. The recipients were orphaned children, families with the extra burden of feeding children who no longer receive a meal at school, and individuals and families who are unable to work because of the shutdowns.

Prior to the COVID-19 lockdown, a 9-year-old girl would frequently come to a feeding program, carrying her 4-year-old sister on her back. Our team learned that their mother has died, and the two sisters are being cared for by their dad who struggles to make ends meet. When our partners took the food packages to their home, they found out that they live in an unfinished house with no windows. Our contact said, "Their father welcomed us and shared a little bit of how hard it is to take care of small girls on his own. They were very happy to receive the food parcels, and he said most of the time the 9-year-old girl has to take care of her younger sister when he goes out to look for small jobs. He said the food parcels would help them because he has not been getting any jobs because of the pandemic and lockdown, and the girls have had to go days without food."

May 20 | A group of grandmothers who support their families by knitting and selling their products in Diepsloot, South Africa, have been drastically struggling to make an income during the lockdown. To help these “gogos” earn money, Love Justice South Africa donated sewing kits and materials to them so they could make and sell 1,400 masks. In many communities in South Africa, grandmothers are the sole providers for extended family members, and they rely on their pensions to support many people.

So far, we have been able to distribute 700 of these masks to city workers, police officers, security teams, sanitation workers, as well as pensioners and children in surrounding areas who did not have masks. During distribution, we also provided education on the usefulness and necessity of wearing a mask.

May 18 | Our team returned to a slum area where they delivered essential supplies last month. This time, they distributed 161 bags of rice to recipients who were all in desperate need once again. One beneficiary told our team that she had just used up the last of her rice supply from last month's distribution. She shared that she had been afraid for her children and did not know what they would eat if she couldn’t make any money that night. When our team showed up with enough rice to feed them for another month, she was completely overwhelmed with gratitude and said, “Whenever I am struggling, God always shows up to bless me!” 

Regarding the recipients of this distribution, one of our trusted contacts shared, "It was fun for them to see God continue to provide for their needs. Thanks for making such a big impact here protecting vulnerable persons and helping them in their time of crisis."

May 17 | We have started distributions in the Philippines! More than 500 packs of essential supplies were delivered. Here is a note from our trusted contacts: "We were able to finally get the food packs distributed this week. We went to one area and distributed some of the food packs. The rest were given to different areas where they had not been given any packs at all and government help had not arrived yet, mostly in the rural areas. Several of our extension pastors in the rural areas told me that their members had not received any help from the government yet, so I distributed the rest of the food packs among them. Many of these people are very poor, so I felt that this would be what you would have wanted us to do. What a joy to see people’s faces light up when they get the food packs!"

May 15 | This distribution effort took place at one of the tea plantations in South Asia that produces the renowned Darjeeling tea. One of our staff members is a resident of the village, and when he realized his neighbors’ urgent need, he immediately informed our team. Packets of rice, flour, lentils, cooking oil, soybeans, potatoes, and onions were provided to 212 individuals—enough food to last for at least a month.

Due to the ongoing lockdown, the tea-producing estates and factories have closed, so the recipients no longer have a source of income. As daily wage earners, they have been surviving on only one meal per day and were on the verge of starvation because they were rapidly running out of food.

One beneficiary said, "The manner in which the organization and the donors have opened their hearts out with love and compassion, yet remaining behind the curtains to provide us all these support of food essentials, we are very much delighted and appreciate the wonderful gesture. We can now survive for many days to come. And we pray to God that He blesses you and your work abundantly, to be able to reach out to more of such people in need and distress."

May 13 | Sometimes in this relief work, it is hard to see past the numbers. We've distributed to over 21,000 individuals so far. But each of these numbers represents a complex life, an unfinished story, specific dreams, particular struggles, and unique hopes. We wanted to share one recipient's story today to help paint that picture.

Our staff recently distributed to a single mother who is unemployed. Due to continual violence and spousal abuse, she separated from her husband and now lives with her two sons, the oldest of which suffers from depression. Because of the lockdown, she has been running out of food and money. She does not receive any support from her husband, and she is unable to get relief distributed by the government. As the sole provider for her family, she has become increasingly worried about how she is going to continue feeding her children.

Thankfully, our team came in contact with her and was able to provide her relief aid of rice, cooking oil, lentils, and sugar. She expressed her deepest gratitude to our staff for their assistance. Our team member said, "She was overwhelmed with joy to get support in such a hard situation that her family was going through. She was thankful for providing her food items to overcome her problems in some ways."

May 12 | The staff of Love Justice Bangladesh completed another delivery of aid to their neighbors in Dhaka. Most of the recipients are daily wage earners who work as van pullers, day laborers, rickshaw pullers, tea stall shop owners, etc. As the primary providers for their families, they rely heavily on the small amount of money they earn each day. During the COVID-19 lockdown, they are all out of work, and it is becoming impossible for them to provide food for their children. Our team was able to distribute rice, lentils, cooking oil, potatoes, onion, salt, and soap—enough provisions to last for up to five days.

One beneficiary said, “During this COVID-19 pandemic, we were passing very hard time with our family. I do not have work during lockdown. Last 45 days we are in home without work. We don’t have food, so I was looking for some help. At the right time your team came to me and today gave me some help. This food will help our family for next couple of days to live. We will pray to Allah [God], and Allah will bless you all more.”

May 11 | The LJI Sierra Leone team reached around 100 households, many with 10 individuals living in each, to deliver essential goods. Many of the recipients had nothing to eat and were extremely grateful to receive the provisions.

The army headquarters sent three soldiers to accompany the LJI team to assist our staff at various checkpoints and to build relationships for future aid deliveries. 

May 10 | LJI Uganda distributed aid in four rural communities and were able to provide essentials to individuals who were all living in desperate conditions.

One beneficiary stated, “With affectionate greetings I am writing to you to express my gratitude and my thoughts for supporting us. There are many things I want to thank you for, but there are no words that describe how happy and thankful I am; without knowing us, you gave us an opportunity to eat in such a time when families are dying of hunger. We had taken three days without food, just taking tea without sugar and popcorn. LJI Uganda sent us money for food, sugar, soap, salt, beans, and vegetables; we are so, so, so humbled and grateful because you have saved us. My children would cry at night asking me for food, and I would tell them Jesus will provide; and He really has!”

May 8 | During a previous distribution, LJI was able to meet a remarkable woman who supports her family off her pension and also provides for 46 foreigners who live on her property. She told our team that when she sees people who are hungry, she can't help but share what she has. Foreigners in South Africa have received no government support during this crisis, and under the current lockdown, they are struggling immensely.

At our previous delivery to this group, we realized that the need was much greater than we had anticipated the first time around. Our staff member said this about her experience with this amazing woman: "Today a lady was breaking down in tears with me out of sheer desperation just for food. She has SO little and shares it with those around her who have nothing—no job, little clothing, and no beds. She lives off a small pension and has many people living with her family. She is their hope at the moment while all of them have lost their jobs and have no way of finding more jobs. She sees trauma in her face every day; she doesn’t have the luxury of turning away from it when life gets too much. She lives with it. This is ONE person’s story amongst thousands. She needs medication and can’t buy it. ... Her bedroom doesn’t even have a door; it’s covered with a sheet. Can you imagine how cold she is at night? Our organization was able to help with food today, and I prayed for her. But when I left, my heart felt overwhelmed with sorrow. ... People should never suffer to this extent under our watch. My heart is utterly broken to see it."

May 6 | LJI Bangladesh was able to distribute essential supplies to 25 needy Muslim families. Most of the recipients are garment factory workers, van pullers, and domestic helpers who live near a contact's church in Dhaka. A pastor at the church, Rev. Judith Milita Das, said, “Every day many needy people and families are coming to our churches for getting some help, especially food for their children. They are living in our church's surrounding area.”

Our team was able to provide packages of rice, dal, cooking oil, potatoes, onions, salt, and soap to these families, and they were all very happy and blessed by our support. “In Dhaka ... the cases of COVID-19 are increasing every day ... we need to respond and support them.” – Rev. Das

May 5 | Most of the recipients of this distribution are day laborers, van pullers, rickshaw pullers, and tea stall shop owners. Our team was able to distribute packages of rice, dal, cooking oil, potatoes, onions, salt, and soap.

The beneficiaries were eagerly awaiting the supplies. During the last few days, they told our team they had been trying very hard to collect some food for their families, but they had been unsuccessful. These food packages will help them tremendously, and every family was very happy to receive them.

May 4 | Our team in South Asia was able to distribute aid to 11 families in desperate need through their local pastor. The recipients are all daily wage workers who have had no work since the lockdown. Our auditor shared about one beneficiary, stating, "She was so happy and couldn't control her happiness and kept saying, ‘Thank you!’ I can't even remember how many times she said it!" 

May 1 | Love Justice Uganda completed their first phase of distributions in multiple villages last week! As they were handing out supplies, our team heard so many amazing stories of resilience, strength, and gratitude from the beneficiaries.

They met a 34-year-old single mother of eight children who had been operating a salon before the COVID-19 outbreak. Following the presidential directives, she was forced to shut down her salon until further notice. Since this was her only source of income, she has been unable to support her family during the lockdown, and she told our team that her biggest problem was feeding her children. Our team was able to give her a package containing maize flour, beans, rice, sugar, soap, and cooking oil—enough food to sustain them for about two weeks. When they received the provisions, they were all grateful to LJI for their help. Her children were smiling, and she said, “Thank you so much! May God multiply your blessings. May He richly bless you!”

April 30 | Living in the slums of Cambodia, these families were already struggling to provide before COVID-19, but now they are in dire need. When they received their packages of food, one of the children exclaimed excitedly, "Yay! Now we have enough rice to eat."

A team member who helped distribute shared, “In an extreme place of desperation, one mother was thinking of selling her children ... but God intervened! She not only received food this month, but we've been able to move her and her family into a safe house for more one-on-one care during this difficult time. Thanks for protecting and providing for them!"

April 29 | LJI Zimbabwe was able to distribute provisions to 130 families—a total of 577 individuals. Each package included mealie meal (a food staple), cooking oil, sugar, salt, soya chunks, dried beans, tea bags, soap, and rice. An average family of four people can survive two weeks with these provisions. 

One beneficiary shared, “We have had nights without food ... and God intervened and met us at the point of our need. I intended to walk 90 kilometers to my rural home to look for maize meal [a type of flour] in order to feed my family, but it's difficult—especially with the presence of police throughout the way. This is a miracle that Love Justice has given us food in the face of a harsh situation."

April 28 | Packets of rice, flour, cooking oil, potatoes, and onions were distributed to 372 individuals—enough provisions to last a month, if not more! The local police granted our teams exemption from the current lockdown restrictions and allowed them to deliver these essential supplies to three different villages in South Asia. The shutdowns have had a severe impact on the already suffering and struggling masses of laborers who rely on their daily wages to survive. With no source of income, these beneficiaries were without food, and some of them are also facing health-related issues. 

When they received their food packages, many of them were overwhelmed with emotion, and some of them burst into tears. An LJI staff member stated, “Several instances of emotional whirlwind engulfed our volunteers as well as the beneficiaries while the distribution was carried out—just realizing the plight of the people where there was so much hardship being faced by them as they shared about their circumstances. Our volunteers felt very blessed to be a part of this; we give glory to God and gratefully appreciate the funding to be able to serve the least of these!”

April 27 | LJI South Africa delivered e’Pap, a nutritious instant porridge, to 1,106 individuals in several locations. The families were extremely poor and in desperate need of food. A team member shared, "There is an incredible spirit of generosity amongst the poor that we have been witness to, a poignant reminder in which we have seen just how many people with very little are supporting others with nothing and how those with nothing are willing to share the little they get with others."

April 27 | This distribution effort was made possible through a local church partner. The beneficiaries are all daily wage earners who work as masons, cobblers, domestic helpers, barbers, drivers, street vendors, etc. They have temporarily lost their jobs due to the shutdowns, and with no income, they are rapidly running out of food. Our team was able to distribute packages of rice, dal, cooking oil, potatoes, onions, salt, and soap—enough provisions to last for about five days! Our staff plans to return to this community as soon as these supplies run out. Lazarus, an LJI team member who assisted with the distribution, said, “They were very pleased and were very thankful to us for this act of generosity. Our help and these food packages will bring some smiles to their children.”

April 26 | Packages of rice, dal, oil, salt, and soap were distributed to 25 daily wage earners through an LJI trusted contact. The beneficiaries that received these essential items are factory workers, drivers, and house painters who rely on their meager daily incomes to survive.

April 22 | LJI helped distribute food to five females living in a women's slum in Cambodia who have not been able to work since the shutdown. When one woman received her bag of food, she was overwhelmed with emotion because she hadn't eaten anything for several days. She told our team that she had taken some mangos from a neighbor's tree earlier that day to try to exchange them with someone for rice. She knew that God had provided a miracle for her, and she kept saying, “Thank you, Jesus!” Another woman told our team that she wasn't sure how she was going to be able to feed her children, and then she was suddenly given rice! She said she recognized it as a gift from God, and she told our team that she was so excited to have something to cook for dinner that evening. 

April 21 | The food distributed in this project was e’Pap, an instant porridge made from wholegrain maize and soybeans that contains all the essential nutrients, vitamins, and energy required for a day. The team chose e'Pap because it is nutritious and will enable people to survive extreme hunger during the lockdown. Plus, it does not require any cooking; it only needs either cold or warm water to be added to it. Nikki, our country director in South Africa, said, "The majority are more concerned about getting something to eat than a virus that seems very far away."

April 20 | During the global lockdown, many families have been deprived of work. With no opportunities for income, they are running out of food and facing the real possibility of starvation. Our team was able to provide food for 22 desperate families living in a slum area in South Asia. The rations of rice, dried beans, flour, soybeans, and potatoes should feed each family for at least one month. As we were distributing these provisions, one recipient stated, “You all have been our savior, a messenger from God for providing us with food items for our survival.”

April 19 | An LJI South Asia team member received a desperate plea for help from the father of a 12-year-old boy that we intercepted at a railway station in February. The father is a daily wage laborer, and since there has been no work for him due to the lockdown, he has been unable to provide for his family. They have been hungry for several days now and have had no food in their home. The restrictions on movement in the city where they live made it difficult for us to get them provisions, but our team was able to work with a local shopkeeper to get them basic goods like flour, rice, oil, and dried beans. The family sent us pictures of these supplies as soon as they received them.

April 16 | LJI was able to distribute rice, lentils, cooking oil, potatoes, onions, salt, and soap to beneficiaries in a community in South Asia. These provisions should last them up to five days. The recipients are daily laborers who work as masons, cobblers, domestic helpers, barbers, and hawkers. They rely on the little money they earn each day, and they are the sole bread winners for their families. Our team plans to return to this community when these supplies runs out. “The families were very pleased and were very delighted and grateful for this act of generosity.” - Lazarus, LJI staff member

April 9 | Today, LJI distributed food to the most vulnerable during the lockdown. They worked with trusted contacts to find those who would not be able to eat without their help. They delivered food in Lehae, a township with a 93% unemployment rate. They also dropped off provisions to a children's home and to some individuals who don't have access to government food. More to come!

April 7 | LJI staff delivered provisions to workers who had been employed at a garment factory that closed three weeks ago. The recipients told our team that they always send home their meager salaries each month to other family members, leaving them with no personal savings to rely on during this lockdown. As daily wage earners, they were barely surviving, and LJI was able to provide them with enough food and supplies to meet their basic needs. 

April 7 | With the worldwide shutdown, daily wage earners are receiving no income, and many people are running out of food and essential supplies. LJI staff coordinated with local churches to deliver food aid to families living in townships outside of Johannesburg, South Africa.

April 4 | LJI delivered food to around 150 women in one of the most notorious red light districts in South Asia. These women did not have access to any food, and they lacked the means to obtain any on their own. Our staff packaged meals, drove the truck, and unpacked everything—providing enough to feed each woman for about 10 days.

April 3 | Eight wage workers, who have had no source of income since the lockdown, received money from their pastor via LJI to provide for their families. Many of these women are widowed or have been abandoned by their husbands. One is a survivor of domestic violence. All were teary-eyed, overjoyed, and grateful.

September 29 | Individuals received rice, lentils, cooking oil, potatoes, onions, salt, and soap—enough to last up to three weeks.

Our team member said, "During this distribution, all the beneficiaries were very happy and gave thanks to LJI and their supporters. They told us that they will continue to pray to their God for LJI." And then he stressed the importance of continuing our relief work and said, "Proverbs 19:17 tells us, 'One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his good deed.' So, we need to help the helpless!"

Our COVID-19 Global Relief Effort continues in Bangladesh to communities who are in desperate need for survival. Prior to the pandemic, over 50 million people lacked food security in the country—and lockdowns only increased the barriers.