Relief work is required to provide temporary relief for people and families affected by unexpected emergencies. At ElShaddai Centre, we view relief support as more than just giving those in need instant help; it also provides a fantastic opportunity to forge relationships with those we serve. This offers us the chance to explore more complicated or drawn-out problems.
As of March 2020, when the Covid-19 epidemic first appeared, we have established an Emergency Relief Fund (ERF). ERF has assisted thousands of people over the last two years. We kept helping families that were severely impacted by the epidemic this year, but many are still having a difficult time getting back on their feet because of a variety of obstacles, including difficulties obtaining suitable employment, deteriorating health, problems with their paperwork, and others.
In August 2022, we restructured ERF into Post-Covid Restoration Fund (PRF). The effects of the pandemic have been devastating throughout the whole nation. The refugee community continues to face challenges and struggles to restore their normal life prior to the pandemic. Through PRF, we provide financial assistance to help the refugee community rebuild their lives with dignity.
We offer interest-free community loans in addition to short-term relief assistance. These loans assist the community, including some of our teachers, in dealing with major livelihood issues or unexpected events such as floods. We also encourage community saving programmes such as a matching scheme to encourage individual saving habits and a community support fund to assist others in their own community. Another possible community-saving programme is to contribute to a children’s education fund.
We were able to provide more comprehensive psychosocial support in 2022 due to an increase in capacity from the previous year. This includes extensive case management, individual and group counselling, and referral to various other community services and support as needed. This allowed us to deepen our engagement with the community by moving beyond short-term or one-time relief efforts to provide holistic intervention and support.
