What do you see are the similarities between the work Adara does in Uganda and Nepal?
Our work in both Nepal and Uganda focuses on complex service delivery in remote and disadvantaged communities with a focus on health and education. In Uganda, we deliver specialised newborn care in a facility, Kiwoko Hospital, where many patients in the hospital’s catchment area live in extreme poverty. In Nepal, we reach extremely isolated communities in areas where few government services exist. Our work in both countries focuses on reaching the most vulnerable by creating and ensuring access to essential services.
What are the big strengths of the organisation that have contributed to the agility Adara has demonstrated at this time?
There are many reasons we have been able to respond with agility to this crisis and I think a lot of it comes down to our 22 years of experience. However, there are three other strengths that are particularly pertinent. Firstly, all our work is community-led. We believe local people know the best solutions to their problems which means our Nepal and Uganda teams include only local staff. These staff consult widely with the community and ensure everything we do reflects the needs identified by the local community. This has been integral in our COVID-19 response, as we have been able to identify solutions to challenges in line with community needs. Then due to the knowledge and connections of our teams, we have been able to implement those solutions swiftly.
Secondly, our team are experienced in responding quickly and effectively in times of crisis. The structures, tools and expertise we have developed through our experience with the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, and outbreaks of Ebola and Congo Haemorrhagic Fever in Uganda, are incredibly useful as we respond to this pandemic and deal with the longer term social and economic repercussions.
Thirdly, I also need to call out the amazing support we have received from our partners, like Navitas. We have been lucky enough to see our partners and friends stepping up, offering flexibility and supporting us to implement our COVID-19 response plan.
What can people do if they’d like to get involved/learn more about Adara’s work?
They can get in contact with us; we love chatting with people interested in learning more about our work.
Details about getting in touch with us are available on our website – www.adaragroup.org.
Follow us on social media. We’re on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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