Covid 19
African Challenge Scotland COVID-19 Response Resilience
African Challenge Scotland (ACS) played a major role in the relief efforts in Glasgow during the COVID-19 lockdown. With ACS long-established community engagement through multicultural events and other empowerment programs since 2013, it has a better understanding of the needs of Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.
Across Glasgow, Black Asian Minority Ethnic communities were the most affected; and the most vulnerable were refugees and International Protection Applicants (IPAs -aka asylum seekers) particularly those self-isolating with long term health conditions. Before lockdown many refugees and IPAs were already suffering mental health trauma from their previous experiences of seeking International protection and being detained in some of the removal centre across the UK. The further social isolation necessarily imposed by 12 months of lockdown had hit people in these most vulnerable BAME and IPA groups hardest.
African Challenge Scotland was delighted to partnering with nghomes through funding from Barclays, MEARS Group, Refugee Survival Trust, Impact Funding Partners through the Scottish Government Wellbeing Fund, Jacobs Engineering through the Collectively and East Dunbartonshire Food bank to support the BAME communities. The supports have been crucial. Our food parcels, Tesco vouchers and deliveries helped African and Caribbean backgrounds to get foodstuffs that they know and traditionally eat but can’t get from other food banks.
We offered culturally appropriate food to members of the community who have been struggling or isolated.
The commitment of our volunteers, and the support received from nghomes and other partners organisations to provide basic groceries to local families during lockdown has been truly remarkable and amazing.
During this pandemic, families were placed under tremendous pressure, being detained together at home for many weeks.
Consequently, many couples were struggling to cope and relationships have been significantly tested. There has been a rise in reported domestic abuse throughout the UK.
Understanding COVID-19 for children, young people and families. We work to ensure that no families were left without support. BAME workers have suffered the most financial hardship since coronavirus pandemic began - as well as being among most at risk from disease.
This initiative would not have been successful without the effort of many passionate community volunteers and young people from all ethnic background including Lord Provost of Glasgow, Philip Braat, councillor Graham Campbell, councillor Christina Cannon, councillor Ruairi Kelly, councillor Annette Christie, Anne McLaughlin MP member of parliament for Glasgow North East, Bob Doris MSP for Maryhill and Springburn and African Challenge Scotland young ambassadors and adults volunteers.
African Challenge Scotland deeply appreciates the selfless services of the passionate and dedicated volunteers who have always relied on over the years.
We provided African food parcels, toiletries, feminine products, and financial support to BAME families across Glasgow and beyond. This was possible with the support from all our funders, partners and North Glasgow Housing Association.
To date, we managed to get out and about around Lanarkshire to support families and save lives, we led and coordinated a weekly emergency food delivery to more than 3,758 hard-pressed and self-isolating African families (over 11,315 people) across Glasgow, Paisley, and Renfrewshire, Motherwell just to list few throughout the emergency period. Thanks to all our amazing volunteers, local elected members, our partners’ nghomes and refugee survival trust, and all our funders.
We received two motions from both Westminster and Scottish Parliaments.
African Challenge Scotland and response to covid-19 - Early Day Motions - UK Parliament
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