With the recent outburst of cases and certain regions being decreed Red Zone, it is obvious that we are bound to live “with” the virus and adapt ourselves.  Some people are fleeing villages and towns and moving to other places within the country as a temporary measure; in my opinion “à contourner l’incontournable.”  

Throughout the ages and different eras, man has been confronted to various challenges and has always been able to adapt to his environment.  This unprecedented scourge is nothing like anything humanity has witnessed so far.  The world being a global village, the virus has spread at an alarming rate and has been very difficult to deal with.

In spite of physical barriers and sanitary precautions the virus is not seen to be easily contained; instead it is still propagating and mutating and with the opening of frontiers which is inevitable; the number of cases will surely be on the rise.

How do we NGOs are to fare and help in this battle?  There are numerous challenges that NGOs are facing right now and will face in the future.

One of them is the economic effects of the pandemic on NGOs.  The economic turmoil has affected a lot of companies on which certain NGOs were reliant as a source of funding.  Less profit means less money disbursed for donation. 

Nevertheless, I believe that every adversity also comes with its possibility.  In this context, certain NGOs should revamp themselves.  This can be done by being more visible to the civil society. 

Social media can be a very powerful tool for any not-for-profit organization.  It is an effective means to connect to the public.  The work that is being done with the donors’ money can be easily seen through pictures and videos, thus creating trust between all stakeholders involved.

One of the possibilities that NGOs offer where others might fail is their involvement in the community. The easiness with which NGOs can reach out to secluded communities can be a vital tool for policy makers to tap in.  NGOs vast array on field experiences can be used to devise strategies to help the communities.

To end, I would say that combating and curbing COVID- 19 can only be achieved if all the stakeholders including the NGOs work together towards a common goal.

Like we say in Creole, the adage goes: “Marye-pike nou avanse.”