Message from FSD Uganda Executive Director on COVID-19

Uganda confirmed its first case of COVID-19 this weekend. The Government of Uganda, together with private sector actors, continue to demonstrate great leadership by putting in place and adopting progressive measures aimed at protecting Ugandans and limiting the impact of the pandemic.

Even as the world continues to reel from the devastating rise in fatalities, the economic impact of the virus remains to be fully understood. It will hit both rural, urban and refugee communities, especially the most vulnerable, our core target group, further compromising their ability to withstand shocks.

At FSD Uganda we are committed to our mission of financial inclusion and improving the lives of people and businesses. We plan to continue supporting the financial sector, our partners and grantees during this time of need. Below are the actions our stakeholders can expect from us:

Our Commitment to Staff:

1. All work-related travel has been suspended, in line with the Government of Uganda’s directives.
2. We are encouraging staff to work remotely beginning with the 30-day period as instructed by the Government of Uganda.
3. All internal and external meetings will be carried out remotely as far as possible. Where completely impossible, we have postponed them.

Our Commitment to Partners and Grantees: 

The economic impact of closure of borders, lack of mobility to trading centers, and layoff of staff across industries, will be huge. As the situation evolves, we will need to coordinate even more closely with our partners and grantees – both in terms of the existing impact of COVID-19 but also preparing to rebuild post the pandemic.

If you are an FSD Uganda grantee or partner, we encourage you, at the earliest, to reach out to your main point of contact within the FSD Uganda technical team and share any current or projected challenges on delivery following the outbreak.

We would be grateful to hear from you about any COVID-19 response measures you have put in place, with the aim of learning from each other and coordinating where possible.

We also continue to work closely with our partners in the financial sector to explore viable responses to the evolving situation and strengthen the financial resilience of Uganda’s most vulnerable groups for the long term.

For any additional information on FSD Uganda’s COVID-19 response, please email: jmutabazi@fsduganda.or.ug.

Sincerely,

Rashmi Pillai.

Executive Director.

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