Dear GEC Community,
I first want to thank you for your outpouring of support over the past several days. We are witnessing and feeling the enormous global response to the COVID-19 pandemic and are all in the midst of dealing with this crisis personally. I cannot tell you how much I’ve appreciated the show of support from many of you for GEC and Kitenga. I believe it can be summed up best by one of our closest and dearest allies,
“GEC isn’t going anywhere and neither am I.”
GEC is being proactive in the face of this unprecedented global health crisis. We have enacted our emergency action plans internally and I’m in touch with the Immaculate Heart Sisters of Africa leadership on how we can help ensure the health and safety of the students, faculty and staff in Kitenga. It is certainly a time when we are reminded of how connected we all are and how critical it is to support each other, especially the most vulnerable.
Since I wrote the first draft of this letter yesterday, there has been a significant development in Tanzania: the government has closed all public and private schools for 30 days, beginning immediately. Kitenga students have returned to their homes. This story is unfolding real-time so at present I don’t have any significant additional information.
We are closely watching the situation in sub-saharan Africa and as of right now, Tanzania has one person who has tested positive for the virus. The government has set restrictions and guidelines around travel and public gatherings. In the coming days, we will communicate the plan for the Kitenga Girls Secondary School and what GEC can do to support them during this time.
I encourage you to reach out to us if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions. Erin and I are available to take your emails. Our contact info is below.
Stay well and safe. Although for the common good we have to be physically separated, let’s stay connected.
Anne Wadsworth
Anne Wadsworth, Executive Director (hyper link to bio on website):
Email: Anne@girlsedcollaborative.org
Erin Klass, Director of Development: (hyper link to bio on website)
Email: ErinKlass.GEC@gmail.com