The coronavirus pandemic has pushed an estimated 120 million people into poverty. Most of these will have to wait until at least 2022 to receive their vaccine.
These are people who rely on daily labour to earn an income. Yet strict lockdowns mean they’ve lost the only means they have to provide for their families. In countries like Nigeria and Ethiopia, the pandemic means that there’s no longer any food on the table. As coronavirus cases continue to rise, millions more people are going hungry.
We refuse to let people living in poverty be left behind. As followers of Jesus, we are committed to following his example of caring for all people – ‘whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40).
A recovery for all
The only way out of this pandemic is to recover together – no country is safe until all countries are safe. People who are going hungry now can’t wait; they need urgent practical assistance. As well as providing this, Tearfund is campaigning for everyone in every country to have access to an approved Covid-19 vaccine.
Our local partners are advocating for governments around the world to include vulnerable groups, such as refugees, in their vaccination programmes. And we are asking the UK government to do even more to support lower-income countries.
We are also helping to prepare communities for the rollout of a vaccine, including equipping church leaders to share accurate information about Covid-19 vaccines.
