Open AccessUtilizing Technology during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Author(s) -
Daryn Joy Go,
Natalee Hung,
Hannah Ferrolino,
Kendall Wilson,
Mia Choi,
Daniel R. Mayhugh,
Lincoln Leehang Lau
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
christian journal for global health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.101
H-Index - 1
ISSN - 2167-2415
DOI - 10.15566/cjgh.v7i5.479
Subject(s) - livelihood , poverty , economic growth , pandemic , business , covid-19 , health care , social distance , political science , public relations , medicine , geography , agriculture , economics , disease , archaeology , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty)
National lockdowns and social distancing measures enforced in response to COVID-19 have forced many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) serving in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to suspend their operations. While low-income families continue to suffer from hunger and poverty, community quarantine restrictions additionally isolated them from town centers where healthcare, education, food, supplies, and livelihood opportunities are usually accessed. International Care Ministries (ICM) is a Philippine-based NGO that runs a poverty-alleviation program targeted towards extreme low-income households. As we re-evaluated how we may continue to effectively minister and serve our communities despite lockdown measures, we identified two priorities: (1) to serve people’s physical needs by providing food and access to healthcare, and (2) to serve people’s spiritual needs through spiritual feeding and community. In this field report, we describe how ICM was able to identify and use social network platforms as an alternative to continue both service delivery and spiritual feeding remotely. We hope this example may encourage other development NGOs to persevere as we all continue to seek ways to adapt to these extraordinary and seemingly ever-changing circumstances.