The Crisis Relief Initiative for Africa: International Approaches to Black Health
By Savitri & Priyanka Fouda
My sister and I were raised in the US, but we always have had one foot in Cameroon, our father’s home. Growing up, we saw how the smallest interventions, like a newly paved road or the insertion of a well to get fresh water made a huge difference in the quality of life of people in our community. The ability to live a healthy and safe life is a human right.
When the first case of COVID-19 in Africa was diagnosed in February 2020, we founded the Crisis Relief Initiative for Africa (CRIFA). During the COVID-19 crisis, CRIFA has donated masks, PPE, food, soap, and disinfectant to schools, refugee camps, markets, hospitals, and other at-risk groups. In June, the World Health Organization called Cameroon one of three coronavirus “hotspots’ on the African continent, which has only redoubled our efforts.
CRIFA volunteers teach attendees strategies to protect themselves from COVID-19.
During a recent interview, a doctor at a hospital that we made a large donation to described himself as a soldier in a war against the pandemic, with CRIFA’s gift of handwashing stations and personal protective equipment acting as armor. In wartime, citizens are asked to make sacrifices for the greater good. We aim to be a transparent and effective conduit for individuals and organizations in Africa and abroad to contribute to fighting crises, so that these sacrifices have their intended effect.
One of our core principles is supporting African entrepreneurs and delivering key supplies. In order to meet this goal, we try to source all of our donations from local businesses and organizations. One of these organizations is the Main dans la Main Orphanage, which has always been near to our hearts. They house young women who have survived sex trafficking and teach them trades, such as sewing. These young women sewed masks for the students at Binguela Primary School. In addition to helping young people attend school safely, we were able to support a local institution and their work. We also work with SIMAD, a cleaning products company founded by a local Cameroonian entrepreneur who has supplied us with hand sanitizers, soaps, and cleaning products. Most recently, we delivered three thousand bars of SIMAD soap to at-risk households across the North and Extreme North of Cameroon.
Another idea we keep in mind as we do our work is maximizing impact with small, targeted interventions. We recently distributed disinfectant and cleaning products to market workers and taxi drivers in a market in Douala, Cameroon. Many Cameroonians get their food and other goods from open-air markets, and these markets facilitate the informal economy that supports so many families.
CRIFA collaborates with local organizations to distribute food and supplies.
Many of the black health issues in America are mirrored in the communities that CRIFA works with. Pre-existing conditions, like diabetes and hypertension, contribute to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on black communities in the US. In Africa, the prevalence of diabetes is rapidly rising with many adults living undiagnosed. To address this population directly, CRIFA made two donations of food, cooking oil, and disinfectant to people with pre-existing conditions in the Ivory Coast.
Health disparities and unequal access to treatment and care plague black communities around the world. We hope that CRIFA can continue to play a small role in addressing these issues. Please visit our website to learn more about our work and to donate.
Savitri Fouda is entering her senior year at Harvard College with a major in Molecular and Cellular Biology. After graduation she plans to join McKinsey & Co in New York City.
Priyanka Fouda will be attending Harvard Business School in September and is currently a private equity analyst at Development Partners International in London.