Just over a month has passed since December’s tragic accident that claimed the lives of 18 NCBA CLUSA project staff in a remote area of Uganda. NCBA CLUSA leadership and staff continue to work to ensure the needs of the families that were left behind are being met.
“The most important item for us is the ability of the affected families to recover from this tragic accident,” said Doug O’Brien, president and CEO of NCBA CLUSA. “We’re focused on ensuring that the survivors and the families who lost loved ones are not only healing physically, but mentally as well.”
Traumatic events affect survivors on a number of different levels. To better meet these needs, counseling services have begun to help those affected process this tragic event. The program staff is meeting in small groups to support one another and help each other heal under the guidance of trained professionals. One-on-one counseling is also being offered for those that need to process this event in a more private setting. Along with these services in the project offices, counselors are also engaging in home visits, working with survivors recovering from their injuries.
On January 29, 30 and February 1, three memorial services honoring those who lost their lives will be held in Kampala, Lira and Kiryandongo. A number of executive and senior leadership from NCBA CLUSA’s headquarters office in Washington, DC will be on hand in Uganda to participate in memorializing the outstanding individuals and the good work they did that made a powerful impact in the lives of the young people involved in the Youth Empowerment Through Agriculture (YETA) program.
To join in memorializing the lives of those who were lost in the accident, many individuals, cooperatives and organizations have chosen to donate to the Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF)’s Disaster Recovery Fund. A contribution to the CDF Disaster Recovery Fund assists cooperatives, families and communities when they are most in need of help. Donations are welcome and will help replenish this fund that provides urgently needed financial relief to those in crisis.
