The Distant Relatives Project

Thanks to your generous contribution, The Distant Relatives Project has successfully met our goal for our Masks For Our Relatives campaign, where we helped to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 by providing masks to more than 1500 people experiencing homelessness in Washington, D.C.

We’re now shifting our efforts and energy towards another vulnerable population. Exactly one year ago today, our Chief Health Officer, Yani, arrived in Ethiopia for a temporary work assignment at Black Lion Hospital (BLH) in Addis Ababa. There, she witnessed the strength and resilience of the BLH staff who did their best to deliver safe and effective health care despite the severe lack of essential, basic resources such as sanitizers, gloves, masks, gowns, and face shields. The unsafe working environment that medical practitioners face in the line of duty has previously prompted a strike by medical residents and interns. Their concern was not only their own safety but also the high rate of preventable hospital-associated infections patients experience at BLH. The DRP is launching a new campaign to supply Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to our health care professionals at Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

It has always been a goal of our organization to take on this project, but we believe it’s even more important to begin now as they fight the COVID-19 pandemic. We have started the production of PPEs in Ethiopia and kindly ask for your financial contribution to help us appropriately equip these health care professionals.

You can also donate via cashapp ($DistantRelatives) or through our website https://distant-relatives.org/give/ 

OUR GOAL IS TO DONATE 800 MEDICAL FACE SHIELDS AND 200 BIOHAZARD SAFETY GOWNS. Please share and donate to help us purchase the materials needed and ultimately help our relatives in need.

The Distant Relatives Project (DRP), a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, is focused on three core pillars: education, health care and homelessness. We are dedicated to improving the lives of those living in underserved communities around the world.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that is transmitted person to person through small droplets. Originating in late December of 2019, this pandemic is impacting every aspect of our lives. For the homeless, COVID-19 is a new challenge in their already difficult lives.

The Masks For Our Relatives Campaign is created with a mission to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in the community of people experiencing homelessness. The masks are made out of cotton, layered, washable and reusable. Members of our community are helping us sew the masks by standards published by organizations such as Vanderbilt Medical Center and Holy Cross Health.

Here are a few ways the homeless are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19:

1. Social Distancing and self isolation is nearly impossible  
     - Adult shelters operate at high density

2. The population of people who are experiencing homelessness is, on average, much sicker than the general population. This is due to not only their advanced age, but also their accelerated physical decline and mental weathering that frequently results from repeat exposure to harsh elements.
     - 'A recent report by leading social scientists and homelessness experts analyzed exposure, hospitalization and potential mortality rates from coronavirus among people who are homeless. They found that homeless people who contract coronavirus are twice as likely to be hospitalized, two to four times as likely to require critical care and two to three times as likely to die compared to the general population.' - Diane Yentel, President and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
     - Existing studies of homeless populations have observed obstructive pulmonary disease prevalence between 20 and 30%, compared to 10% for the general population.

3. The lack of accurate or complete count of homeless people who have contracted the virus makes it hard to track and treat patients who may be in need of care. Inadequate access to health services, lack of sanitation and the difficulty to detect infections early increase the spread among the homeless community.

While cloth masks are not recommended for healthcare workers, cotton masks reduce the risk of transmission by more than 60% in the general public. Evidence has shown that those infected with coronavirus are sometimes contagious two days before the onset of symptoms. The CDC now recommends the public use of homemade face coverings when in public, reserving higher-grade protective equipment like n95 masks for hospitals and health care workers. 

OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE 500 MASKS BY APRIL 15TH AND A TOTAL OF 1500 MASKS BY APRIL 30TH - please share and donate to help us purchase the material needed for these masks and to help our relatives in need!