The world as we know it won’t be the same for a while.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt the political, economic, and social realms of our societies, we are being confronted with significant challenges – whether it be losing a job, learning to work from home, caring for a sick loved one, or simply struggling to find a new sense of normalcy.
However, around the word, the struggles we face are not all equal. In fact, these unprecedented times have further illustrated the widening gap that exists between developed and developing countries. Developing countries, like Zimbabwe, face a whole host of challenges that disproportionately amplify pre-existing problems affecting the health and livelihood of its citizens.
As informal sectors of the economy have shut down, many Zimbabweans are now unemployed and living in poverty. Most families struggle to feed their children with little to no savings, and do not receive economic stimulus packages from their government.
As schools have stopped conducting classes, the majority of Zimbabwean children and youth currently do not have access to any form of education. Most young people do not have the privilege of online classes, electronic devices, books, and other resources.
As gyms and other recreational spaces have closed, the mental and physical health of Zimbabweans have suffered. Most people cannot afford Internet data plans, which makes activities that can contribute to their overall well-being – access to online workouts, learning opportunities, and video calls with loved ones – a luxury.
Lift4Life’s mission is to uplift and strengthen communities around the world through the sport of powerlifting.
Our gyms may be closed – but our mission continues outside of the gym.
This summer, Lift4Life is hosting its COVID-19 Relief Campaign to raise an initial goal of $2500 for local initiatives that will help build sustainable livelihoods in Zimbabwe during these difficult times. Using a holistic community approach, we will address these issues of unemployment, education, as well as food and nutrition.
Our first initiative will be to fund a local poultry farm that will provide employment opportunities for youth. With the help of local community leaders, this youth-led initiative will allow them to learn how to manage a business as well to be financially independent and support their families. This initiative is only the first of many that we plan to implement throughout the course of the campaign.
To get involved with our campaign, we encourage you to:
Check out our weekly blog posts on our website for more information and updates on the poultry farm as well as exciting future initiatives.
Tune in with our ambassadors every Saturday on our weekly livestream fundraisers on YouTube, where you can follow along with their quarantine workouts, chicken recipes, and more!
Follow us on social media (@lift4life_worldwide) for more content and to access the links to our livestream fundraisers every week.
Donate below to help us reach our goal – every bit helps!
Thank you for being part of Lift4Life’s work in uplifting and strengthening communities that need your support – now more than ever.