December 19

The coronavirus outbreak that is sweeping through China has reached ICC’s projects in Hunan province.

Our largest project in the city of Hengyang cares for 160 children and young adults. For nearly three years our staff has diligently protected the young people from Covid-19,
experiencing a series of lockdowns over the years and regularly volunteering to sacrifice their personal lives in order to keep the children safe.

That tradition continues, even as members of our staff contract the virus. In recent days the Hengyang area has seen a spike in Covid-19 cases. A large portion of our staff has tested positive for the virus, and therefore has not been available to report to work. A reduced contingent of caregivers is managing our 20 homes in the facility and caring for the children.

In Changsha, some of the adults in our care have tested positive and are being cared for at their group home. All are in satisfactory condition.

The Family Partners programme has also been impacted by the coronavirus. Some staff have had to miss work because of exposure to the virus, and most families have chosen to stay safe at home and forego classes at our centre in Kaifu district. We are in regular contact with the families we serve and will respond to their needs as the situation demands.

ICC places the safety of our young people as our highest priority. Kyla Alexander, our China Operations Director, remains on-site in Hengyang to oversee our Covid response and ensure that all children are safe and well cared for.

We will continue to provide regular updates on the situation in our projects.