Emergency Fund for COVID-19:The testimonies of gratitude for the aid from some dioceses of Ghana, Zambia, Senegal and Nigeria

His Exc. Msgr. Alfred Agyenta, bishop of the diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga in Ghana expressed his profound gratitude to the PMS for the help received in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The diocese and the country are not yet out of the tunnel, but the help they have received has strengthened their determination to continue fighting in the hope that, sooner or later, the Lord will definitively defeat this terrible virus. The contribution received, amounting to 5,000 dollars, was used to bring water and food and aids for personal survival to consecrated persons and lay people working in rural parishes. The diocese was also able to provide and distribute some personal protective health materials in 19 parishes, such as surgical masks, gloves and soap, which allowed the continuation of pastoral activity. The diocesan team has intensified the control in its structures to strengthen the distribution of such aid, the rapid spread of which is a priority challenge, and to intensify people's awareness of vaccination against Covid-19. 

Similar gratitude was expressed, in the name of his bishop and of the diocese as a whole, by Br. Kabaso Patrick Philson, pastoral coordinator of the diocese of Mansa, in Zambia, for the response of the PMS to the appeal launched for the financial emergency experienced by their clergy due to the pandemic. The $4,000 contribution was invaluable both to take care of their clergy and to help prevent the spread of the virus and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in the diocese. This project is aimed at: increasing awareness and knowledge among the members of the clergy on the practices of prevention, protection and hygiene in parish houses; improving the livelihood of the clergy in parishes and medical assistance for priests affected by Covid-19. 

The Apostolic Nuncio to Senegal expressed the gratitude of His Exc. Msgr. Jean Pierre Bassène, Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Tambacounda until last November 4, on behalf of the diocese and the clergy for the financial aid of 7,000 euros provided by the PMS special fund for the Covid-19 pandemic. This figure was largely distributed to the 26 priests; a further part was assigned to the direction of Catholic private teaching in support of schools. 

From Nigeria, gratitude and details of the distribution of the sums paid to the priests of the diocese of Sokoto and the diocese of Uromi were expressed, whose bishop, Msgr. Donatus Ogun OSA, thanked for the contribution of  $7,500 received by the PMS which was provided for the "House of Mercy and Peace" - House for the sick and the elderly of the Sisters of St. Louis, for school fees for destitute children to the Special School of St. Gabriel of the Franciscan Sisters and for the kindergarten of St. Joseph and the Ogwa Primary School of the Sisters of Notre Dame.